BBQ Guru help

[BB-que]

Anybody have any experience with the BBQ guru on an insulated box smoker? Any tips or tricks as far as when to start the program/fan, and how much they keep air intakes/outtakes open while using it? Been years since I’ve used mine but gonna give it a go for overnight brisket cook on an insulated cabinet. Any experiences appreciated - in particular how much to keep ball valve (inflow), guru valve, and top chimney open. Thanks

 

[SmokinAl]

I would try a trial run with a chicken or something to get it dialed in. I think I would start with the top vent & the guru valve open and use the ball valve for controlling the air flow. With an insulated cabinet, I would think you would need very little air flow to hold a steady temp. Let us know how it goes.
Al

 

[radioguy]

I asked Grok about the Guru. Remember that adjustments take a bit of time. You may have to wait 10-20 minutes to see the result of your adjustments.

RG

• Light only 6–10 hot briquets or a small split log in the firebox.
• Open intake fully, exhaust damper 100% open for the first 30–45 min until you’re 50 °F below target.
• Then start closing the intake damper in ⅛-turn increments. These smokers hold temp like a bank vault — tiny damper moves = big temp changes.
• Most people over-fire them. You’ll almost never need the intake more than 25–33% open once stable.
• Target 275–300 °F pit temp

 

[forktender]

Start the guru right away with 6-10 pieces of light charcoal in a basket of unlit coal, wait until your temps stabilize to your set temps until adding food, 15 to 20 minutes in most cases on most home size cookers.

For the guru to work properly, you have to close off all the air intakes completely.
The guru is a stoker type controller, it's fan supplies the intake air as needed to reach and maintain temps. Smoke stack should be open too 100% all the time, if your temps start to run away, A- either the guru isn't working properly or B- you have air leaks that are feeding the fire.