Masterbuilt electric project

[tallbm]

Not sure you caught it but the tube puts out much more smoke than the tray. Another option. There are some fans of the tube. It's well known to stay lit too. Everyone has their own preference. Same with how to light it. I had to tinker a few times to get where I am. Totally worth it than dumping chips every half hour.


EXACTLY the same here.

You guys think the PID settings you use for yours will be the same for the wifi? I have not researched this fully yet.

My guess is that they will be close.

Different PID's could have different algorithms for control but so far the non-Wifi Auber, the MyPIN PID I have used, and I think an InkBird posted at some point all had similar settings.

If Auber is truly designing and their PID's and having them manufactured then it would make sense that the control algorithm and parts stay the same to reduce cost since it is already done. The wifi parts and display pieces would likely be the things that are different. A good modular design would save cost all around allowing for reuse in a number of areas.

Feel free to ask the wifi Auber guys what their PID settings are and at least it will be out there in the world to search for :D

 

[mr_whipple]

So I revisited the ammo can yesterday. I rubbed some boneless skinless thighs and threw them on at 250 with some brats also. Lit the maze with two full rows of the apple blend and off we went. Opted for the original 3 hole configuration. The smoke was constant and not overwhelming. Really wasn't watching the clock, but I pulled the brats at 170 degrees and ate a few while the thighs continued cooking. I couldn't tell if the food was too smoky thanks to a healthy dose of Bombay and tonic, but I gave them both a sniff check this morning. Chicken didn't smell smoky at all and they were in there far longer than the brats, which did have a quite smoky scent to them. I'll eat one later with a clean palate to test. Pulled the maze out of the ammo can and it had burned almost completely, leaving a trail of white ash. I did notice it was still going when I hit the hay, but with the smoker turned off the smoke was moving out the vent at a much slower pace, so cold smoking may require a fan. Looks like it's about done. Gonna try a few more cooks to test the smoke profile before doing some bacon next weekend.

Also, the smoker had a bit of a time getting back up to 250 after I opened the door to remove the brats. I'm going to try playing with the PID values to see if that can be fixed. I have zero experience with that but I guess it's another learning session.

 

[tallbm]

So I revisited the ammo can yesterday. I rubbed some boneless skinless thighs and threw them on at 250 with some brats also. Lit the maze with two full rows of the apple blend and off we went. Opted for the original 3 hole configuration. The smoke was constant and not overwhelming. Really wasn't watching the clock, but I pulled the brats at 170 degrees and ate a few while the thighs continued cooking. I couldn't tell if the food was too smoky thanks to a healthy dose of Bombay and tonic, but I gave them both a sniff check this morning. Chicken didn't smell smoky at all and they were in there far longer than the brats, which did have a quite smoky scent to them. I'll eat one later with a clean palate to test. Pulled the maze out of the ammo can and it had burned almost completely, leaving a trail of white ash. I did notice it was still going when I hit the hay, but with the smoker turned off the smoke was moving out the vent at a much slower pace, so cold smoking may require a fan. Looks like it's about done. Gonna try a few more cooks to test the smoke profile before doing some bacon next weekend.

Also, the smoker had a bit of a time getting back up to 250 after I opened the door to remove the brats. I'm going to try playing with the PID values to see if that can be fixed. I have zero experience with that but I guess it's another learning session.

Nice, sounds like your AMNPS is functioning well for you. Now it seems like time to figure your preferred woods for smoke flavor type and heaviness.

What pellets are you using?
I often run Pit Boss Competition Blend (Maple/Cherry/Hickory) but alone it is mild. I add 100% Hickory to it so that the ratio becomes about 65% Hickory then even parts Maple/Cherry. This does the trick along with burning two rows on anything that smokes 5 hours or less.

For cold smoking let us know and we can discuss fan assisted options. I use one and it fixed my stale cold smoke issues. The nice thing is that I just unplug my MES and use the cord to plug my cold smoke fan contraption in and boom I'm good to go with my fan contraption and all my cold smoked stuff comes out amazing!

As for the PID values, the first one you want to mess with will be "P". It is responsible for coming up to temp when you first start or you are way under your set temp.
Try a value of like 7 or 3 if you are already around 7.
Next will come the value of "D". This one is value that checks back a few seconds in time and compares your rate of temp change from now to a few seconds ago. If at any time the rate has drastically changes it kicks in to try and save the day. I believe other guys are using a value of like 200 for "D".

Report back on all of your PID values and I'm sure we can lend some suggestions and if you want to fiddle and play with it to dial it in I can definitely recommend a better approach to that (smoke a pork butt and full with settings throughout the day since it's a long smoke).

 

[mr_whipple]

I've been using lumberjack pellets of late in the pellet pooper so that's whats on hand. Apple blend (60/40 oak/apple) used for the last two runs. I used to use the pit boss blend, but I noticed it was differed between sprawl mart and lowes. The Walmart version said maple cherry Hickory on the bag, Lowe's didn't. Now this was pre- 'rona and I couldn't get the comp blend anywhere once the 'rona went into full swing. Now it's back at Walmart and they're exactly the same as Lowe's with no identifying of the woods used. Truth be told, I prefer a milder smoke so I might try dust in the tray also as I hear it's milder than straight pellets. I'll keep trying different things to see what I like.

As far as the fan goes, I've got a few ideas. I saved a bad voltage regulator from a piece of equipment at work as it has a nice stainless enclosure. I was thinking about a small dc fan with a battery / potentiometer setup. I have a few small slab batteries laying around so I'll tinker with that. As I've said before, the main goal for this mes is low temp smoking for the bacon and eventually sausages, snack sticks etc etc. as I use the pellet pooper for everything else.. Cold smoking will more than likely be the least used function as I figure, but ya never know.

 

[tallbm]

I've been using lumberjack pellets of late in the pellet pooper so that's whats on hand. Apple blend (60/40 oak/apple) used for the last two runs. I used to use the pit boss blend, but I noticed it was differed between sprawl mart and lowes. The Walmart version said maple cherry Hickory on the bag, Lowe's didn't. Now this was pre- 'rona and I couldn't get the comp blend anywhere once the 'rona went into full swing. Now it's back at Walmart and they're exactly the same as Lowe's with no identifying of the woods used. Truth be told, I prefer a milder smoke so I might try dust in the tray also as I hear it's milder than straight pellets. I'll keep trying different things to see what I like.

As far as the fan goes, I've got a few ideas. I saved a bad voltage regulator from a piece of equipment at work as it has a nice stainless enclosure. I was thinking about a small dc fan with a battery / potentiometer setup. I have a few small slab batteries laying around so I'll tinker with that. As I've said before, the main goal for this mes is low temp smoking for the bacon and eventually sausages, snack sticks etc etc. as I use the pellet pooper for everything else.. Cold smoking will more than likely be the least used function as I figure, but ya never know.

Here's my cold assist contraption. It's cardboard rolled into a "tube" around a tin can. I cut into the side of the tube and attached a 12V computer van that I wired to a 12V plug.

I place over my MES vent hole and the fan blows up the tube causing draft to suck the cold smoke up and out of the smoker. The fan never gets smoke in it to gum it up. I got the idea from another member and turned it into this thing :)

 

[Ringer]

Circling back to this, I did a rib roast tonight and it took around 5 hrs. I used the tube in the ammo cam and it stayed lit the entire time. Tube it is.

 

[tallbm]

Circling back to this, I did a rib roast tonight and it took around 5 hrs. I used the tube in the ammo cam and it stayed lit the entire time. Tube it is.

Tube works with lesser oxygen so is more forgiving it seem. Glad it works out! :)

 

[southensmoker]

Here is my PID install in case any one is looking for info. Did it a couple of years ago though. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/111924/my-pid-install

 

[mr_whipple]

Tell you what... I've got the temps under control. But smoke generation is somethng else, and its starting to really tick me off. Creosote is not my friend,

 

[tallbm]

Tell you what... I've got the temps under control. But smoke generation is somethng else, and its starting to really tick me off. Creosote is not my friend,

One of the posters a good while back put scotch brite metal scrub balls into his mailbox mod duct to catch creosote.
If you end up tweeking your setup and want to try these in the duct you may get the good results catching creosote he reported: