MES-40 Model 20070512 Temperature Problems

[holyfeld]

Lately I've been practicing my brisket smoking. Normally I have guests and I play with the smoker temp to get the brisket to rest about 2 hours before the party. Friday I smoked a practice brisket. It's just like a real brisket, but with no party time to aim for. I put the iGrill probes in the point and flat, and then used an iDevice probe to monitor chamber temp. 

I set the setpoint to 225 and started the smoke. Initially the PID controller kept the temperature about 20 def F hotter than set point. I was annoyed, but offsets happen so I changed the controller setpoint to to 210 and the chamber temp fell to 223. Close enough. 

As the meat temperature rose from 40 deg F, the setpoint and chamber temperature came closer together. When the meat hit 140, the difference was 1 deg F. 

The Auber is a multi-step PID controller. Next brisket is 11/21. I'm planning to create a profile that starts at 210, and after 2 hours shifts the setpoint to 225 to see how the chamber temperature behaves.

 

[mneeley490]

Those Auber PID's are great! I love the one I use with my fridge conversion. Especially when doing something like bacon or salami where you have to gradually step increase the temps over a long period of time. I think it's a must when smoking at very low temperatures.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
So ... today (April 10, 2015) I smoked the 4 Cheese Mac & Cheese in a 1/2 size steam table pan and a 9x13x3 pan of the Planet's Best Baked Beans. 

@Bearcarver  and I messaged and he said ... "I only smoke on shelf 2". (It's late and I may not remember correctly, but I'm hanging on waiting to put 2 butts in the smoker).

I started the smoke @ 225. With the chamber at temp I put the mac on shelf 2 and the beans on shelf 3. The temperature over time looks like:

MacNCheeseComments.png

• holyfeld
• Apr 10, 2015

And this is why @Bearcarver  only smokes on shelf 2. Given where my temperature probe sits in the chamber, putting a very large heat sink between it and the heating element causes a significant overshoot in temperature. 

Would this matter for a 15 hour pork butt smoke? I'm not sure. For a 2 hour mac & cheese smoke, I got concerned.

Next up ... two butts on shelf 2 monitoring chamber temp. When I wake up, I'll start the braise ...

I just found this thread:

I'm sure that's not what I said. I don't "ONLY" use shelf #2.

As for my Gen #1 (4 shelf) unit:

I probably said, If I only use one shelf, it would be #2.

If I use 2 shelves it would be #1 and #2.

And if I use 3 shelves, it would be the top 3 shelves.

I never use #4.

I used my Gen#1 for 5 years, and never needed a PID, and the #2.5 is even beater than the Gen #1 was.

Bear