I picked up a large never fired vertical pellet smoker a couple of months ago. He purchased it near 2 years prior, so there is no warranty on it. I've never owned one, all of my smoking has been done with charcoal, wood and wood assist gasser which I'm getting rather decent with after 45 years at it. 
I used it for the 2nd time as a smoker yesterday afternoon and inserted a probe on the grate that held my small rib roast. The temp probe is Thermoworks Smoke X4. I knew the were swings in temps so I tried to monitor it somewhat and record its mood swings.
Now I don't trust the controller dial to tell me the real dirt on what is happening inside the cabinet so that is the reason for the Smoke X4!
Now granted I have a large capacity (tall) cabinet and my 3rd party temp probe was in the top 1/3 level of the cabinet 1 inch in front of the roast. I'm doing a visual here, thinking that my temp probe is easily 16 plus inches above the factory temp probe on the grate. Factor temp controller probe is @ the top of the water pan. And yes the water pan was used to capacity.
My Question Is,
When your smoker is monitored by a reputable 3rd party digital thermometer ( in my case Thermoworks), how much of an actual mood swing does your pellet smoker go through when it is set at about 225? Tell us it's high temp then the timeline till it hits it's low temp before it raises once again over the next timeline??
I appreciate your response!
Thanks Chefs!!
I used it for the 2nd time as a smoker yesterday afternoon and inserted a probe on the grate that held my small rib roast. The temp probe is Thermoworks Smoke X4. I knew the were swings in temps so I tried to monitor it somewhat and record its mood swings.
Now I don't trust the controller dial to tell me the real dirt on what is happening inside the cabinet so that is the reason for the Smoke X4!
Now granted I have a large capacity (tall) cabinet and my 3rd party temp probe was in the top 1/3 level of the cabinet 1 inch in front of the roast. I'm doing a visual here, thinking that my temp probe is easily 16 plus inches above the factory temp probe on the grate. Factor temp controller probe is @ the top of the water pan. And yes the water pan was used to capacity.
My Question Is,
When your smoker is monitored by a reputable 3rd party digital thermometer ( in my case Thermoworks), how much of an actual mood swing does your pellet smoker go through when it is set at about 225? Tell us it's high temp then the timeline till it hits it's low temp before it raises once again over the next timeline??
I appreciate your response!
Thanks Chefs!!