SmokeDaddy Magnum P.I.G and Pellet Pro PID upgrade for my PB Austin XL

[RCAlan]

Wow... Where do I start.?. Well, I upgraded my PB Austin XL to a Modified Pellet Pro Austin XL. I added the Pellet Pro 35lb Hopper Assembly with their PID Controller to the Austin XL, I also added the SmokeDaddy Magnum P.I.G. Cold Smoke Generator along with a few other much needed mods. The Hopper Assembly with the PID Controller took all of 20 mins. to swap out. Adding the Magnum P.I.G Cold Smoke Gen. was a slightly different story. I needed to do some cutting, drilling and sanding to get the Magnum P.I.G. installed. If anyone is interested in adding real Hardwood smoke to their pellet grills and is considering adding a Cold Smoke Generator, do Your research to make sure you choose the right size Cold Smoker Generator for your size and brand of Pellet Grill. The Magnum P.I.G. is SmokeDaddy’s largest of 3 Cold Smokers, so if anyone is contemplating getting one for their Pellet Grill, they should really make sure there’s enough room/space on their grill and in some cases, in their grill to accommodate the Magnum P.I.G... I chose the Magnum P.I.G. because I didn’t ever want any more excuses for lack of Smoke. This thing puts out the Smoke and then some. I’ve found that chips burn much faster then chunks. I wanted to be able to have a constant smoke for at least 2 straight hours... I’ve gotten close to an hour with wood chips and a 3/4 full cold smoker. I’m guessing using wood chunks and a full cold smoker would get closer to 2 hours.. You can always check the volume and add more wood if necessary. The greatest plus is that the air pump allows the End User to dial in the smoke volume and there’s no increase in the grills temps... Everything stays rock solid. I’m still learning and testing everything that’s new on my Austin XL, but so far so good, no complaints. I’ve got a brisket flat, a baby back slab and a tri tip on the grill at the moment.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[mike guy]

Nice! How's the smoke? I've seen a few videos of these and haven't seen any that look like they are producing good clean smoke. I always chalked it up to the video. It seems like you should be able to get enough air in it to produce blue smoke, but it always looks grey / white to me. Have you had luck getting thin clean smoke?

 

[RCAlan]

Nice! How's the smoke? I've seen a few videos of these and haven't seen any that look like they are producing good clean smoke. I always chalked it up to the video. It seems like you should be able to get enough air in it to produce blue smoke, but it always looks grey / white to me. Have you had luck getting thin clean smoke?

When the wood first ignites, like all woods will do, it’s going to burn with white smoke... After about 20 plus mins, the white smoke starts to clear out. Ventilation and air flow is key... I’m still learning and trying to figure it all out... The air pump that comes with the unit can be adjusted to help dial the smoke type in as well. It does require some work, so for those that are just set in stone with, Set it and Forget it, then this unit is not for them. I believe after a few more uses, I’ll have it figured out. The main pluses are that it doesn’t add any extra heat to the cooking chamber, the real wood smoke smell is nice and the volume of smoke that the Magnum P.I.G. produces is something that the standard pellet grill just can’t replicate and all the reviews I’ve read about the unit have been great... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review...ve_star&pageNumber=1&tag=smokingmeatforums-20

Kinda pricey, but I’m happy I bought it.
My first cook is still on the grill.. I’ll post back this evening how the cook turns out and how the smoke flavor was.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Very nice and congrats on the new modifications.

Hopefully you get the smoke profile that you are looking for, but at the very least, with the new PID controller you no longer have to go through the cumbersome Pitt Boss non PID startup procedures, and your temperature control should be tighter.

 

[mike guy]

Very cool. Would love to see some pics or video of the smoke once it’s dialed in.

 

[kstone113]

Congrats on all the mods and upgrades RCAlan! I'm curious if you noticed the heavier smoke taste...my guess would be yes.

I am still researching the magnum PIG but leaning towards getting one.

Great review!

 

[RCAlan]

Well, after the family and I finished off the Tri Tip, brisket flat and the B-back slab, I must say everyone enjoyed the Que. I purposely kept my grills temp set at 250* degrees for the first 3 hours for the Smoke, just to see if the Magnum P.I.G. could impart real wood smoke flavor and not so much from the pellets being burned in the fire pot. I was impressed... There’s still a few things to figure out with this Cold Smoker and one thing I noticed after the cook was over, was the amount of Creosote that was coating the insides of the Magnum P.I.G.... This smoker has to be cleaned throughly after every cook, there is no way around it. I’m also going to have to research how too reduce the amount of creosote this unit produces if that’s possible. Maybe I did something wrong or the Smoker itself got to hot... When I got the smoker going, I waited until the bulk of the white smoke cleared out and a few times I opened the grills lid to help allow the smoke to escape. Overall though, I was happy with my results and the Smoke that was imparted on my cook today was nice. I would recommend this over the SD Wood Burning Heat Diffuser without hesitation.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Well, after the family and I finished off the Tri Tip, brisket flat and the B-back slab, I must say everyone enjoyed the Que. I purposely kept my grills temp set at 250* degrees for the first 3 hours for the Smoke, just to see if the Magnum P.I.G. could impart real wood smoke flavor and not so much from the pellets being burned in the fire pot. I was impressed... There’s still a few things to figure out with this Cold Smoker and one thing I noticed after the cook was over, was the amount of Creosote that was coating the insides of the Magnum P.I.G.... This smoker has to be cleaned throughly after every cook, there is no way around it. I’m also going to have to research how too reduce the amount of creosote this unit produces if that’s possible. Maybe I did something wrong or the Smoker itself got to hot... When I got the smoker going, I waited until the bulk of the white smoke cleared out and a few times I opened the grills lid to help allow the smoke to escape. Overall though, I was happy with my results and the Smoke that was imparted on my cook today was nice. I would recommend this over the SD Stick Burning Heat Diffuser without hesitation.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

Glad to hear of the progress and good results.

I don't know how to reduce creosote production. But cleaning it with a paste of water mixed with baking soda and scrubbing it with steel wool should make for an easier cleanup.

 

[RCAlan]

After noticing the creosote build up after my first cook with the SD Magnum P.I.G. , I did some digging and some research and came across this thread. A few of the postings I believe are from the owner of SmokeDaddyinc as well...

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/amnps-smoke-daddy-myths.140797/

There’s a lot of valuable info and a great read...

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[mike guy]

My experience with stick burning and creosote has less to do with the temp of the cooker and everything to do with a stick / log not having complete combustion. Total ignition is usually required for clean smoke.

I guess my question is can an enclosed vessel like the smoke daddy get total ignition? With enough air pressure, and room around the fuel, it should. Otherwise it's going to smolder and produce creosote. If you open the cap while it's burning, do flames shoot out?

Now some creosote or by products are ok, and even sought after. The cleanest stick burner in the world still produces by products when a new log is first put on and total ignition hasn't happened yet.

Those brief spurts of "bad" smoke is probably what people mean when they say stick burner flavor. It's a combination of mostly good smoke, with bursts of by products that is very limited.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

My experience with stick burning and creosote has less to do with the temp of the cooker and everything to do with a stick / log not having complete combustion. Total ignition is usually required for clean smoke.

I guess my question is can an enclosed vessel like the smoke daddy get total ignition? With enough air pressure, and room around the fuel, it should. Otherwise it's going to smolder and produce creosote. If you open the cap while it's burning, do flames shoot out?

Now some creosote or by products are ok, and even sought after. The cleanest stick burner in the world still produces by products when a new log is first put on and total ignition hasn't happened yet.

Those brief spurts of "bad" smoke is probably what people mean when they say stick burner flavor. It's a combination of mostly good smoke, with bursts of by products that is very limited.

Yep. Very well explained.

 

[RCAlan]

Just wanted to update Everyone on My findings and thoughts after my first cook with the Pellet Pro PID Controller and the SD Magnum P.I.G. Cold Smoker... Overall, the Pellet Pro PID held My grills temps within 10*-15* degrees of the set temperatures I had my grill set too, so no complaints whatsoever... Now for the SD Magnum P.I.G... I know it’s going to take some time and testing to get the Cold Smoker dialed in and I believe it is possible. After doing some research, I’m going to try a few different steps and see if they make any improvements. From what I’ve read, the black tar/creosote buildup was due to the lack of oxygen in the fire being burned within the Magnum P.I.G. and also the type of fuel/wood being burned. On My first cook, I let the fire burn for 15mins to help allow the thick gray/white smoke to clear out. I had the Air pump set on mid level mostly throughout my cook, but I guess that still wasn’t enough air. On My next cook, I’m going to remove the bottom cap of the Cold Smoker to allow more air/oxygen to feed the fire... I’m also going to try a mixture of wood pellets, chips and small wood chunks mixed together as the fuel source and I’m going to use a larger spring baffle to help produce better air circulation within the Magnum P.I.G. on my next test to see if these changes will help solve the creosote formation and buildup. I also read that it’s a good idea to have your grill preheated first before turning on the Cold Smoker... I’ll give these new procedures a try sometime over the weekend and I’ll post back my results... If anyone has any experience with the SmokeDaddy Cold Smoker devices and has solved the creosote issue, please share your procedures used, it would be much appreciated.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Just wanted to update Everyone on My findings and thoughts after my first cook with the Pellet Pro PID Controller and the SD Magnum P.I.G. Cold Smoker... Overall, the Pellet Pro PID held My grills temps within 10*-15* degrees of the set temperatures I had my grill set too, so no complaints whatsoever... Now for the SD Magnum P.I.G... I know it’s going to take some time and testing to get the Cold Smoker dialed in and I believe it is possible. The amount of Creosote found inside of the Magnum P.I.G. and throughout my Grill was alarming to say the least... and anyone who has read my postings over the past year and a half knows one of my many recommendations to others and something I always do was to always keep your grill clean... The Creosote was like black tar baked completely over the entire interior of the Cold Smoker and found throughout my grill as well. It took me the better part of 3 plus hours to clean my grill and the cold smoker... I had to resort too using, Oven Cleaner, Drain Cleaner and evening Sandpaper to remove the creosote found inside of the Magnum P.I.G.... That’s not going to be the normal routine in order to use this device... After doing some research, I’m going to try a few different steps and see if they make any improvements. From what I’ve read, the black tar buildup was due to the lack of oxygen in the fire being burned within the Magnum P.I.G. and also the type of fuel/wood being burned. On My first cook, I let the fire burn for 15mins to help allow the thick gray/white smoke to clear out. I had the Air pump set on mid level mostly throughout my cook, but I guess that still wasn’t enough air. On My next cook, I’m going to remove the bottom cap of the Cold Smoker to allow more air/oxygen to feed the fire... I’m also going to try a mixture of wood pellets, chips and small wood chunks mixed together as the fuel source and I’m going to use a larger spring baffle to help produce better air circulation within the Magnum P.I.G. on my next test to see if these changes will help solve the creosote formation and buildup. I also read that it’s a good idea to have your grill preheated first before turning on the Cold Smoker... I’ll give these new procedures a try sometime over the weekend and I’ll post back my results... If anyone has any experience with the SmokeDaddy Cold Smoker devices and has solved the creosote issue, please share your procedures used, it would be much appreciated.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

I think you're on the right track.

Increased levels of creosote usually mean that the fire is not getting enough air, and/or not burning hot enough to give off a cleaner type of smoke.

Since more air would allow for a cleaner burning fire, taking steps to allow more air to get to it or even forcing more air into it would seem like a smart move.

What about a bigger air pump? That's what this guy in the video seems to have tried.



Barring that, what about trying lump charcoal in it instead of wood, or even a mixture of lump charcoal and wood chips or chunks, adjusted to a ratio which would yield less dirty smoke.

As lump charcoal tends to burn hotter, maybe this would help.

Good luck solving your creosote problem. Like I said earlier, I think you're on the right track to getting it solved. I am not an owner of it. But a bit of research indicates that you are not the only owner of it who has faced this problem and so an effective solution should be forthcoming.

 

[retfr8flyr]

You will not have any smoke flavor with a pellet grill above about 300°. You will have smoke flavor from a Kamado regardless of the temp, just due to the fuel used.

 

[RCAlan]

Just a update on My work in progress with the SD MP... Adding the SD Magnum P. to a Pellet Grill is almost like converting it into a Offset Smoker.. The only difference is that the heat will still come from the burn pot in my pellet grill and the smoke will come from SD Magnum P. Think and treat the Magnum just like You would an offset smoker... So start and maintain your fire just like you would an offset. How You start your fire is key. Don’t add unburnt lump coal to the SD MP, instead, use a charcoal chimney starter and start your lump coal burn in it. Once the Coals have burnt down and are producing tbs, pour the coals in the SD MP. Fill it 1/3 full with the coals and then add your wood chips, small chunks or pellets to the SD MP and set the air pump to mid level speed to high speed depending on what you’re burning... I also found that lining the SD MP and the top cap with heavy duty aluminum foil really helps solves the cleanup of the SD MP. One thing I noticed is that the SD MP is made from heavy gauge aluminum, but while it’s burning wood and as you use it, it will change color due to the heat and the fuel source being used. The typical OffSet Smoker is Black inside , so you won’t notice much the change in color, because it’s already black... but You’ll see the change with the SD MP. Just inspect it and properly clean it after every use. Lastly, the bottom end cap has 4 small holes in it to help allow air/oxygen to the fire/coals... I added four more holes and also increased the diameter of the holes a bit to help the air flow in the SD MP. My most recent cook was way better then the first.. The Smoke was much better and the clean up was a breeze. Pellets and wood chips burn much faster then wood chunks, so if you use a combination of chips and pellets, be prepared to refill the smoker every hour and a half. The SD MP is still a work in progress, but this time around, I got much better results and I have a good idea of what the SD MP is capable of while hot smoking. Burning real hardwood gives a very distinct positive flavor profile... and while burning pellets even in the SD MP gives a lighter familiar pellet flavor profile. I prefer real hardwood. If You truly miss the hardwood flavor profile, then I recommend using wood chips and chunks... If You like a little stronger pellet smoke profile, then use pellets... I hope the info helps.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[mike guy]

Hey thanks for writing that up. You have me curious about one of these.

Are you getting thin clean smoke now? would love to see any pics or video of the smoke with your mods.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

What about the creosote?

 

[RCAlan]

What about the creosote?

On my last cook, I used lump coal, burned completely before I added the mixture of pellets 1/3 pellets and 2/3 wood chips... The SD MP was also lined inside with aluminum foil... The Creosote deposit was 80-90% better then the first cook. My first cook took me more then 3 hours to clean the Magnum P. and grill... and this cook took me all of 20-30 mins to do a complete cleaning. The Smoke flavor profile was also much better. There was no creosote residue in the Austin XL at all and there was only a little bit in the SD Magnum P. Still a work in progress, but compared to the SD Wood Burning Heat Diffuser, this unit is a Million times better in smoke production and flavor profile. It’s all about fire management.. Eliminate all the factors that can cause creosote to form.. and I’m still learning, but this time it was a huge improvement. One of the hard parts is when you add more fuel/wood, you’re going to get a good dose of TWS, but it clears out. I can cook with TWS, as long as it’s not for a long period of time.... I think the modifications I did to the base end cap and adding a larger spring baffle also helped in eliminating the creosote along with the proper pre burn of the lump coal and the mixture of pellets and wood chips. On my next cook, I’m thinking of filling the SD MP up half full with pre-burned lump coal and then fill the remainder with a mixture of wood chunks and pellets... Pellets seem to burn cleaner, but the real hardwood chips and chunks produce a better smoke flavor profile to me... and I’m always keeping and taking notes...

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[RCAlan]

Hey thanks for writing that up. You have me curious about one of these.

Are you getting thin clean smoke now? would love to see any pics or video of the smoke with your mods.

Trying to achieve TBS with the SD Magnum P. or any of their other cold smokers... I’m thinking the more pre-burned lump charcoal used in the cold smoker, the greater the chance of achieving TBS as that’s what the pre-burned lump coals are producing... TBS... It’s when You add the wood chips, chunks and pellets to the SD MP, does the production of heavy TWS starts. I don’t have a problem with some TWS, but never for the entire smoke/cook... I’m thinking if someone was to use only Hickory, Oak or Mesquite pre-burned lump coals and not add any other wood fuel source to the SD Cold Smokers, then TBS would be much easier to achieve. Adding wood chips, chunks and pellets to it in lesser amounts to the pre-burn coals will help add more wood flavor to the burn. It’s a balancing act... Use Pre-burned lump coals only equals TBS while using the SD MP... Add another wood fuel source to it and the production of TWS with start... Which is not a bad thing for some people as long as the volume of TWS can be monitored and controlled. That would be up to the Enduser too decide... Also, if TBS is being produced, there’s lesser production of Creosote as well... Learning as I go as well and I hope the info helps.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[mike guy]

Interesting. I wonder if you couldn’t put a ball valve on there so you can shut off smoke to the cook chamber when you add fuel. Then you can open it back up when the smoke is to your liking.

I might have to pick one of these up and tinker.