Smokintex temperature fluctuation

[river100]

Well here it is straight from the horses mouth . The factory rep told me how to smoke sausage in the 1460. I was using the step method and drying the sausage in the smoker for the first hour, He said to pull the wood pan and pre heat the smoker to 130 while I let the sausage air dry outside the smoker. After 1 1/2 hours open the door and slide everything in, wood box with chunk of wood and the sausage and go from there. He said don't pay to much attention to the temp swings , Just watch the IT of the sausage and forget about buying an aftermarket PID controller. He said the sausage would turn out fine.I noted that when you go to the recipe section at their website there is no mention of sausage. He noted that If he wrote this up on the website he would be arguing with every sausage maker all day long. The unit is designed to have the temperature swings. So long story short I will continue to make my SS and Bologna and see how it works. I just wont be jumping up to attempt to lower the temp like I have been doing.

The temp swing is how they get the wood to smoke. Without them you would need a smoke generator or smoke tube. If you go the PID route you'll need the same.

 

[jcam222]

The temp swing is how they get the wood to smoke. Without them you would need a smoke generator or smoke tube. If you go the PID route you'll need the same.

If the temp swings are around 25F and for example you set the smoker at 100F the upswing would only be around 125F. Is your info from Smokin Tex or your own use?

 

[river100]

If the temp swings are around 25F and for example you set the smoker at 100F the upswing would only be around 125F. Is your info from Smokin Tex or your own use?

This is for electric smokers in general. Electric smokers that use the heating element to burn the chips need a swing to burn them. If not the element will not get hot enough for an amount of time to do this. This is why you need a smoke tube or smoke generator when converting to a PID controller.
If the temp swing is 25F then it would be anywhere around the 100F setpoint with the total difference of 25F between the lowest and hottest reading.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

This is for electric smokers in general. Electric smokers that use the heating element to burn the chips need a swing to burn them. If not the element will not get hot enough for an amount of time to do this. This is why you need a smoke tube or smoke generator when converting to a PID controller.
If the temp swing is 25F then it would be anywhere around the 100F setpoint with the total difference of 25F between the lowest and hottest reading.

Not in all electric smokers. I get great smoke from my pan and I run a pid.

 

[mnsesq]

The SmokinTex and Smokin-It smokers do have temp swings. My Smokin-It swings almost exactly 25* which doesn't effect most things like ribs, shoulders etc but would be a problem for sausage. As far as I know the only way to avoid it is to install/use a PID that'll hold temp within a couple degrees. I'm getting the odds and ends together this week to install a dual probe Auber PID (WSD-1200GPH ). I'm adding an "on-off-on" switch so I can use the analog cotroller in case the PID has problems or for short smokes. Its fairly easy to do, the only part I'm not looking forward to is drilling the SS panels.
https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=14_28

I purchased a Smokin It 3.5 pro Series last month with the PID and can tell you that it cannot determine or regulate its own temp if the outside ambient temp is freezing. I've done extensive testing and find wild temp fluctuations (until the unit warms up for about 3 hours) of up to 40 degrees from its set temp and the temp it thinks it is.

 

[river100]

I purchased a Smokin It 3.5 pro Series last month with the PID and can tell you that it cannot determine or regulate its own temp if the outside ambient temp is freezing. I've done extensive testing and find wild temp fluctuations (until the unit warms up for about 3 hours) of up to 40 degrees from its set temp and the temp it thinks it is.

Well that's interesting. I wonder if it has something to do with the temp of the actual controller, maybe it's what needs to warm up? 3 hours to warm up seems like a lot of time for an insulated smoker but then again I've never used my electric in that cold of weather. I have an MES digital.

 

[mnsesq]

Well that's interesting. I wonder if it has something to do with the temp of the actual controller, maybe it's what needs to warm up? 3 hours to warm up seems like a lot of time for an insulated smoker but then again I've never used my electric in that cold of weather. I have an MES digital.

After further testing today, it looks like there is a breach in the integrity of the control box, which is supposed to be sealed and water tight. I am getting condensation in the control box. Apparently moisture builds up easily inside.

 

[old sarge]

You could maybe post on the Smokin-it section of the SMF rather than the SmokinTex. You might get some advice from other Smokin-it owners who frequent this forum . And I hope you get the controller sealed up well. RTV650 might work if you find gaps. Check with Steve.