Temperature control system testing this weekend

[geek with fire]

I know what you're saying, but it's only about 50% laziness. It just seems like such a waste of heat and smoke everytime I open the lid. I figure if it spritzes itself, cooking time should be reduced, and smoke should be more consistant......and I can sit my lazy butt on the couch and wait for dinner.

 

[richtee]

Sooo cut a hole and fit with a removable plug. Insert mop rod..squeeze a bottle 2-3 times... done.

 

[geek with fire]

At the risk of turning this into a Bud Light commercial....I could do that. But, I'm already using a Digital I/O card to run the system with 8 digital outputs just sitting there doing nothing; yearning to be used. I have an engineering background and now work on computers for a living, so it's an impulse I can't control Rich!

 

[richtee]

Sigh. Carry on, soldier.

I'll help when I can :{)

 

[bbq bubba]

Well Josh, pretty impressed with all the techno bullcrap you been spewing but can i tell ya, you have basically destroyed the whole concept of BBQ.....
To each his own, who know's, maybe someday i'll want to BBQ from my couch too!!

 

[geek with fire]

It's interesting that you mentioned that "techno bullcrap" has destroyed the concept of BBQ. Looking at your sig I noticed you have an electric smoker. Last time I checked, electricity wasn't around when BBQ was created. Times change, and as you say, to each his own.

I'm not trying to start an argument here. In fact, I shouldn't have even responded. I'm also not trying to screw with tradition, I'm merely combing 2 passions of mine: cooking and electronics. If I've offended anyone, I can keep my gizmo's to myself. I guess this place feels a bit like show and tell back in the good ol days and sometimes I get more excited about things then those around me. No harm no foul....let's move on to something else.

 

[bbq bubba]

Hey Josh, after re-reading that post, i came off a lil harsh......i apologize.
In no way am i trying to kill your thread, keep up your research and i'm sure there are a lot of people interested in your project!!
I guess i'm just a lil old fashioned and enjoy the part where you have to WORK the pit, beside's, i quit smoking last wek and am a little on edge!!

 

[glued2it]

well geek I think this a catch 22 for you. Please don't don't take this wrong, but I agree with bubba. I never wanted to say anything.

But then again I'm interested in your contraption. Ingenuity is a good thing and there's nothing wrong with tweaking something out either.

So here's my unbiased opinion. As long as you still have the capabilities to Q the old fashion way, and you want to design a self sufficient system, then so be it and give it your best. you have 2 passions you want to combine, Who has the right condone you for your own decisions?

While I'm expressing my "opinion" I think electric and propane is cheating.
Truth be known I think any store bought fuel source is cheating. When I learned to smoke, We used wood we cut and seasoned ourselves!

Now what does that all mean anyway. It's as simple as to each there own! do what you want and what works for you!

We are all grown here and have the right to do what we want.

Bubba I consider us friends and I don't want you you take this wrong either. But if there is something you don't like, Move on. Lately I have seen you disagree with people more than agree. We're back to the "to each their own" issue again.

I'm not trying to argue with either one of you. As a matter of fact I will no longer view this thread, To avoid rebuttal.

I said my piece and am through with the subject.

can't we all just get along!

 

[fritz]

Then why say anything?

 

[bustedluckbarbq]

Hey Geek,

I found stainless tubing at a hydraulic supply place... take them your drawings .... they make it all up - bends and all.... supply all the fittings.... i designed a small hyd. set up for an application on a Tank... and they made it all up off some simple PRO-E drawings....

 

[bbqlovinpackerbacker]

I was just thinking....could the tube be run on the outside of the cook chamber, and only the nozzles be put through the top. This would reduce the heat that the tube is exposed to, and possibly keep unsprayed mop from cooking/congealing in the tube between sprays.

Or possibly a suction system that after spraying clears the tubing and nozzles out by placing a suction on the line, and recoups the unsprayed product? Just thinking out loud here.

I think this Rubegoldberg/robotic smoker is a pretty cool idea, thanks for sharing it with us, and allowing my mind to once again wander when I should be doing something productive from the Honey-Do list.

Also, I don't think anyone should ever hesitate to post ideas, inventions, or any other inovative Que stuff on this site. That's what this site is for...Smoking Meat...and anything related thereto with those who will appreciate it the most. Traditional smoking, tech smoking, backyard know nothing smoking (where I fit in here) ...if it tastes good, fix me a plate please.

Thanks Josh (Geek With Fire)...Thou art truely the Smoke Gods most revered IT guy!

 

[geek with fire]

Well that's a keck of an idea (points). I think That would work well. At that point, the temperatures would be in the range of food grade silicone tubing. Also, cleaning would be easier, not to mention easier to fabricate. Nice suggestions.

 

[glued2it]

That's the way I pictured it. Just the nozzles in the chamber, I also figures if using a alcohol based spritz, that would prevent clogging. But then again you would want to rinse it after every use.

I'm sure josh will figure it out!

 

[sweetdreams]

Josh,

Thanks for sharing this idea.

There's a company named tee-jet that makes stainless nozzles and nozzle bodies for ag applications. Some of them are adjustable so you could direct the spray to different areas inside the coker with a fixed nozzle body location. There are also optional pressure diaphrams for the nozzle bodies to provide an instant shut down when pressure from the supply line is discontnued. Using these should allow the nozzle itself to drain completely between cycles and hopefully prevent clogging.
No official engineering background, just a few years on the farm.

Dave

 

[brennan]

The exterior mounted food grade silicone tubing provides good answers to most all of the issues I had brought up earlier, now the issue remains, smoke, soot, and the other sticky residue that builds up in the smoker will inevitably clog the nozzles regardless of what they are made out of and whatnot. I'd recommend either a quick release nozzle for easy cleaning...again I'm no expert on the subject but I'm sure somebody out there makes something like that.

 

[mulepackin]

I'm going to parrot sweetdreams suggestions for ag sprayer nozzles. Lots of brass, stainless, nylon options available with a huge variety of spray pattern configurations, velocities, and volumes. An ag spray place should also have either a programmable or timer controlled solonoid available, they are use for sprayer markers. You might consider a simple yard and garden hand pump sprayer for your pressure vessel. Something about air compressor pressures in the proximity of fire worries me. Keep us posted on your blower. Thats what led me to your thread in the first place. I want to add one to my homebuilt electric freezer conv. Its amazing how all of our differing backgrounds approach common problems. It makes this a great forum.

 

[mulepackin]

By the way, are you filtering the air coming into you blower in any way? I guess I'm worried about the occasional bug, dog hair, etc. getting sucked in and blown onto my meat. Course, it would probably get incinerated first.

 

[geek with fire]

No, but good suggestion. I've got a grill that I forgot to mount outside the box but have been too lazy to tear the rig apart to mount it. Would have been handy, because I've already wacked the end of my finger, and let me tell you, a 4" fan running at 3000 RPMs hurts!

Yea, I looked at Lowes today (looked around the paint sprayers) but didn't find anything useful. I'll hit the Ag store tomorrow. I'm going to start a different thread on this topic as the spritzer isn't related to the blower. Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[glued2it]

sorry about that, I wasn't quite that serious, But I should have known better.