Dang Guru!!!

Firetruck

It's been a looong time since I had to do an overnighter. Tonight I fired up the large, got it up to temp, put on the butts, and hooked up the Digi II. The pit probe is off by about 25-30 degrees.

I clipped it to the dome thermo and it is not even close. It has been off before but seemed to straighten itself out.

I guess there won't be much sleep for JoJo tonight.

Di

That makes two of us. I've got two butts on now, but everytime I think the temp is stable at 225, it either starts climbing or falling requiring a slight adjustment to the vents.

Oh well, sleep is overrated!

Hoss

Throw that dayum thing in the trash and cook!!!

Grandpas Grub

 
Clear the air path through the lump, playing with the vents is a killer.

GG

Di

I'm sure this is a dumb question, but do you clear the lump from the bottom using a wiggle rod? I'm assuming so since you don't want to open the egg when doing low and slow.

Grandpas Grub

 
Where is the position of the pit probe when you are 25°-30° off. What are you comparing the temperatures with?

If you are really concerned, pull the dome thermometer out of the egg and test it. It takes only a few minutes, also turn off the q2 and take it in the house and test it also.

Use the scrubbie that came with the q2 and clean the probe.

Even when I connect the q2 (or stoker) pit probe to the dome thermometer the temps are off. The closer the clipped probe is to the dome ceramics (further away from the tip (read point) of the dome thermometer the further the temp is going to be.

Remember, the dome thermometer is probably a $5 thermometer (quantity at wholesale).

Also, make sure you don't clip the q2 probe to tip (read point) of the dome thermometer.

Dome temperature and food level temperature is going to be off and you are right in the ball park.

If you grid clip make sure of your placement of the pit probe. Not too close to the food and not in direct radiant heat path from the lump.

If all else fails, split the difference and cook your meat. All will be fine in the end.

Pulled pork is a very forgiving cook. I have cooked butt as low as 200° and high as 400° and both came out perfect. 40° off won't bother the butt at all other than time to be done. However, it can drive the cook nuts.

Just some thoughts.

GG

Firetruck

Hoss, that thang is like a pacifier. I value my sleep too much to not have it. I trust the egg but since I got the guru I've kinda got out of practice.

Grandpas Grub

 
If air flow is a problem use a wiggle rod from below the fire grate.

Don't get too over paranoid about looking at your cook. Kind of reminds me of when I was first married. Sometimes you have to take a towel or wash rag in the the bride. If you look, well... it's just a complement. If you don't look, well I would check myself for a pulse.

Remember, when you open the dome, the temperature is gong to climb. Check the DFMT before you open and make sure it is at the same settings after the dome is closed and DO NOT change any vents.

If using a wiggle rod don't shake the heck out of everything. Just get some lump moved so air can flow up through the lump.

If you have been chasing the temperatures all night the fluctuation might be being caused by you fiddling around with the settings.

What size egg, what temp are you trying to hold and what are your settings, bottom and top?

GG

Hoss

You know what Gomer would say,For shame,for shame,for shame!!!MAN,you don't need that contraption!!!!! U R a COOK!!!!

Grandpas Grub

 

Kind of like having a car and something is off.

I guess one could toss the car and walk. Both will get you from point A to point B.

GG

Firetruck

thanks for the input GG. I didn't know that clipping to the tip of the dome probe could cause an issue. I probably do need to check the dome thermo again (it's been a while). I have cooked with it enough that I have become acustomed to the dome thermo and trust it but that's not to say it's not off a little.

Right now it seems to be consistant even if it is wrong. The dome is reading 235 and the guru is reading 265 If it stays that way, I'm gonna try to get some sleep.

Grandpas Grub

 
Where is the pit probe connected?

GG

Firetruck

It's clipped to the dome probe.

Di

Cooking on a large. I checked your guide to vent settings and mine are pretty close to yours for a 250 degree cook, about 1/3 inch on bottom and 1/4 inch on daisy wheel. When I filled the egg with lump, I used large pieces on bottom and going up to smaller pieces. Everything seemed stable for first 2-3 hours at 225, but has gone down as low as 214 and was still dropping when I started messing with the vents.

Hoss

I know what you mean,but walkin is ALWAYS dependable,sometimes cars will quit on you.It helps to know how to walk just in case you need to!Just look at the TOYOTA ordeal!

Grandpas Grub

 
"I didn't know that clipping to the tip of the dome probe could cause an issue."

Not sure if it really does, after a point in time all the metals should equalize. You will see an indent on the tip of the dome thermometer, from that indent to the point is the read point in the thermometer.

Take a look at this...

http://www.thebbqguru.com/pages/Pit-Probe-Placement.html.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
That's a bit too far off for my liking. Split the difference and get some sleep. I would think the dome thermometer is off.

I didn't check my dome thermometer for a long time it was 60° off boiling point when I finally did check it.

See my post with the link above.

GG

Firetruck

Hoss wrote:

I know what you mean,but walkin is ALWAYS dependable,

Speak for yourself :laugh:

Hoss

:laugh: C'mom JoJo!u do not need a gadget to cook!Set dem vents and go to sleep!!!!

Firetruck

Thanks GG, I just went out there and they are a little closer than they were.

I think the pit probe itself may be the culprit. the tip that plugs into the guru is a little loose and it spins around. I don't want to mess with it much because I had a food probe tip come off and got stuck inside the guru. That was a pain to get out.

Grandpas Grub

 
Sounds like you did good with the lump. Hopefully you light in several places across the surface of the lump.

Depending when you started the cook you could be getting a vertical burn - might be early in the cook for that to be happening. I would see if some of the holes in the fire grate are blocked, then I would look at the lump, however, opening the dome is going to give you are dip then a rise in dome temps then will settle down. Try an not play with the vents for a while.

1/4" on the DFMT, is the slider 1/4" open or the pedals 1/4 the way open (slider closed)? If the slider is open 1/4" I would think you have an air flow issue.

Being able to see your situation it would be fairly simple to tell, but chatting is a bit harder.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
From what I heard, going wasn't a problem for the Toyota's - stopping was.

I know what you mean. I know the egg will do a great job on any type of cook.

But I am in the camp of, if you have power windows, air conditioning, heater, and windshield wipers available, use them. Better yet get in a plane and fly - that's why all those things were invented.

It is a good idea to know how to walk though.

GG

Di

I've got the pedals 1/3 open on the DFMT. I poked around the grate holes from the bottom about an hour and 15 minutes ago. Since then, it's been stable at 225. Maybe that was all that was needed.

BTW - I think you are the best! I've learned so much from your posts and recipes. Your family is so lucky to have such a great cook!

Grandpas Grub

 
"I had a food probe tip come off and got stuck inside the guru."

Interesting, that's a new one for me...

I would think if you were having contact point issues you would be seeing the display jumping from the reading to zero or the three dashed lines '---'.

The plugs will spin, I believe the female contact points are a wire spring type setup.

If something is wrong with the plugs that would be an on off situation. Reading the wrong temperature would be in the software or the physical wires in the tip.

Other than checking calibration on both, probes, use the reading you trust the best, I would go for the q2 if it were me, and if it is steady go get some sleep.

When using my q2 or stoker, if the stoker is not connected to the computer, I always use a Maverick ET-73 and take the remote into the bedroom and go to sleep. The high/low alarms will trigger should something get too far out of control. The Maverick always seems to be off from the dome and q2 or stoker. I just set the alarm limits higher or lower as the difference with what thermometer I trust and go to bed.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
"Great Cook", now that's funny, but thanks.

It seems that 225° for most people is a little more difficult temperature to hold without using a powered vent system.

On the next overnight cook or if the temperatures seem to vary, take the egg to 250° if your dome thermometer has been calibrated recently. If you haven't calibrated or checked calibration in a while, your reading could be correct of off, there is just no way of knowing.

If you are steady at 225° I don't think I would play with things but I probably would set an alarm and check again in about 2 hours. You don't want your fire going out or running wild.

GG

asianflava

Hmmm stirring the coals, never thought of that. I had the same problem the last I used mine but I thought it may be the weather. The temp initially was below the setpoint by 15-20 degrees then after resetting the vents, it shot past by 15-20 degrees. Up until then, I had never had a problem, it would climb up to my setpoint (230deg) and sit there without moving.

Grandpas Grub

 
Don't think I said stir the lump. I said use a wiggle rod from the bottom to clear the holes in the fire grate and gently wiggle the lump to make an air path.

Are you using a powered vent system?

The ambient temperature shouldn't affect the egg in any way other than maybe a little longer to get to temperature. I cook in sub zero weather and the egg will stay stable with or without a powered vent system.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
It has been my experience that stirring the lump from the top during a cook tends to knock smaller pieces of lump into the holes of the fire grate thus blocking air movement up through the lump. A wiggle rod from the bottom is your friend here.

GG

Mickey

Hoss that is just not called for, and I always supported you and Jimmy whatever you were up to.
:ohmy:

Crimsongator

you never lose it Jojo

Hoss

:huh: ??? Dude,I was ust kiddin around!