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how low with a temp controller ?

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fairchase
fairchase Posts: 312
edited August 2012 in EggHead Forum

   For the folks with temperature controllers. Is a 170-180 grid temperature maintainable with a temperature controller ?

   I do fine at 225 without a controller , but I tried smoking some summer sausage , and  trying to hold a grid temperature between 170 - 180 was a work out.

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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    I've been able to maintain 150 with my Auber.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,384
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    Griffin said:
    I've been able to maintain 150 with my Auber.

    And that ability may drive me to an Auber-just for the long low smokes-that low w/o a controller is much more labor-intensive than even 200-220*F on the dome for me. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
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    I have only used my auber once, but I slept greaaaat that night. I plan on using mine very soon to try and smoke cheese.
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  • mtnbikeninja
    mtnbikeninja Posts: 36
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    I have a bbq guru cyber q and was able to hold a 225 degree temp for 20 hours.  I'm sure with the correct fire build and daisy wheel adjustments it could hold 170-180 temp with no issues.
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  • fairchase
    fairchase Posts: 312
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    mtnbikeninja said:
    I have a bbq guru cyber q and was able to hold a 225 degree temp for 20 hours.  I'm sure with the correct fire build and daisy wheel adjustments it could hold 170-180 temp with no issues.

    Like I said 225 is no problem even without a temperature controller, but when you get down to 170-180 it's very hard to keep your fire from going out.

     Sounds like the Auber makes it work.

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  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
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    lousubcap said:
    Griffin said:
    I've been able to maintain 150 with my Auber.

    And that ability may drive me to an Auber-just for the long low smokes-that low w/o a controller is much more labor-intensive than even 200-220*F on the dome for me. 
    Atta boy @lousubcap    Anything to cut down on your manual labor!!!
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    That Auber site is cool - bookmarked.

    I'm going to try a new low in temperature regulation today when I fire up the cold smoker I just finished building.  Target temp is going to be 65F.  The DigiQ grate thermocouple will be in the cold box with 5000 BTU of cooling. The BGE will have the stoker fan and will try to keep balancing the heat load so the cooling can run full blast and the egg regulates the temp with the smoke/heat.  Might start a thread on this.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
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    nolaegghead said:
    That Auber site is cool - bookmarked.

    I'm going to try a new low in temperature regulation today when I fire up the cold smoker I just finished building.  Target temp is going to be 65F.  The DigiQ grate thermocouple will be in the cold box with 5000 BTU of cooling. The BGE will have the stoker fan and will try to keep balancing the heat load so the cooling can run full blast and the egg regulates the temp with the smoke/heat.  Might start a thread on this.
    Please do....I'd like to see it.
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  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
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    nolaegghead said:
    That Auber site is cool - bookmarked.

    I'm going to try a new low in temperature regulation today when I fire up the cold smoker I just finished building.  Target temp is going to be 65F.  The DigiQ grate thermocouple will be in the cold box with 5000 BTU of cooling. The BGE will have the stoker fan and will try to keep balancing the heat load so the cooling can run full blast and the egg regulates the temp with the smoke/heat.  Might start a thread on this.
    I think you should should share. All the info I have heard about your cold smoker so far has me interested in what you have created.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Sneak preview. Need to make drip pan and grate rack.  
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
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    Looks like quite the contraption. Looking forward to the details when you finish her up.
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  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
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    Looks good! So the Egg is providing the smoke? How long of a hose will be connecting the two units? Are you concerned about condensation in the cold smoker? Probably shouldn't be that much to worry about.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Yeah, egg effluent heat and smoke.  Humidity will be high, so it's not a drying smoke.  I can turn off the cooling and it'll be an ambient cold smoker that does dry (for jerky or whatever). 

    Just got a wild hair up my ass and spent about $160 on materials (everything else I had). I couldn't find anyone that had used an AC to sub-cool a smoker on the web, figure why not be the first? 

    Main concern is the amount of time it takes to clog up the evaporator coils with soot.  They should clean fine, the unit bolts out.

    However, even if that doesn't work, I can use the box as an ambient cold smoker, and I have a plan B and C for sub-ambient smoking.  Plan B is to take the AC apart and convert the evaporator to a cold-plate system.  Plan C is to use a water chiller to do the same. 

    Plan D would be move somewhere cold and go ambient.

    Speculation aside, I'm going to fire this up today or tomorrow and see what actually happens....and I'll start a thread.  All the backseat engineers are welcome to join!

    Sorry about the crummy pics, I used my tablet camera, which I never normally use.  I'll break out the SLR and try to get some good pictures for the thread.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
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    Sounds cool(no pun intended).....and I have never seen an AC unit in a cold smoker before. Curious to see how well it works.


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