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Anybody use the PartyQ?

FearlessTheEggNoob
FearlessTheEggNoob Posts: 888
edited April 2013 in EggHead Forum
Seems like a pretty good deal for the money. Just wondering if a battery operated Guru has enough horsepower and battery life to make it through long cooks on large eggs.

Might be just the thing for a traveling rig or occasional use.
Gittin' there...

Comments

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    I am borrowing mickeys. Plenty of batt life. I like it so far.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    I love mine.  I use it with my small for camping and tailgating.  Just for kicks I used it on my large one time on a 16 hour butt cook.  I think I could have done a second cook on the same batteries.

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • Boileregger
    Boileregger Posts: 614
    For my last cook that lasted a total of about 18 hours, I put fresh batteries in before I started, and when I was done it still had 40% remaining. The key is to warm up the egg close to temp before you put it on otherwise it will blow and blow as its coming up to temp, which will really kill the batteries.
  • only downside is that the batteries don't last when it's really cold outside. I used Mickey's on a few cooks as well. One of them was very cold overnight and the batteries died. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited April 2013
    Not into them. It or its big brother. My problem is always operator error. And I don't cook long anymore " Turbo Rules".
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • JayHawkEye
    JayHawkEye Posts: 196
    I liked it enough to buy it last spring, but it was off on temp and wouldn't recalibrate. Sent it back where they "fixed" it. When I tried it again the temp jumped all around (on the screen, like, 15 degrees either way) every time it refreshed. Frustrated, it got put on the back shelf and I didn't think about it til late this winter. Still messed up. Oops.
    "Take yourself lightly, but what you do seriously." - M. Martin XL BGE - Johnston, IA
  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
    This might help Mickey. We have a controller (Auber, electric, no meat probe) that we use for long cooks in the 160F to about 300F or so range. Once it reaches steady state it only fluctuates a few degrees either way depending on how you have the top vent set. For lower temp you want the top vent almost closed and for higher you want it full open. Other than that you have to pull the fan motor wire off the controller when you open the dome because you lower your grate temp such that when you close the dome the lower sensed temp causes the fan to overrun more than you need and it will over shoot the grate temp by ten - twenty degrees getting back to steady state. To avoid that pull the fan motor wire off the controller, close the dome, and wait until the temp stabilizes, which is usually pretty close to what it was when it was opened, and then re-install the fan motor wire to the controller. Maybe with yours you can avoid that.....  All that and if you just want to see how you're doing then just pull the daisy wheel and look in with a flashlight to avoid opening the dome.
  • chad408
    chad408 Posts: 140
    I love my party que works great unless you are opening the lid a bunch. I also modified my party que to use without batteries which is nice when i am at the house, just plug it in set temp and never have to worry about it. I think it is well worth the money.
  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
    ....actually, pull the fan motor wire off the controller when you OPEN the dome ......
  • egzilla
    egzilla Posts: 51

    I am very pleased with my Party Q. As a general rule I put in fresh batteries if I'm going to do a long cook.

  • I use a DigiQ DX2 from the same company, BBQ Guru. I use it with a Big Green Egg and think it's a game changer. The PartyQ is just a simplier, battery operated version of DigiQ, and with a smaller fan. I can't speak to the problems others have written about in this string, but I think the BBQ Guru line of thermostats is nothing short of game-changing! I wouldn't cook without mine. It holds low temperatures easily for doing fish (mackerel, blues or king) and long cooks (butts and briskets) are so much less labor intensive with the fire being monitored by the PartyQ.

    My only suggestion? If you can, go for the DigiQ DX2. It requires electricity, but it also senses the temperature of the protein you're cooking and can be programmed to ramp down the pit temperature to match that of the meat so that you can't overcook it when it gets to temperature. It's definitely more expensive, but it is one great device!
  • chad408 said:
    I love my party que works great unless you are opening the lid a bunch. I also modified my party que to use without batteries which is nice when i am at the house, just plug it in set temp and never have to worry about it. I think it is well worth the money.
    How did you do this?
    Gittin' there...
  • I'm thinking a PartyQ and a Maverick ET-732 might be a good combo for under $200.
    Gittin' there...
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    I'm currently learning how to use a partyQ and so far so good. Just been playing with it. Haven't cooked a long low and slow yet. I've already go two mavericks so I think it's a good setup. I have a large and small egg.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    I have used the partyQ on my drum smokers, since it saved me from having to wake up in the middle of the night to kick the ash off the briqs during overnight cooks. Have not needed it for the egg in my (limited) experience. I would like to someday buy a controller that I can set/adjust remotely, but that would cost some $$$. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    For cold weather use, you can use lithium batteries.  I covered this issue and battery life in my review of the PartyQ, FWIW.  Battery Life and Cold Weather  I got 48 hours from a fresh set of Energizer Alkalines at 250 degrees during which the ambient temperature varied from 65 to 85 degrees.
    The Naked Whiz
  • I bit the bullet and just bought the dang cyberQ. I had originally thought of going with a partyQ and getting a maverick. Well that was 200. I then was gonna just do the guru and it was 265. I looked and the cyber has 3 food probes plus a grate probe. I figure if I do multiple butts it will come in handy. It could end up being total overkill. I will post an update when I get it in and get some cooking going on it.
  • Hotwingking
    Hotwingking Posts: 279
    I love my Party Q, holds temp right where I want it and I can sleep instead of gettin up in the middle of the night. :D
  • bo_mull
    bo_mull Posts: 363
    I looked at the PartyQ and the DigiQ and the CyberQ, But I opted for a Stoker WIFI.

    Cleveland, TN.

    LG BGE, PSWOO2, Stoker WIFI.

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,428
    edited April 2013
    I explored the BBQ Guru website a bit this morning.  One of the user comments for the PartyQ stated it worked great on his Large, yet the "Adapter" section only showed a plate for use with the Small.  Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here?  
    EDIT:  I already have a Maverick, the PartyQ looks like the perfect companion!  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • Hotwingking
    Hotwingking Posts: 279
    When I bought my Party Q it came ready to use for my Large Egg, I then purchased a Small Egg adapter online. Check out Fred's Music and BBQ website.
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    @botch

    It comes with an adaptor that states BGE all models, it its the medium large and xl. There is another $25 adaptor for the small. I'm gonna call them tomorrow and talk to them about the "all eggs" but will order a small adaptor as I need one. The wording is misleading tho.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,428
    Thanks guys!  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • chad408
    chad408 Posts: 140


    chad408 said:

    I love my party que works great unless you are opening the lid a bunch. I also modified my party que to use without batteries which is nice when i am at the house, just plug it in set temp and never have to worry about it. I think it is well worth the money.

    How did you do this?


    What I did was get a 6 volt transformer plug and got a input for it from radio shack and wired it to the positive and negative battery spot. Works like a charm I had a post on it but will have to find it think its called party q modification