FlameBoss 200 Reveiw

Wow. That is pretty cool. Didn't know they were coming out with a wifi one. Sounds interesting. Not sure I'd ever use it, but I'm not a big techie guy. The 100 works for me, but glad to see they now have an option for others.

Michael Collins has been great to deal with.  He even answered the phone on Good Friday.  He knows his product inside and out.  He walked me through how to get into the advanced settings and adjust them.

I'm very happy with the FB100 and would heartily recommend it.

I have used it on both my XL and medium with great success.

The original

@EggcitedinNJ
My router changes letters and numbers to an encrypted "phrase of numbers and letters" for another layer of protection.  I have to log onto my router and go to "wireless settings" to get the password.  Hope this helps...

How close does it keep the pit temp to the set temp and someone said there is no damper in the motor? What keeps air from getting sucked in when motor is off .Do you have to shut down the air up top ?? My Auber control has a motor damper and I generally I leave Smokeware cap opened a crack .

sctdg said:

How close does it keep the pit temp to the set temp and someone said there is no damper in the motor? What keeps air from getting sucked in when motor is off .Do you have to shut down the air up top ?? My Auber control has a motor damper and I generally I leave Smokeware cap opened a crack .

The motor is not just simply On or Off......it's variable speed.  It runs anywhere from 10%-100% in increments of 10.

With any temp controller, the fact that air can be sucked past the stopped fan is an issue to be aware of....but only with a Kamado.  The BGE is so efficient, that it can run on tiny amount of air.  This is more of an issue of users that try to use the ramp down function as an "Off button" for the fire--it may work, it may not.  Either way you need to start the process ahead of time, like 30-60 minutes ahead of the time you are going to get to the meat time--so that the pit temp has lowered to that meat temp at the exact same time. 

So, set up your egg and stabilize like you were cooking without a temp controllers.  Just crack the cap a bit like you normally would, put your temp controller on once the temp is reached.  Or undershoot your temp, then SLOWLY bring it up.

Any temp controller is to MAINTAIN temp by not letting the fire go out.  Using the temp controller to start the egg, stoking it up to temp, is a gamble.......you're going to overshoot big time if you're not careful.

With everyone of these controllers I sell, I always warn people that strapping a piece of new technology to cooker with a simple design thousands of years old, doesn't mean its going to run like an electric convection oven.  A temp controller is ultimately insurance so that the fire doesn't go out on you.  It can help with other things, but it's not always spot on.......at no fault of it's own.  Fire is an interesting creature with a mind of it's own, and there's no controlling it 100% no matter how much technology is involved.

Griffin said:

x100 on customer service and Michael Collins. I've never had an issue, but we've corresponded through e-mails and he's always quick to reply. I've still got one of his first ones. Think it was a prototype. Not sure. Think it had a really low serial number on it. Still works like a champ, though I use the FB100 now. Maybe I should give away the original? Or just keep it as a backup...

Dont give away the original .. it was built with very expensive parts and Michael told me that they didnt even recover the original build cost on it when they sold it to consumers. It is a very good device!

@BearQ ... good review ... please let me tack on some new things I've picked up.  Talked and traded e-mails with Michael today.

1) Michael and company have a list of updates/improvements that are being working into the system.  One of the improvements is a text alarm for pit temp too high or too low.  When they have a number of improvements available, plans are to upload the new firmware via wifi.  And, no they can't do that with the 100.

2) Temp probes should be considered good to/for 450 degrees.

3) The text for a "set meat temp" does work ... almost instantaneously.  During set up, Flameboss.com sends a confirmation number to your phone via text ... make sure you share a text capable phone number.  When you first set your requested meat temp, it'll ask for that number.  I received a text for the first temp I set, but have not been able to get a text for higher temps.  Almost like you get one text per cook ... or I don't know how to work it!!  Have an e-mail into Michael.

4)  Want to see other cooks?  Enter http://www.myflameboss.com/cooks/xxx into your browser.  Pick a number for xxx ... you might get folks messing around on Jonathan's unit or you might get someone on their own unit, or you might get a real cook.  Just step up through the numbers ... 108 looks like a good starting point.

5)  For my egg, the Smokeware settings needed to be tightened up a little when changing from the DigiQ to the Flameboss.

@stlcharcoal ... the xxx is for the cook number.  Don't know who did cook 108  ... just figured those VIP's were trying to figure them out down in the double digit cook area.  In fact, cook 448, the highest on the website, is someone messing around with unit 21.  I sure hope that's not your unit!!

But, yes, I'm a rookie with a three digit unit number.  Picked it up as soon as the pony express dropped it off at my dealer.  Had an e-mail that, in total, said, "guess what I got ?"  Ran right in and picked it up!!!

One more thing ... when you have the graph on your computer screen, touch the pointer anywhere along the graph lines and it will show a readout of the time and value of the data point.  Makes it easy to get the max, min, or time value.

stlcharcoal said:

With any temp controller, the fact that air can be sucked past the stopped fan is an issue to be aware of....but only with a Kamado. 

The Stoker has a flap that closes when the fan isn't running. When the fan runs, it blows the flap up and allows air in. It's the only one I've seen where the blower has a flap that closes when the fan isn't running.

Jeepster47 said:

DMW said:

The Stoker has a flap that closes when the fan isn't running. When the fan runs, it blows the flap up and allows air in. It's the only one I've seen where the blower has a flap that closes when the fan isn't running.

@DMW ... Is it hinged and closed with a weight (or spring) or is it a flexible flap.  Either way, there must be a delicate balance ... weak enough to open when the fan blows, but strong enough to resist moving due to the natural draw.

It is hinged and the weight of the flap is enough that it drops down when the fan isn't running.

The original Flame Boss blower also had the flap feature and it worked quite well. The pix I saw of the 200 blower look very similar to the original. Is the flap still there?

BearQ said:

@caliking try connecting the unit to a different wifi, McDonalds, Starbucks, possibly a local library to ensure that the unit works. If it works elsewhere logon to your wireless router and look to ensure its getting an IP from the DHCP section of your LAN interface first before continuing to troubleshoot. If the unit is not getting an IP it won't connect to any network.

The default server IP setting is pointed at myflameboss.com. I changed it to an IP within the DHCP range of my LAN and got the same result as before. Sent an email to the company so maybe they can help me figure it out. I'm kinda bummed that I can't cook with it tomorrow though.

Thanks for the help.