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Serious DigiQ DX overshoot - help!

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ThunderBunny
ThunderBunny Posts: 132
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hey guys.
Got a beautiful pork tenderloin cooking right now and to continue familiarizing myself with my DigiQ DX, I decided to use it for tonight's dinner.
Target pit temp is 200*. Target food temp is 165*
The blasted pit temp stands at about 228* and that's with the daisy wheel fully closed. How is that possible? I started with a full chimney load of Wicked Good. Maybe that was a bad idea?
Got Hickory smoke going and I can see that my darn gasket got scorched during my many TRex adventures and probably needs replacing, but it doesn't seem that bad.
Perhaps there's a leak where the blower connects to the bottom vent?
This is a first and I'm getting a tad P-O'ed.

Update - just checked and it does seem to be dropping a little. Gosh darn it I'm perplexed.
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Comments

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Wish I could help.I been lookin at those temp control gadgets.I can't convince myself that they are worth the trouble.I can hold steady(within 10 degrees) for over 20 hours without em.Good Luck! :)
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
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    I've found that, all being equal, opening my daisy wheel actually decreases the dome temperature by a few degrees when using the Guru. Try opening it up and see what happens.

    Two hundred is a fairly low temp to run the Guru at, and I've only recently learned how to do it without snuffing my fire altogther or getting it so hot it never comes down to setpoint. At any rate, 28* isn't a terrible error...give it time.
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  • kilts
    kilts Posts: 30
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    This is my first post but I think I can help .
    I start my char coal in one location & let the Digi Q bring the temp up to set point.
    I have the Daisy Wheel closed except for the holes.
    When the Digi Q has arrived at the pit temp you can half close the
    Digi Q fan Damper. You can see if damper is correct by how much the fan runs.
    Digi Q says it is easier to bring the temp up than bring it down.
    I hope this helps.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    It doesn't matter if the egg temperature is being controlled by the vents only or by a powered vent system, DigiQ in this case.

    We have to go back to the old adage, heat = fuel + oxygen.

    Above you mentioned you had smoke leakage at the gasket level and most likely you had leakage through the 'closed' DFMT.

    With no q2 think about your vent settings for a 225° cook. The bottom vent would probably have to be closed to about 1/8 inch open and what, 2" tall.

    The exit leakage will affect or have to rely on the bottom vent to control the temperature.

    The guru blowers always allow free air to pass through the blower into the egg unless the damper is completely closed.

    How far or did you have the damper closed down?

    Think of how far the lower vent had to be open with out the q2 then how much more free air would pass through the blower with the vent open. Now think about the blower being on and forcing even more air into the lump.

    I have the viper blower (10 cfm) blower and have to close the damper on the blower to about 1/4 open. My gaskets are old and there is leakage. I can maintain 225° with my DFMT slider closed and pedals open about 1/16" to 1/8" open at the center of the pedal.

    Your q2 should be calling from something like 40% to 60% duty cycle while cooking.

    Another problem could be the egg/lump was allowed to get too hot when lighting.

    Without knowing more about your cook I would say to make sure you don't over heat in light up and close the blower damper way down.

    GG
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  • berrygood
    berrygood Posts: 372
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    Agree with all GG. My settings are identical with my DX.
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  • Roll Tide
    Roll Tide Posts: 505
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    I'm thinking that the temp was waay too hot to begin with. A 200* temp is very small and by using a full chimney, you overshot right out the gate. Next time try slowly bringing egg to temp win evoo and paper towel or fire starter.
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  • ThunderBunny
    ThunderBunny Posts: 132
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    First, a sincere thank you to everyone for the terrific input. Always say it, but it bears repeating: I always learn great stuff here. Next to learning from my own mistakes, this place is an invaluable resource.
    As it turns out the tenderloin may have been one of the best I ever cooked. Not long after I posted, I realized I got started too late in the evening and unless I hustled, I'd be sitting down to supper at midnight.
    I jacked up the temperature by about 100* :whistle: and paid close attention to the food temp. After a beer and a few scenes of Caddyshack I mellowed out and let the Guru do its thing.
    The meat was just perfect - juicy and medium rare - after pulling at 150* and letting it rest for a few minutes. Also, I achieved the first pink smoke ring of my young career...and I gave thanks.
    My only problem was figuring out a nice complement to the potent Dizzy Pig Swamp Tsunami rub!
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