TipTopTemp vs Smobot

Carolina Q

Took a look at the Smobot posts today. No interest here, but when I saw it, I knew how to mod my TTT! =.) Grabbed my TTT and my daisy wheel and headed to the workshop...

Using my metal cutting bandsaw followed by a grinder and a file, I freehand cut the flange off of the TTT. Not perfectly round, but close enough. Like this.


Next, I removed the daisy wheel from the DFMT. See the protruding TTT piece at the top of the pic above? That makes it just a hair too long for the TTT to fit into the DFMT hole. Using a round file (chainsaw chain file) I filed a small notch in the DFMT. Doesn't take much. These are the only mods I made to the daisy so if I ever want to use it without the TTT, I can have it back together in about 30 seconds.


Last, fit the TTT into the DFMT and place the DFMT on the egg as usual. If the daisy screw interferes with a flush fit, file it down a bit or just remove it. You are done.

Is it a Smobot? Of course not. But it's not $300 either... it is $30! If you want wifi-like connectivity from your phone, use your phone to call your wife and ask her to check and adjust it for you. 

You can no longer use the TTT on your Weber kettle I guess, but I never planned to anyway. It ought to be a much better fit for the egg. I say "ought to" because I haven't tried this yet. Just finished the mod about an hour ago. Looks pretty cool though, eh?

This DFMT, btw, is 7+ years old and has never been, cleaned, painted, seasoned or cared for in any way. I rarely use it any more, but I still store it in the egg after every cook. Did so when I used it regularly and still store it there.


For comparison, the Smobot...


Thanks for lookin'.

dsrguns

Good work Macgyver...Let us know how it works out. Looks awesome!

Carolina Q

dsrguns said:

Good work Macgyver...Let us know how it works out. Looks awesome!

LOL, thanks. I know several who have tried to figure out a better way to attach the TTT to the egg. @RRP is the only one I can remember off hand. Hopefully this will work well.

lousubcap

Great execution.  May have to give it a go as it looks like quite a substantial improvement.  Standing-by  for the operational test cooks.  Most eggcellent.

blind99

You need a kickstarter! Nice work!

Carolina Q

lousubcap said:

Great execution.  May have to give it a go as it looks like quite a substantial improvement.  Standing-by  for the operational test cooks.  Most eggcellent.

Thanks. Don't wait for me though. I rarely even use the DigiQ I bought years ago. The TTT was just a $30 toy to play with and when I saw the Smobot video, I knew I had the answer to how to open the dome without losing the TTT.

lousubcap

No worries, I have had a TTT ever since mentioned by @RRP a couple of years ago.  I need a better way to get it to stay in place on the LBGE as the provided tape failed after around 6-8 months for me.  I have tried tin bending with no success, likely due to my lack of mechanical abilities and required tools.

HeavyG

Carolina Q said:

dsrguns said:

Good work Macgyver...Let us know how it works out. Looks awesome!

LOL, thanks. I know several who have tried to figure out a better way to attach the TTT to the egg. @RRP is the only one I can remember off hand. Hopefully this will work well.

I recall someone here pop riveting some metal brackets onto their TTT which allowed it to grip and fit firmly to the vent.

lkapigian

Now if you can just rig something up to allow Sous Vide on a Blackstone Griddle using a KAB

Photo Egg

lkapigian said:

Now if you can just rig something up to allow Sous Vide on a Blackstone Griddle using a KAB

Don't forget rotisserie.

RRP

Carolina Q said:

dsrguns said:

Good work Macgyver...Let us know how it works out. Looks awesome!

LOL, thanks. I know several who have tried to figure out a better way to attach the TTT to the egg. @RRP is the only one I can remember off hand. Hopefully this will work well.

Micheal, I like your solution far better than mine! In fact I since saved the TTT, but the rest went to our local recycling center. Mine did not work as planned!

Carolina Q

Ok, I was about to give up on the TTT. Tinkered with it for most of the morning, trying to stabilize at 250° (or anywhere, really!). Not cooking, just wasting lump. I tried the lower vent barely open, fully open, half open, etc. Also various settings for the TTT. Temps were all over the place! 

Finally figured it out! I think. I have the lower vent open about 1/4" (screen closed) and managed to get the TTT setting where it needs to be. Part of the problem is, the calibration dial broke off of the knob so I have no reference point. No idea how it got broken. It was fine when I stored it away. I have now marked it so that I can hopefully duplicate this setting. Or at least have a starting point next time. We'll see.

Don't really see why this is much different or better than setting the DFMT the old fashioned way. Anyway, it's been stable at 250° for over 2 hours now.

I'll work on the Blackstone/SV/rotisserie thing. No KAB though.

lkapigian

Photo Egg said:

lkapigian said:

Now if you can just rig something up to allow Sous Vide on a Blackstone Griddle using a KAB

Don't forget rotisserie.

Dang you are correct...Sous Vide on the Blackstone using the KAB topped with the Joetisserie

Carolina Q

Almost forgot... I understand the TTT doesn't much like rain. Skews the temp apparently. Look what fits!

Another hour in and still at temp.

Carolina Q

Postmortem... From about 11AM yesterday, the TTT held between 240 and 250°. But I went out about 5PM to check and it was down to 210°. Seemed like there were some pretty large air gaps between pieces of lump, but there was still plenty of lump left so I stirred it and it came back up pretty quickly. It might have come back on it's own maybe? Dunno. Never had that happen on my DigiQ cooks. If it got no lower than 210, it wouldn't be the end of the world. 

I originally thought I'd just let it ride and see how long it held temp, but I needed some heat to sear the 1 1/2" loin chop after the SV bath. So, I removed the TTT and cranked up the temp for a 600° sear (will not do that on a grid again. Should have used CI). Afterward, I put the TTT back on. An hour later, it was down to 300°. So I just shut it down. I'll play some more another day.

Chop was great, btw.

dsleight

Carolina Q, how far was the flapper open during your testing?   I use the TTT at least once per week and have had no issues with the temperature dropping.  I run with the bottom vent open about 1.5-2 inches.  The TTT flapper will be nearly closed, just a small amount of opening.  You will find that the exact dial setting will not be the same every time, the outside temperature will cause you to make adjustments.

HeavyG

dsleight said:

Carolina Q, how far was the flapper open during your testing?   I use the TTT at least once per week and have had no issues with the temperature dropping.  I run with the bottom vent open about 1.5-2 inches.  The TTT flapper will be nearly closed, just a small amount of opening.  You will find that the exact dial setting will not be the same every time, the outside temperature will cause you to make adjustments.

I too just totally ignore the dial setting. When I get to temp I then put on the TTT and turn it so the flapper is almost closed and let it ride.

Carolina Q

Yeah, I figured it would vary. From what I understand, you don't set temp, you set a variance from ambient. I only had my bottom vent open about 1/4". The flapper was mostly open quite a lot. Which doesn't make much sense to me since, when using the DFMT as designed, both vents are barely open.

dsleight

I suggest on your next test you open the bottom more and close the topper down.  The way you have described, there is not really much additional air the topper can move if it is already mostly open.  With the flapper mostly closed and the temp drops, the bimetal spring can do its thing and really get some air flow if needed.