Smobot is up and running on Kickstarter

HeavyG

Just a reminder that the Smobot project is now up and running on Kickstarter.

Support it early and save a few bucks.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smobot/smobot-robotic-grill-and-smoker-controller/description

westernbbq

just pledged $249...

Hntnhrd

So if I understand it correctly it controls the temp
by making minute adjustments on the daisy wheel? While other tempature controls induct air they the bottom vent with a fan? Do those minute daisy wheel adjustment react fast enough and don't overshoot temps?

HeavyG

Hntnhrd said:

So if I understand it correctly it controls the temp
by making minute adjustments on the daisy wheel? While other tempature controls induct air they the bottom vent with a fan? Do those minute daisy wheel adjustment react fast enough and don't overshoot temps?

Yes.

Deluca

Digi Q took a nose dive on me so I said what the hell and backed this. I'll know in June if it works. 
There are 2 main reasons I'm trying it:
1. I don't have to hook up the blower.
2. Wifi connectivity looks to be simple. 

evie1370

I am in, just pledged. I was one of the Beta Testers, it is a great product and well worth the money spent. I am excited-hope the fundraiser is successful!

evie1370

Hntnhrd said:

So if I understand it correctly it controls the temp
by making minute adjustments on the daisy wheel? While other tempature controls induct air they the bottom vent with a fan? Do those minute daisy wheel adjustment react fast enough and don't overshoot temps?

Correct. I was a Beta Tester, never had an issue with over shooting temp. It controlled it very well, within about 5 degrees which is pretty much on target. I cooked multiple briskets over night with this and had great results.

HeavyG

evie1370 said:

I am in, just pledged. I was one of the Beta Testers, it is a great product and well worth the money spent. I am excited-hope the fundraiser is successful!

I hope he succeeds also.

He's going to need about 200 people to sign on to reach his funding goal. That might be a tough ask.

reinhart36

@HeavyG - Thanks for the post and support!

We're 8 minutes in officially... Nerve racking!

https://goo.gl/clWSJQ

A big thanks in advance to anyone you takes a look and/or backs the project.

kind regards,
Eric

Photo Egg

reinhart36 said:

@HeavyG - Thanks for the post and support!

We're 8 minutes in officially... Nerve racking!

https://goo.gl/clWSJQ

A big thanks in advance to anyone you takes a look and/or backs the project.

kind regards,
Eric

Hope you do well...
If your next model retrofits onto a SmokeWare Cap and operates the SmokeWare vents I'm in! 

SoCalTim

HeavyG said:

Hntnhrd said:

So if I understand it correctly it controls the temp
by making minute adjustments on the daisy wheel? While other tempature controls induct air they the bottom vent with a fan? Do those minute daisy wheel adjustment react fast enough and don't overshoot temps?

Yes.

Go to the link @HeavyG posted, there's a 5 minute video on what it does and how simple it is to use. I love mine and use on almost all my cooks.

sumoconnell

1. Like the idea, cool, etc.  I hope all goes well.

2. No shelter!  Lets poke (good natured) fun!

**
As a long-time culinary enthusiast and cook, Eric (SMOBOT co-founder) got his large Big Green Egg in 2010 and quickly fell in love with kamado grill cooking and smoking.  Sadly, he found that a busy life schedule made it inconvenient to cook with because he had to hang around the house and monitor it for hours to keep it on temperature. 
**

Eric, I hope you pull through.  I cried in my brisket.  So sad.. 

reinhart36

Ha! 

Ozzie_Isaac

Another Beta Tester here.  It works really well.  Looking forward to a successful launch!

I have two blower style controllers and this easily works as well.

Photo Egg

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Another Beta Tester here.  It works really well.  Looking forward to a successful launch!

I have two blower style controllers and this easily works as well.

I do like the possibility that this unit uses less power by not having a fan and could run longer being powered by a portable battery pack.

ryantt

Agree with @Ozzie_Isaac it works well on my xl.  Not to mention the customer support and service has been amazing.  

@reinhart36 any idea in when the app will be done?  

reinhart36

Hi guys - thanks for the kind words and support!

The apps should definitely be done by June .. I hope sooner.  I'll definitely let you know when there's something for you to start playing with.

motsol

being at the beach I worry about corrosion on the wheel, what is it made of? Seems like it could stick easily. 

JacksDad

Maybe I'm missing it... What's the difference between the $229 and $249 price points...? 

kl8ton

This was in their comments @jacksdad :

They are exactly the same. It is common on Kickstarter to offer an "Early Bird" price for those that back a project early. The $229 price is our early bird and limited to 50 units. Thanks for your interest

DoubleEgger

kl8ton said:

This was in their comments @jacksdad :

They are exactly the same. It is common on Kickstarter to offer an "Early Bird" price for those that back a project early. The $229 price is our early bird and limited to 50 units. Thanks for your interest

Interested in why people were buying the $249 price when the cheaper price was still available 

HeavyG

DoubleEgger said:

kl8ton said:

This was in their comments @jacksdad :

They are exactly the same. It is common on Kickstarter to offer an "Early Bird" price for those that back a project early. The $229 price is our early bird and limited to 50 units. Thanks for your interest

Interested in why people were buying the $249 price when the cheaper price was still available 

Some folks like to contribute a few more bucks to help a project reach its goal. I've done that before. If this project gets close to its goal but is looking like it may not make it in the last couple days I'll probably buy at least one more to help out and try to get it across the finish line.

Jeepster47

FYI ... Using a 23,000mAh battery pack, my run time with the Beta version looks to be somewhere North of 60~75 hours on a single charge ... that's three brisket cooks on one charge! 

JacksDad

kl8ton said:

This was in their comments @jacksdad :

They are exactly the same. It is common on Kickstarter to offer an "Early Bird" price for those that back a project early. The $229 price is our early bird and limited to 50 units. Thanks for your interest

Thanks, I knew I was probably missing it somewhere... Giving this some thought, looks like a cool gadget! 

JacksDad

JacksDad said:

kl8ton said:

This was in their comments @jacksdad :

They are exactly the same. It is common on Kickstarter to offer an "Early Bird" price for those that back a project early. The $229 price is our early bird and limited to 50 units. Thanks for your interest

Thanks, I knew I was probably missing it somewhere... Giving this some thought, looks like a cool gadget! 

Of course, I already have a FB200. If I get a smobot, I guess I'll need to buy a second egg for it (thinking a nice XL to pair with my large...)! It's only logical, right? 

tom_streeter

motsol said:

being at the beach I worry about corrosion on the wheel, what is it made of? Seems like it could stick easily. 

I'm assuming Curtis can address this (living in coastal Florida and all). What I can say is that a thin coating of grease will coat the damper after you start using it and I think cast iron would be fine.

tom_streeter

Jeepster47 said:

FYI ... Using a 23,000mAh battery pack, my run time with the Beta version looks to be somewhere North of 60~75 hours on a single charge ... that's three brisket cooks on one charge! 

How did you adapt it to the battery pack? Sure, I'm getting a new one.  But that's whole months away :-)

Lvnthedrm

Any plans for Minimax support down the road? I have the FB200. Works great on the large but so far I have found the blower overpowering in the MM...due to the small space, it creates a small pocket of hot coals at the backend of the MM directly across from the blower creating a very uneven lump burn.
The smobot would eliminate this problem.

tom_streeter

SoCalTim said:

HeavyG said:

Hntnhrd said:

So if I understand it correctly it controls the temp
by making minute adjustments on the daisy wheel? While other tempature controls induct air they the bottom vent with a fan? Do those minute daisy wheel adjustment react fast enough and don't overshoot temps?

Yes.

Go to the link @HeavyG posted, there's a 5 minute video on what it does and how simple it is to use. I love mine and use on almost all my cooks.

Two minutes on the video. I cut it, so I've watched it more than anyone else on the planet. I think I would have driven Curtis nuts trying to fill five minutes ("So I want you to think about your motivation as you slap at your iPhone to stop the alarm. Can you do it with a little more existential despair?")

tom_streeter

Deluca said:

Digi Q took a nose dive on me so I said what the hell and backed this. I'll know in June if it works. 
There are 2 main reasons I'm trying it:
1. I don't have to hook up the blower.
2. Wifi connectivity looks to be simple. 

One can never say something will work to satisfy another, but I've been very, very happy with my beta unit. Money well-spent.

Jeepster47

tom_streeter said:

Jeepster47 said:

FYI ... Using a 23,000mAh battery pack, my run time with the Beta version looks to be somewhere North of 60~75 hours on a single charge ... that's three brisket cooks on one charge! 

How did you adapt it to the battery pack? Sure, I'm getting a new one.  But that's whole months away :-)

@tom_streeter ... the Beta version had a pocket for two 9-volt batteries AND a  9 volt DC input receptacle.  The battery pack came with a short 9 volt jumper cable that worked perfectly.  I simply stack the battery pack and SmoBot in my rain box.