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Trouble keeping temp down. DigIQ

Hibby
Hibby Posts: 606
First low and slow. Filled charcoal ring to line with lump. Started with small wax/sawdust starter in the center. Waited about fifteen minutes before turning DigIQ on (first use). Daisy wheel with less than half an ellipse open. Pit viper fully open. Set pit temp to 200 but the pit keeps fluctuating between 213 and 225. I'm not horribly concerned but just wish it would sit still at 200. Any ideas?
I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio

Comments

  • EggRacer
    EggRacer Posts: 400
    edited May 2013
    Close the damper on the pit viper to half open. It will move less air but still move enough to keep the pit at your desired temp. On my large I usually set it at a half to a quarter open.
    XLBGE & LBGE
    North Richland Hills, TX
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    You have to pretty much close the top vents completely. I leave the little holes just barely cracked on mine and that's when I am going for 250.
  • JSobotkin
    JSobotkin Posts: 30
    Just purchased the CyberQ Wifi! Can't wait to use it this weekend!

    ________________________________________________________________________

    XLg BGE - JANUARY 2013

     

    Spare rib anyone? – Adam

  • SMITTYtheSMOKER
    SMITTYtheSMOKER Posts: 2,668

    Any cooker needs a healthy amount of air moving thru it for it not to go out.   I find that 225 is about as low as I trust for a long cook on the BGE.   The ceramics hold 200 degrees in the thermal mass it has, so once you see a dip in the dome temps the fire could have been out for an hour or so before you realize there is a problem.   The key to cooking is knowing when to stop, cook hotter and pull when ready.

     

    Hope that helps.

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Why do you want the temp on 200 @ grid?  Anywhere below 250 is plenty low and slow.  As someone stated above with your bottom damper wide open it would be almost impossible to keep the temp at 200 and maintain airflow.

    I'm a DigiQ owner and if you will set it for 225-230 and half open at the bottom and about half an eyelet open at the top it will perform great.
  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
    normally when i use my DigiQ i set it at 265 damper on the fan at half. light my coals allowing the unit to bring the grill up to temp daisy wheel petals open till about 255 then i close them . the fan supplies more than enough air to power through the coal and maintain temp .never had a issue holding it and i use it primarily on my large which has no gasket.
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    If it's the 10 cfm blower make a quarter moon shape out of it.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Hibby
    Hibby Posts: 606
    Well, I've got mixed emotions about my cook last night. I definitely need to learn more. I was able to get the temp to stabilize at 250 but unsuccessful any lower than that. I only ever closed pit viper damper to 1/2 and as some recommended, even more closed might have gotten me where I wanted. I also made the mistake of putting the meat probe in not the right place. Alarm going off that meat was done and I was suspicious that it was too soon. I pulled the proven and placed it elsewhere and the temp dropped to 170 so I definitely need to figure out the best penetration point (☺). Overall time wasn't nearly long enough IMHO (7.5 hours) so I'm confused about that as well. As for the meat, great taste and nice ring. A few spots tasted over-smoked (meat was placed in egg within 30 minutes of ignition). Certain parts of the meat seem over-cooked and mushy. But also spots with copious amounts of un-rendered fat. All meat seemed completely done. As for how I set it up, I was going off a recommendation from someone with an egg. Plate setter legs down. Pit probe laying directly on surface of plate setter. Shoulder directly on plate setter. No foil (what a mess afterwards). Much to learn but thanks for earlier help and for any advice you can offer.
    I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Think about it this way. The fan can only make the temp go up. The more opening you have in the barrel the more draught you will have. To maintain low temps takes very little air. The fan can overcome the small aperture and supply enough air as long as the damper is not completely closed. 1/4 moon shape or less on a 10 cfm fan is more than enough.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • tamu2009
    tamu2009 Posts: 387
    "Plate setter legs down. Pit probe laying directly on surface of plate setter. Shoulder directly on plate setter."

    I haven't done one yet, but this doesn't sound right. I've always heard PS legs up, then grate, then shoulder. Probe should go in thickest part of the meat, but not next to a bone.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    LBGE 2013 - MiniMax 2015 - Seemingly every accessory the fine folks at CGS sell - Fightin' Texas Aggie till I die - Gig 'Em - Located in the bright lights of Dallas
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Hibby said:
    Well, I've got mixed emotions about my cook last night. I definitely need to learn more. I was able to get the temp to stabilize at 250 but unsuccessful any lower than that. I only ever closed pit viper damper to 1/2 and as some recommended, even more closed might have gotten me where I wanted. I also made the mistake of putting the meat probe in not the right place. Alarm going off that meat was done and I was suspicious that it was too soon. I pulled the proven and placed it elsewhere and the temp dropped to 170 so I definitely need to figure out the best penetration point (☺). Overall time wasn't nearly long enough IMHO (7.5 hours) so I'm confused about that as well. As for the meat, great taste and nice ring. A few spots tasted over-smoked (meat was placed in egg within 30 minutes of ignition). Certain parts of the meat seem over-cooked and mushy. But also spots with copious amounts of un-rendered fat. All meat seemed completely done. As for how I set it up, I was going off a recommendation from someone with an egg. Plate setter legs down. Pit probe laying directly on surface of plate setter. Shoulder directly on plate setter. No foil (what a mess afterwards). Much to learn but thanks for earlier help and for any advice you can offer.
    Put the platesetter legs up and put the pit probe on the grid and make sure the probe is over the platesetter.  Some people even clip the pit probe to the probe that goes into the meat.  Meat probe goes into middle of shoulder. I put a drip pan under the shoulder.  If you do this you need to make sure you don't put the pan directly on the PS.  Stack some aluminum foil balls and set the drip pan on them. Keeps the drippings from burning. 
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    Huh. Not sure what you are trying to cook. When I use my digi2 at 250 I have the daisy wheel holes closed all the way. And the ellipse open 1/8th of an inch. Maybe. And the fan open only 1/4 of the way. The temps you are looking for I would have closed both a touch more.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    One more thing. Only reason I can think of to cook at those temps is cold smoked cheese, cold smoked salmon, or maybe even beef jerky. Am I close?
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • Hibby
    Hibby Posts: 606
    I was cooking a pork shoulder
    I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio
  • joe@bge
    joe@bge Posts: 394
    @Hibby - you have received good advice in this thread.  I have used my Guru's and had rock solid results everytime.  The dynamics of the fire you start with before starting up the guru can play into temp swings.  I have had a couple cooks where the temps would vary a bit from the set point, but nothing more than 15 - 20 degrees tops.  For what its worth...I tried jerky on my large with my Cyber Q WiFi and it stabilized @ 160 degress with no problem and stayed that way for over 4 hours.  Use some of the advice provided here and you'll be very happy next time.   :)>-
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    @Hibby - got it! Next time try lighting the lump only at the top of the firebox in the center. No daisy holes. Just open the ellipse about 1/8th inch. And close the fan to 1/4 when you get to your desired temp. With shoulder I'd shoot somewhere between 225-250. Naked whiz has recipes on his site detailing how to maintain some really low temps if you are looking for that.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]