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CyberQ Low and Slow Issues.

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MrMista
MrMista Posts: 33
in EggHead Forum
Hello, I attempted to cook my first brisket last night with my CyberQ. I had problems with getting the egg to maintain a low setting, and I am not sure why. I think it may have to do with air leaking in behind the CyberQ's adapter plate. I had the fan's opening shut quite a bit as well to prevent airflow coming in that way. I took a couple of pictures of the air settings I used, and also of a temperature graph of the cook (it went pretty high, and finished way way faster than expected. A 14 pound brisket finished in about 6 hours with a Texas crutch at 150).

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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    The opening in the barrel should be a 1/4 moon shape or less.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • North_Is_Up
    North_Is_Up Posts: 137
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    Are you opening the lid to check on things? That may explain the temperature fluctuations. Keep the lid closed and trust your equipment.

    The temperature first drops and because there's so much cool air coming in when the lid is up, when you shut the lid the temperature then shoots up and slowly comes down. 
    Small (hatched 6/13/2015)
    XL (hatched 4/21/2012)
    CyberQ Wifi, KCBS CTC CBJ
    Northern CA
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  • Greeno55
    Greeno55 Posts: 635
    edited December 2013
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    Little Steven said:
    The opening in the barrel should be a 1/4 moon shape or less.

    +1 I was having issues keeping the temps down when I first got it. Then someone suggested closing the damper on the fan some. Did so, and began holding low temps like 225-230° without issue. I also learned some patience. Start a small fire and let it get slowly up to temp, and hold that temp (could be an hour process) before putting any proteins on.

    As far as the gap goes, I slide my screen and lower damper over top of the fan plate right to the barrel and it holds everything very snug.
    LBGE (2012), MiniMax (2014), and too many Eggcessories to list.  - Sudbury, Ontario
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    There appears to be substantial gaps at the end of your adapter plate that could leak air and upset the temperature.  I had to slightly bend the ends of my adapter in a vise to get a good closure.  Also, have you removed the sliding screen?  I did not see one in your photos and my adapter wedges behind the screen and air control door.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • AmericanFlannel
    AmericanFlannel Posts: 131
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    Second bettysnewphew, use the screen to wedge it in and check to make sure your internal damper (inside the adapter itself) is set to 1/4 open.
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  • MrMista
    MrMista Posts: 33
    edited December 2013
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    Thank you guys for all of the suggestions. My blower's internal adapter was pretty restricted at the time (added another picture to this post kind of looks gross with all that brisket fat that somehow got on it). I think maybe the issue comes from me not using both the screen and the door to hold the blower adapter onto the egg. I didn't want to tear a hole in the screen so I took it off. But that probably made it looser and more likely to leak air in.

    EDIT: I just wanted to add that the brisket and burnt ends came out very good and I was pleased. Looking forward to trying these suggestions for a more proper low and slow session.
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  • AmericanFlannel
    AmericanFlannel Posts: 131
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    That's about the right amount open... there is a marking on the slider that shows how much it is open/close without having to take it off. Took me forever to figure that out.
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    The fan opening looks pretty close to correct from my judgment.  If you put the screen back on and make the very minor bends in the edges of the adaptor the screen will slide over it just a bit and reduce the leakage on the edges.  Make sure the edge by the screen/door stop is also pulled in under the tab and pretty much sealed off.  Then slide the door over the screen to close it off. This is a little fiddly but seems to work.   The bends on the adapter should be just enough to get the stop and screen sealed up, in other words not very much of a bend.  I put mine about 1/4" into a small vise and just bumped it with the heel of my gloved hand.  Just enough you can see it, but not so much the sliding retainer is interfered with.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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