Flame Boss 200

caliking said:

Not looking for a better experience necessarily, but I do want to use the FB200 with other cookers, so that's why I started playing around with the Guru fans. Who knows... I may end up building a better mouse trap in the process. 

I called FB and was told that the unit learns and adapts during each cook, but only for the duration of that cook. It will start learning and adapting anew when you start a cook again. Based on what I was told,  it will run a 25cfm fan a certain way, and a 6.5 cfm fan a different way (no, the 25cfm fan is not for the egg). So if you hook up a big fan with the damper partially closed, the FB unit will account for that vs. a different cook using a smaller fan with no damper. 

I wouldn't necessarily go buy a Guru fan to control the egg, but it may be handy for those who have Guru adapters, etc for other cookers, and want to use their FB200 with those. 

Again, thanks guys.
Good info cali
Sent FB an email already.

Focker said:

 

Thanks for responding.
Is 3.5 cfm that much of a difference?

Some HVAC Al foil tape could tighten the fit on the adapter if necessary.  
Same tape that is used to cover holes on the vents of the WSMs for the Pit Viper, and the Cajun Bandit rotisserie ring.   

So you run the FB with the DW 100% closed?

Please be patient with my overthinking. lol

3.5 CFM more than the 6.5 CFM standard fan is 58% more power than its used to.  You could damper it the Pit Viper down 50%, then it maybe would be about the same?

Again, not that it can't be done or it's going to royally screw things up, the stock fan works great as it is.  Ever since TNW posted that review there has been this perception that the Pit Viper fan is this big UPGRADE to the FB because it has a damper (and it is shiny).  I just don't want people to see people wasting $100+ on a fan that think is going to somehow revolutionize the process.  If you already own one, then tinker away, your not going to mess anything up.

There's nothing special about the Pit Viper--take the cover off and you'll see it's just a little plastic fan similar to the FB, Pitmaster fan, etc  If it was that much better, it would not be hard for FB to include a 10 CFM fan and have a damper.  In fact, the original FlameBoss had different fan design with a door in it to prevent backflow.  This is the second generation--that door was removed since it confused the unit.

You can foil tape it as well, but if the daisy wheel is closed, there's not going to be any air getting drawn in--it's being pushed into the egg with the fan and leaking out of the daisy wheel, gasket, etc only under pressure.  Imagine stuffing something porous in the tailpipe of a car......open the throttle all you want, the RPM's will only reach a certain point because the exhaust is restricted.

FB does recommend closing the DW all the way, but you can go old school and set your egg on run on its own, then the fan will kick on if needed.  With the DW closed, you're snuffing the fire, stoking it, snuffing it, stoking, and so on dozens of times a minute for the duration of the cook.  Both methods work well for me on all temp controls (Flameboss, Pitmaster, Guru, Stoker, etc.....used & sold all of them for almost 10 yrs.)

A point in favor of the Guru fans  is that they have adapters to fit their fans to all kinds of cookers - WSM's, BGE's, ball valves on custom smokers, etc. I think FB is coming out with a "universal" adapter or something like that, so that it can be used with non-kamado cookers. It will be pretty sweet to be able to use the FB200 with different cookers. 

Speedy response from the folks at FB for confirmation.