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A Total Smoker Temp Controller Breakdown!

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KiterTodd
KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
in EggHead Forum
Decided to cook a pork butt tonight.
No reason.  Didn't even run to the supermarket until 9:PM, just figured I had nothing pressing pulling me away from the house tomorrow and it was as good a reason as any to smoke some pork!!!   And what could be easier than a butt running on the FlameBoss while I sleep soundly and do chores in the morning without a worry??  Heck, it's really cheating you know.  Those things spoil you....

....get the FB200 all setup, and find out the fan is burnt out.  F*&k! :o
It's okay, I used to smoke without it.  I figure I'll still use the FlameBoss just to monitor Pit temp and and Meat temp throughout the night.  That FB wifi connection is the best.

...put the meat on, plug in the FlameBoss meat probe and it's coming up blank.  F&*k! :s
Neither the fan nor the probe have ever failed me, but they both go offline tonight.

...okay, okay...not to worry.  I pull out my prior setup, the Redi-Check ET-735 bluetooth unit.
Get IT all setup.  Luckily I don't plug in to the meat yet because the damn app crashes when I bring up the unit.
F&*k!  :|  That screwed the pooch also?  No time to debug it.

....no worries, I pull out my prior prior Redi-Check unit ET-733 with the new high temp probes and all is well.
I'm running it in parallel to my FB200 pit probe which is still connected and damn if the two probes aren't sitting right next to each other but running 40 degrees apart.  F&*k!?  Looks the entire FB200 unit decided to screw the pooch at once.  :o  :s  :|

That's a shame.  I have really enjoyed my Flame Boss.  Ahh, well.  I'm at the 1 year warranty boundary.  I sent in some Support Inquiries and we'll see what they say.  Hopefully it's covered.  It's a nice unit!

This is just a gripe.
I know I'm bitching here.
Was hoping for a real easy late night cook and now I've spent two hours mucking with things. 
At least I have rum.  There is always the rum...   B)

LBGE/Maryland
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Wait until 9 or 10 AM. Stabilize at 320* or so. Done by dinner time, no toys needed.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    I'm sure sorry to hear about the problems.
    I hope FB helps you out. 
    I'm running my FB 300 on my Small BGE right now with the batter pack and watching bad TV.
    Wish you the best.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,330
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    As you note-you learned the basics before the electronics.  Great move.  You've got this.  All will be well once you are enjoying the end result.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    edited September 2017
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    Thanks for entertaining my late-night gripe.  :)

    Yes, I am glad that I cooked for 18 months without a temp controller before spending the last year with one.

    Temp meandered down last night.  Only woke the wife up once, though, with the low temp alarm on the Redi-Check.  Now that it's morning I can peek at the temp every hour and make little adjustments.

    Not going to lie, though.  Looking forward to having a temp controller again before my next smoke.  Sure is nice to ignore pit temp and just worry about finish temp.   The 11 lbs. bone-in butt is no worse for the wear, though.  :plus_one:  We're in the stall now.

    (sorry about all the swearing in my OP!  I was at my late night wits-end "what else can go wrong?" point.  Happens.  Needed to vent to folks who would understand.)
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    Results were good!

    This 11 lbs. bone-in took it's own sweet time, at about 18 hours, but the temp did dip below 225 overnight without the FlameBoss to tend to things.
    Once I woke up I kept it around 250, but it did creep up to 318 at one point.

    Great stuff in the end, though;


    LBGE/Maryland
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,740
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    glad i bought the first guru made, its just a plate that sits on top with a dampening plate and radiator thermostat spring. 235 degrees all night long. too bad everyone wanted fan devices, led readings, bluetooth compatability.....mine just works day in day out =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    fishlessman said:
    glad i bought the first guru made, its just a plate that sits on top with a dampening plate and radiator thermostat spring. 235 degrees all night long. too bad everyone wanted fan devices, led readings, bluetooth compatability.....mine just works day in day out =)
    @fishlessman, Did you ever get your pics back from PB? I found 'em with google, but had to use Skitch image capture to grab the them. Those images don't always come out as well as the originals. What are the two spare parts for, diff temps?




    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,740
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    three different temps, i think they were 185, 210, 230, turn the rubber knob wheel and further adjustments can be made. ones setup at 235 which works just right for me, runs between 235 and 245 through the night. i need to look into that skitch thing
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    fishlessman said:
    three different temps, i think they were 185, 210, 230, turn the rubber knob wheel and further adjustments can be made. ones setup at 235 which works just right for me, runs between 235 and 245 through the night. i need to look into that skitch thing
    Skitch might be Mac only, not sure. I used to really like Snag-It at work using a PC. I tried it at home on the Mac (30? day free trial), but it wasn't as good so I didn't buy it. Skitch is pretty lame, but it's free. LOL

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    fishlessman said:
    three different temps, i think they were 185, 210, 230, turn the rubber knob wheel and further adjustments can be made. ones setup at 235 which works just right for me, runs between 235 and 245 through the night. i need to look into that skitch thing
    That's pretty cool.  I did not know such a thing existed, but yeah, what a perfect non-electronic solution.
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    FlameBoss is taking care of me!  :plus_one:

    Since the unit seems to be fine, they're sending out probes and a new fan.  I won't have to do anymore overnight roller coaster cooks chasing the temp for a while.  ;)
    LBGE/Maryland
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