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Flameboss or something else?

DawgtiredDawgtired Posts: 546
in EggHead Forum
My FB 200 controller crapped out on me over the weekend. I haven’t looked around at alternative products yet. Anything I should look at that may be better?

If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

Ronald Reagan

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Comments

  • LowcountrygamecockLowcountrygamecock Posts: 386
    Flame boss support has been really good to me.  I had to call them recently on a Saturday to help me switch over to my new wifi network and they were great to deal with.  I was kind of surprised to see them answer on a Saturday.  My only other experience with a controller was with an iKamand from Kamado Joe.  Their app was great but support is borderline non-existent at this point with the only point of contact being email and you have to wait 5 days for an answer if you're lucky.  I've heard good things about smobot too.  I had a hard time deciding between the flame boss 500 and the smobot.  
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  • BigreenGregBigreenGreg Posts: 441
    Got my FB500 from @stlcharcoal, works perfectly and gets fire to temp quickly.
    LBGE, 36" Blackstone, Anova Pro
    Charleston, SC
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  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 8,969
    FB500, Mine had issues,they sent me a new one no questions asked .I do keep spare everything,fan, probes etc everything but controller.Emailed them took care of it seamlessly 

    The quality of a company shines when there is an issue,not when everything is great 
    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria- FatStack Smoker FS120 coming soon FatStack 500- Blackstone 36 Blackstone 22 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker

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  • 4TheGrillOfIt4TheGrillOfIt Posts: 575
    Love the Egg Genius.  Made by Flame Boss and can run the same number of probes as the FB 500.  
    XL BGE, Large BGE, Small BGE, Weber Summit NG                                                                                               
    Memphis  
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  • StillH2OEggerStillH2OEgger Posts: 3,481
    I won't argue against any of the options out there, but will just say that Smobot is simple to set up and use, and has worked very well for me.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • stlcharcoalstlcharcoal Posts: 4,518
    Just get the 200 fixed......FB will take care of you.  I used my 200 on Saturday night.

    What's wrong with it?
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  • DawgtiredDawgtired Posts: 546
    stlcharcoal...they no longer service to FB200. I will agree that the FB customer service is awesome. It’s just been one thing after another. Pit probe got wrapped around a Joetissire basket (my bad). Purchased a new one and killed it searing a steak (my bad x2). Got a third one and it failed, so FB replaced immediately. I jus haven’t been in the market lately so I wasn’t sure if I should look for a possible alternative.

    If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

    Ronald Reagan

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  • stlcharcoalstlcharcoal Posts: 4,518
    So what happened to it?  Whats not working?
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  • HeavyGHeavyG Posts: 8,350
    You should at least take a look at the Fireboard. The Fireboard version 2 is pretty sweet. 

    I've got the first version of the Fireboard and have been happy with it. Trying to rationalize buying the new version.

    https://www.fireboard.com
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Dik

    Camped out in the (757/948/804)




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  • alaskanassasinalaskanassasin Posts: 5,869
    @stlcharcoal get the F off this forum and crank out the coal brother!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.

    "It’s very possible I’m doing it all wrong, haven’t watched any videos, but I’m happy with the ones I make."
      - @Legume

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  • QDudeQDude Posts: 1,009
    Just a thought that may be contrary, but maybe you can try cooking without a controller for a while to see if you really need one.  The egg does a good job maintaining temps usually.  Perhaps there are other reasons to use one though.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • HeavyGHeavyG Posts: 8,350
    QDude said:
    Just a thought that may be contrary, but maybe you can try cooking without a controller for a while to see if you really need one.  The egg does a good job maintaining temps usually.  Perhaps there are other reasons to use one though.
    Keep in mind one doesn't have to use the fan (with the type that has fan blowers). I rarely use the fan with my Fireboard but like to use it to automatically record/graph temps and to alert me if the grill temp gets way out of line.  
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Dik

    Camped out in the (757/948/804)




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  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 11,425
    Maybe you were meant to be a manual control guy?
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • DawgtiredDawgtired Posts: 546
    stlcharcoal said:
    So what happened to it?  Whats not working?
    When I plugged it in I heard a faint pop, then the controller wouldn’t come on.

    If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

    Ronald Reagan

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  • stlcharcoalstlcharcoal Posts: 4,518
    edited September 2020
    Dawgtired said:
    stlcharcoal said:
    So what happened to it?  Whats not working?
    When I plugged it in I heard a faint pop, then the controller wouldn’t come on.


    Might be the power supply.  Have a multi-meter?  I had one of those crap out on me once.

    If not, 4 small Phillips screws and you can open it up.  Might be a broken connection from the power socket to the board.  I had to solder the pit probe socket when it popped loose years ago (they fixed that common problem on the 200v2 and 300 boards.)

    Or if you don't want to screw with it, I'll make you a deal on a 400 or 500 if you send it to me for parts.
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  • HeavyGHeavyG Posts: 8,350
    Dawgtired said:
    stlcharcoal said:
    So what happened to it?  Whats not working?
    When I plugged it in I heard a faint pop, then the controller wouldn’t come on.
    Sounds like a capacitor on the circuit board may have blown.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Dik

    Camped out in the (757/948/804)




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  • DawgtiredDawgtired Posts: 546
    I have no idea...however FB told me if I send in the 200 controller, they’ll give me $100 credit towards a 500.

    If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

    Ronald Reagan

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  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 11,425
    Dawgtired said:
    I have no idea...however FB told me if I send in the 200 controller, they’ll give me $100 credit towards a 500.
    Couple things.
    Do you do enough true low and slows that you would use one? 
    The first 2 failures were from cooks that FB should never have been used. 
    Do you have a good instant read probe?
    I had couple of issues with my FB 200.
    The newer models appear to be better built. No issues with my 500 so far.
    The larger display is great!
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • stlcharcoalstlcharcoal Posts: 4,518
    Dawgtired said:
    I have no idea...however FB told me if I send in the 200 controller, they’ll give me $100 credit towards a 500.
    That's a good deal.....keep your probes as backups, they will work on the 500.
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  • DawgtiredDawgtired Posts: 546
    Photo Egg said:
    Dawgtired said:
    I have no idea...however FB told me if I send in the 200 controller, they’ll give me $100 credit towards a 500.
    Couple things.
    Do you do enough true low and slows that you would use one? 
    The first 2 failures were from cooks that FB should never have been used. 
    Do you have a good instant read probe?
    I had couple of issues with my FB 200.
    The newer models appear to be better built. No issues with my 500 so far.
    The larger display is great!
    I agree with you regarding using the FB on those cooks. In the past I would normally only used it on ribs and butts. Got a chicken dialed in at 375 last night with very little effort and without it. The FB is so easy to use, I guess I just started using it as a crutch.

    If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

    Ronald Reagan

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