First Time Use and Findings

waterkc · June 24, 2010, 07:50:04 AM

So as I posted I had done a pork loin lastnight. First time using the smoker, luv it. What I am wondering is..... So I have the temp set to 220 and the cabinet seems to swing down to about 193 then up to 220 then back down. So seem like a wide swing to me, so what I did was go to about 230 and it seem to swing only a few degrees. So my question, if you were and electronics guy, is there a way to tune the Digital Unit that comes with the Bradley or is the only answer to put a pid on it?

Over all the swing was about 15 degrees, which lets be honest ain't bad.

Not that the food came out poorly, just seems that more control would be better when your doing things that might dry out on yeah,.

I have read all the posts of heat and control, ok well maybe not all of them but a lot. Seems that most opt for and external PID.

FLBentRider · June 24, 2010, 07:53:58 AM

Those swings are a fact of life.

I see a few choices.

If temp swings bother you, don't check your house oven.

The only way I know to "tune" the digital is to add a PID. A "forklift" tune up for sure.

IMHO, the swings are not a big deal unless you are doing fish (salmon in particular) or smoking raw sausage, where you want to keep the temp precise to prevent a "fat out"

classicrockgriller · June 24, 2010, 08:46:00 AM

I'm with FLBR on the PID for the Bradley.

I cooked alot on mine before I got my PID and mainly got it

to do Sausage. I love it since I got it, but the food taste no different.

It is just a matter of convience. The longer the cook, IE: Brisket, Butt

the tighter the swing becomes.

I still cook some things on my OBS and Digital without the PID.

RAF128 · June 24, 2010, 10:18:16 AM

I've got a 6 rack and a PID. What I've noticed is the difference in temp shown on the PID and the SG. This past weekend I was doing a pulled pork. The PID said the temp was 220. I've got an extra meat probe that I hung inside the tower and it registered the same. The temp on the SG said the temp inside the tower was 290. I don't have a lot of faith in the temp indicated on the Bradley. Before I got the PID every thing I cooked seemed to take a lot longer to get to the desired IT. I'm convinced that the temp in the tower was a lot lower that stated and hence the longer cooking time.

classicrockgriller · June 24, 2010, 10:27:04 AM

The probe for the Bradley is "fixed" in the wall of the Bradley where you have a lot of heat rising off the elements.

If the Temp sensor for the Bradley was able to be moved around the cabinet, the swings would be a different ball game.

Raf is right, if you have a PID or the Maverick, always trust those temps first.

RAF128 · June 24, 2010, 11:21:49 AM

Quote from: classicrockgriller on June 24, 2010, 10:27:04 AM
The probe for the Bradley is "fixed" in the wall of the Bradley where you have a lot of heat rising off the elements.

Exactly my thinking

waterkc · June 24, 2010, 07:12:52 PM

So it seems that Maverick is the cheap solution to what I would again say is not a real issue. You can account for it and adjust.

Thanks for all the feed back gents.

watchdog56 · June 25, 2010, 07:24:39 AM

Unless you are making sausage and need to keep temp in a close range +/-2 and under 180 a Maverick will help but if you need tight ranges then you need a PID.

waterkc · June 27, 2010, 09:01:12 AM

So it seems the no fuss no muss way is the pre-done unit I have seen here (can't remember the link) for about $180.00.

Not sure if I will be doing Suage anytime soon, but heat control is nice. lol

Food comes out just fine, and smoking is about waiting, so no rush on my end.