Cabinet Temps VS Recipe Temps

jiggerjams · November 13, 2011, 08:57:35 AM

Hoping someone can put me on the straight and narrow. When I use my DBS6 with Auber PID I have only used Bradley member recipes. So if let's say a rib recipe says to cook at 225 F does that mean I set the smoker to 225F and let the smoker do it's thing or should I monitor and correct the set temps to be 225 consistently as the meat comes to temperature?

I have been setting the temp and letting the smoker do it's thing but I never find I meet the posted cooking times as I always run longer.....not that that's a bad thing! ;) Just curious how everyone does it.

mikecorn.1 · November 13, 2011, 09:00:56 AM

Set it and forget it. Without my PID connected, Mr. Bradley has his mood swings. With his sidekick, he behaves to about 1' high or low.

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Sailor · November 13, 2011, 09:04:08 AM

I let the PID control the cabinet temp. Set and forget it. I have the PID to shut off when the IT that I want is reached. I also use the Maverick to watch the temps as I go about my business. The cooking times depend on the meat that is being smoked. Never met a brisket or Butt that smoked the same amount time to doneness. Every load of 5 pounds of snack stix had different finishing times. Some have been done in 6 hrs and some have taken 12 hours. Guess it goes back to the Bradley Motto....It is done when it is done. ;D

viper125 · November 13, 2011, 04:07:46 PM

I like to use the pid too. Way too much swing without it.

jiggerjams · November 13, 2011, 04:29:38 PM

Ok here is a live example. I have been cooking maple cured bacon and Dry Cured Canadian Bacon. Cabinet temperature is set to 200F. Through 8 hrs of smoking (2 hrs) the rest cooking my DBS6 has not reached 180 F. Is this normal? I findf I am riding for the most part 170F.

Thanks for the help.

JJ

ArnieM · November 13, 2011, 07:03:19 PM

Thanks for the clarification JJ.

If the cabinet can't get up to temp, it can't get there with or without the PID. That being the case, yeah, cooking times will be extended. I'm assuming the temp you're measuring is reasonably accurate because you are, in fact, experiencing longer cooking times.

Short of using hot water, keeping the vent open and door closed there's not too much else one can do short of adding a second element.

If you have a voltmeter you can check the voltage at the outlet the smoker is plugged into. If it's low or if you're using a funky extension cord you'd be running at less than the rated power. That would lowered temps.

jiggerjams · November 14, 2011, 07:19:15 PM

Thanks Arnie. Sounds like I have some testing to do. I have read it here so I have never used an extension cord.

ArnieM · November 15, 2011, 06:29:46 AM

JJ,

The voltage the smoker actually runs at may not entirely up to you. It will be a function of the incoming voltage to your place as well as how much house wiring is between the main breaker box and the smoker and the quality of any connections (junction boxes and outlets).

The smoker is rated at 625 watts for both the main heater and SG heater combined. That's at 120 volts AT THE SMOKER.

I'm assuming you're running the SG whether smoking or not.

This will give you a rough idea of the actual power of the heating elements.

120 volts -> 625 watts
118 volts -> 605 watts
115 volts -> 575 watts
110 volts -> 525 watts

As you can see, the power (watts) is pretty sensitive to input voltage.

Caneyscud · November 15, 2011, 06:37:00 AM

Arnie - great information.

jiggerjams · November 15, 2011, 09:22:46 AM

That is great information Arnie thank you. You may be on to something here. First of all you are correct I have been running the SG even when not smoking. Second I do not own a big house but I am on the opposite side of the length of the house that has the fuse panel on it. I would say about 30 ft away. Third is the wiring in the house is aluminum.

Some other information that might help is that when I warm the smoker up it does get up to temp and the Auber and two Mavericks I have are all with in a degree or three of each other to verify. This past cook I was rotating six racks every 1.5 hrs.

Thanks for your help this far. How do I test the voltage at the plug? I do have a multi meter but I want to be sure that I don't smoke myself :D when testing the plug. Any other suggestions or thoughts are welcome too.

ArnieM · November 15, 2011, 10:17:04 AM

I would guess the smoker would preheat when empty, even with lowered voltage. It might just take longer than at specified voltage. But, if it's the only unit you have used and only at your house, you probably wouldn't know the difference.

The 500 watt main heater is a little underpowered. That's why many have added a second element. I haven't.

If you're skittish of the voltage, leave it alone. Otherwise, as you implied, we'd have a recipe for smoked JJ :( If not ...

I'm assuming you're plugging into a duplex outlet - two plugs - and that both are on. That is, neither of the plugs are on a switch.

Set the multimeter to AC Volts and, if it has a range switch, to a range to cover 120 VAC.
CAREFULLY put the probes into the outlet. Make a note of the voltage.
Plug in the smoker and fire it up for preheat.
Use the probes to measure the voltage again.

The difference is how much voltage is being dropped across the house wiring between the fuse panel and the smoker outlet. More than 2-3 volts isn't good.

Don't forget, your available voltage to start with may also be a function of what else is running in the house and immediate neighborhood. It will vary a bit at different times of the day but shouldn't be by much.

jiggerjams · November 15, 2011, 10:49:24 AM

Yes the plug is a duplex plug. I understand the process of testing the plug when there is nothing plugged into it. When I plug in and preheat the smoker do I carefully put the probes in the outlet in the duplex that does not have the smoker plugged into it, the unused plug?

ArnieM · November 15, 2011, 11:19:30 AM

Quote from: jiggerjams on November 15, 2011, 10:49:24 AM
Yes the plug is a duplex plug. I understand the process of testing the plug when there is nothing plugged into it. When I plug in and preheat the smoker do I carefully put the probes in the outlet in the duplex that does not have the smoker plugged into it, the unused plug?

Yes. If one of the plugs ISN'T switched, then both outlets are strapped together so the voltage will be the same at both.

jiggerjams · November 15, 2011, 01:07:28 PM

Ok thanks Arnie I will give that a ~~shock~~ shot. ;)

One other thing that may have contributed is where should I put the PID smoker cabinet probe when full of six racks of meat (Canadian Bacon was 4 racks and Maple Bacon was 2 racks)? I kept the probe on the bottom rack making sure it wasn't touching any thing other than the rack it was sitting on.

ArnieM · November 15, 2011, 02:32:51 PM

Your probe location sounds good to me but I'm not an expert there. I only have a 4 rack OBS and rarely have more than 2 racks worth in there. You had quite a load.

You might want to post a question on where best to put the probe assuming a loaded 6 rack box.