electronically challenged brain needs help setting pid!

[Fair-chase]

 Well I finished up my box. I cut a 4" hole in the center of the top and ran a alum. dryer hose to the cabinet. I also cut a 4 1/2" hole on the side and hung the generator on the side of the box just like it hangs on the bradley. I've got the box sitting on the deck and the cabinet up on a table. I've got a 12" rise from the top of the box to where it goes into the cabinet. It's smokin right now to season up my box.

Even with temps in the 100's I'm not raising the temp in the cabinet. Yeah!

The only problem I seem to be having is that every now and then just for a split second the smoke will stop drafting out of the top and puff out around the generator and the box as well as the puck feed tube. I've got the vent on top wide open. I'm thinking this might be due to the 15 mph wind here today. I've read where smoke backing up in the generator can mess up the generator.

Anyone got any advice?

I'll try and send some pictures of this set up.



                      Thanks!!!

[Tiny Tim]

Could the non-draft be while the smoke gen is putting another puck on the plate?

[Fair-chase]

 Maybe but I don't really think so. I ran smoke for about 1 hr. 3 pucks worth. I didn't sit there and watch it every second , but did watch it frequently. I probably saw it do it 4-5 times, and as I said it only did it for maybe 1-2 seconds each time. Then it would go back to drafting like it is supposed to. Is this enough to mess up the generator?

[Gizmo]

You may be right on the wind.  You could try to put a wind screen on top of the bradley around the vent hole.  If you have a little dryer hose left over, place a couple of inches on top of the hole to block the wind and see if that helps.

[Mr Walleye]

A piece of 4 inch PVC pipe would work well as a wind break as well. Maybe 8 inches to a foot long?

Mike

[Fair-chase]

  Well I ran auto tune last night at 225 when the box temp got to 223. The box was loaded with 17 lbs. of butt.

After auto tune it held temps + or - 2 deg. ( most of the time 1 deg.) through the night and early mourning. After the sun got up and temps started climbing 90's my accuracy started suffering. temp swings got worse running between + or - 5 degs.

Do changing ambient temps , and conditions such as sun up verses down have an effect on the way the pid needs to be set?

  If you run AT at say 225 deg how much can you change the set point temp. without retuning?

  Also when you run auto tune does it set your cycle rate? I had mine set on 1. When I got through cooking I checked my P,I, and D valaues so I could write them down and my cycle rate was at 9.

[Oldman]

Then it would go back to drafting like it is supposed to. Is this enough to mess up the generator?

After enough times it could very well gum up your generator.