Calibration of a GuruCompetitor

[BigRed]

To all the users of this find accessory!

I have finally getting use to this new toy. I have a couple of questions and can't find the directions. So please be patient with an old man. First, I did a prime rib this week end. I used the Maverick ET7 along with Guru Competitor. I set the cooking temp. at 210 on the guru.I then started to warm up the smoker. When comparing the Maverick to the setting on the Guru after 1 hour the Maverick was always 15 degrees higher. The Maverick and the temp. control in the door. agreed with each other. I moved the Guru down to 200 and had the same difference of 15 degrees. Is there a way to calibrate the Guru or am I going to have to live with knowing there is always a 10 to 15 degree difference. I will ask my second question under a different post.
THANKS ALL FOR ANY FEED BACK YOU CAN GIVE ME!!!


BigRED

[manxman]

Hi Big Red,

http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1399

May be worth checking the maverick first using the method suggested above just to ensure it is this and the door thermometer that are the correct ones? Two against one suggests they are but you never know!! [:D]

Does the guru have a probe that could be checked in the same way, forgive my ignorance but I have no idea what they look like!!

Just a thought?! [:D]

Manxman.

[Habanero Smoker]

Big Red,
Here are the directions for testing and calibrating (if needed) the Guru. As Manxman states, you should also check your Maverick for accurracy, but I don't believe you can calibrate that; at least I have not found directions to do so.

BBQ GURU Calibration Check and Adjustment
Procedure 7.1. Boiling Water Method
1. Heat a small pot of water to a rolling boil and then turn the heat down just until the boil is not rolling. 2. Place both thermocouple probes completely in the boiling water. 3. Set your GURU's Meat Setpoint Knob to 212° (fully clock wise) and its Pit Set Point Knob to 200°. 4. If the GURU's meat display reads zero and the pit display reads 200°, your GURU is properly calibrated. If the reading of the meat display is not correct, the factory calibration potentiometer can be adjusted as follows: Calibration Adjustment Procedure 1. Keep both probes in the boiling water described above. 2. Locate the multi-turn calibration potentiometer through the hole in The BBQ GURU's back. 3. Using a small flat blade screwdriver, turn the calibration potentiometer either direction until the meat display shows -10°. Two turns of calibration potentiometer will move the display approximately one segment. 4. Slowly turn the calibration potentiometer counterclockwise until the meat display just reads zero. It is important to turn the potentiometer one additional turn counterclockwise as soon as the zero segment becomes lit. This makes the reading most accurate by centering the reading inside of one display segment. 5. If the GURU's meat display reads zero and the pit display reads 200° F, your GURU is now properly calibrated.

7.2.Temperature Agreement Between the BBQ GURU and Other Instruments
The temperature inside of the pit can vary 50-75° F from location to location. Even instruments calibrated together won't agree with each other when sensors are placed in different locations. The real issue here is stratification. Heat rises and will cause heat to collect in a dome. Progressively cooler zones will be found lower in the column unless stirred as in a convection oven. As you move closer to the source of heat, the temperature you sense will rise due to radiation. This is not a bad thing but is a fact of life. You can sense whereever it suits your needs, just be aware that this variation is due to stratification and it can be 50° F or even 75° F in a tall cooking chamber. Also don't
forget that what you place on the pit is absorbing lots of heat early on in the cooking cycle and will affect temperature readings in close proximity to their mass.

You should also download the Guru manual, it's a pdf file. http://www.thebbqguru.com/index.htm

[nsxbill]

With the electronics and pre-calibrtaion of the GURU before shipped I would be willing to bet you will find that the Maverick is off.  

When you test, put the interior probe and the meat probe joined together as well as the Maverick ET-73 pit and meat temp tied together with vegetable tye in a glass of hot water-just down from rolling boil and see if they have the same reading.

Water at sea level boils at 212 so should be close to that when you take it off the stove.  If the Maverick is off, send it back and tell them to replace.  Same for the Guru, but again, bet the Mav is off.

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[BigSmoker]

A little food(smoked of course)for thought is the lights on the competitor are a little confusing.  The #'s are staggered along both sides and can appear to be different than where you have the dial(s) set.  I do agree with Bill that the guru is probally right.  HTH.

Jeff



Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[BigRed]

Guys!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE WISDOM YOU HAVE SHARED ON THE GURU AND RAPTOR.  I will master it one of these days. I see from what Hab says why smokers are trying to put a fan in the BS. MY biggest concern is not so much the time it takes but what the internal temp. of the meat I am cooking thus why I am looking for as close to accuracy as possible. Won't be able to do the testing for awhile though me and my credit card are going to Vegas for sons bachlor party!! Probably should just send the credit card! Thanks again!!

BigRED

[nsxbill]

That's not supposed to be Dad's credit card.  Where's the best man?  You are supposed to pony up for the rehearsal and the honeymoon!

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[gotbbq]

BBQ Guru - Competitor-

The numbers on the side of the competitor are a little confusing.  They don't line up exactly with the lights.  That's why i'm getting the procom (this is what i plan on telling the wife) all digital, not muss, no fuss, <font size="2"><font color="red"><font size="3">and all my friends have one </font id="size3"></font id="red"></font id="size2">(also telling the wife)

gotbbq