Original smoker with Auber questions

[DSeibel]

I have the original smoker and just received the dual probe Auber pid.  I am trying to plan the process to use this.  I noticed there are 2 options for smoke generator control.

1) with control, programed via parameters r1 and r2.
2) without control, where we would manually turn the smoke generator on and off as required.

I have a dew questions

1) Will the programmed auber steps begin as soon as the unit is connected and powered up?
2) do we need to manually advance the bisquettes to start the bisquette cycle either on power up of the auber and smoker?
3) do we also need to hit the advance bisquette button when the auber turns on the smoke generator when a step goes from no smoke to a smoke step (via r1 or r2).

it appears to me that when the smoke generator is powered up either way the bisquette advance start button will need to be pressed which is a nuisance if r1/r2 are programmed to automate things.

Also, am I understanding this right:  with the auber connected to control the smoke generator we can only ever have 2 steps with smoke (r1 and r2), so if we have say a 5 step process with 3 or more smoke steps we are out if luck and must control the smoke generator manually?  Why wouldn't they allow smoke generator control option on all 6 steps?

[GusRobin]

I have the original smoker and just received the dual probe Auber pid.  I am trying to plan the process to use this.  I noticed there are 2 options for smoke generator control.

1) with control, programed via parameters r1 and r2.
2) without control, where we would manually turn the smoke generator on and off as required.

I have a dew questions

1) Will the programmed auber steps begin as soon as the unit is connected and powered up?
Yes as soon as the PID is powered up.

2) do we need to manually advance the bisquettes to start the bisquette cycle either on power up of the auber and smoker?
Not sure what you are asking. If the SG is plugged into the PID then it is turned on when the r1 cycle is started. It will take 1 hour for the first puck to reach the burner. (Unless you manually advance them.)

3) do we also need to hit the advance bisquette button when the auber turns on the smoke generator when a step goes from no smoke to a smoke step (via r1 or r2).
Only if you don't want to wait an hour for the first puck to get to the burner.

it appears to me that when the smoke generator is powered up either way the bisquette advance start button will need to be pressed which is a nuisance if r1/r2 are programmed to automate things.

Only if you want the smoke to start sooner than 1 hr.

Also, am I understanding this right:  with the auber connected to control the smoke generator we can only ever have 2 steps with smoke (r1 and r2), so if we have say a 5 step process with 3 or more smoke steps we are out if luck and must control the smoke generator manually?  Why wouldn't they allow smoke generator control option on all 6 steps?
Yes it is true. Don't know why it is built that way. I have never had an occasion where I had more than 2 cycles that I wanted to smoke so it has never been an issue for me..

[DSeibel]

Ok, thanks for the very thorough reply, I appreciate it. 

so, if I understand this correctly, as soon as the sg is powered it will begin advancing, the only purpose of the advance button is to get the bisquettes close (or on) the sg heater plate so you don't have to wait for the 5 x 20 minute advance periods if we started with just the bisquettes loaded in the magazine, IE there are 5 busquette positions between the bottom of the magazine and the sg heater plate....correct?

[GusRobin]

There are 3 positions to get to the heat plate of the puck burner.

[DSeibel]

Ok, my math is off...sorry...3x20 mins is an hour.  So to confirm, advancing will begin as soon as power is applied to the sg....advance button will get them close without the hour wait?  Only reason I want to confirm is the Bradley manual says the advance button will "start" the advance process but I may be reading that wrong.

[GusRobin]

Yes . 

[Salmonsmoker]

You could also advance the pucks two positions at start. That would give the burner a 20 min. warm-up before the 3rd advance so the first puck gets a good burn.

[Alanfromwis]

  You can also put 2 pucks on runway when you put in water bowl, then turn on SG without putting any in puck tower until you want to start smoking. Then when you press advance button, the 1st in line will be pushed onto burner.