Hellava time cooking ribs...

[BigRich]

Temperatures fluctuate in the Bradley depending on the placement of the gauge or probe.  I always place a chamber probe on the lowest rack that holds meat near the front door.  A rear reading is normally much hotter unless you deflect the heat toward the middle.  The built in gauge will pick up hotter heat at the back without a heat deflector.

I agree that is a long time on ribs.  7 hours is on the outside at 220 - 230, but as you stated, you have a thicker cut in your possession.  They will be ready when they are ready.  They should still be moist with the slather and water pan.

Pachanga

Right.  I've noticed about a 20 degree difference.  So with the DBS probe on the back, and element not turning on until the temp falls to 200, I wondered if I should look into a way to get that element to turn on sooner. 

Then I though, naw, that's just the OCD talking.

[BigRich]

After much trial and error, cooking them without foil is the way we like round here.  Finishing them with sauce took first place but without sauce at all was a close second.  I'll be cocking them with sauce, no foil, Iceman's rub, 2 steaming pans of water, with the vent half open, for somewhere between 5-6 hrs on Super Bowl Sumday, 

[Pachanga]

Experiment, mess up, change it up, try again, make it your own; that is what is all about.

When you and the kin like it, that is when it is perfectly right.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga