Series 6 issues continue

[Skelso]

For those following along... I bought (2) series 6 smokers before Thanksgiving. Gave 1 to my dad, who has barely used it. Kept the other for myself. It was a basket case of problems (see my thread from Nov. for details).

Pitboss support dropped the ball. Lowe's replaced it for me. I've done a handfull of cooks on it. It's OK but I am less than satisfied!

I currently have (5) pork butts in the smoker. Have an analog thermometer hanging on a shelf and a Thermoworks probe hanging on the same shelf.

Started with temp set at 225. Controller said 225 but analog and Thermoworks were reading below 200. I've been bumping temp little by little trying to get it where I need it. Contacted support and was given a "lesson" in "live fire temp swings" and "hot spots". They had me move the Thermoworks probe to the bottom of the smoker, claiming 25 - 35 degree differences are normal throughout the cabinet.

Currently situation:

Controller set point - 275
Controller reading - 280
Analog reading - 225
Thermoworks reading (probe on bottom rack) - 208

While I'm new to pellet fired, I have been around smokers a long time. I've build many stick burners and a few electric smokers, including programming an Arduino based PID... I'm havibg a real hard time buying 25 - 35 degree hot spots on a forced air fed oven.

Anyone ever measured temps at different locations in your vertical smoker? How much variance in tempsnof various locations?

Thanks!

 

[Cowboy1955]

I use a INKBIRD on my 820. Works great

 

[Freedbyjc]

For those following along... I bought (2) series 6 smokers before Thanksgiving. Gave 1 to my dad, who has barely used it. Kept the other for myself. It was a basket case of problems (see my thread from Nov. for details).

Pitboss support dropped the ball. Lowe's replaced it for me. I've done a handfull of cooks on it. It's OK but I am less than satisfied!

I currently have (5) pork butts in the smoker. Have an analog thermometer hanging on a shelf and a Thermoworks probe hanging on the same shelf.

Started with temp set at 225. Controller said 225 but analog and Thermoworks were reading below 200. I've been bumping temp little by little trying to get it where I need it. Contacted support and was given a "lesson" in "live fire temp swings" and "hot spots". They had me move the Thermoworks probe to the bottom of the smoker, claiming 25 - 35 degree differences are normal throughout the cabinet.

Currently situation:

Controller set point - 275
Controller reading - 280
Analog reading - 225
Thermoworks reading (probe on bottom rack) - 208

While I'm new to pellet fired, I have been around smokers a long time. I've build many stick burners and a few electric smokers, including programming an Arduino based PID... I'm havibg a real hard time buying 25 - 35 degree hot spots on a forced air fed oven.

Anyone ever measured temps at different locations in your vertical smoker? How much variance in tempsnof various locations?

Thanks!

Sounds like you have a great handle on your smoker cabinet environment.

You can try using oven thermometers throughout your cabinet to get a better idea of your hot spot and cold spots but the only way to affect your cabinet temperatures would be adjusting the air flow via the rain cap on top of your chimney and increasing the size of your water pan to create a better heat sink to try to even out those temperatures.