Those with Stokers
 

Do you feel it's worth ordering extra grate temp probes? That way you can monitor different temps depending on where in the smoker your grates are?

Temp for me is irrelevant, as long as it's close I'm fine. I am not familiar with your cooker, do you have hot and cold spots?

I did exactly that. I have three pit probes and two food probes to start with. In the Assassin 28, it appears that there is a 30-45 degree temperature differential between the bottom and top shelves in my six shelf unit.

PIT-1 is in the middle and is my blower control probe, PIT-2 is on the bottom rack at the back and FOOD-1 is on the top shelf (acting as a pit probe while I season the new 28).

http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery3/var/...g?m=1388801806

I have a third pit probe which I plan to use to control another cooker. I'll probably install all five probes int the 28 during the next few days to get an idea of the temperature hot/cold spots.

I only use one grate temp probe. The fan has to work off of one probe, so if you wanted to verify the temp or monitor a different level, I'd use a separate Maverick digital thermo.

My plan is to use the temp prob on the rack where the smoker thermometer is to run the fan. Then use the three other temp probes to monitor the heat at each grate. Then two food probes to monitor the butt and brisket.

I like it

Just after I realized how irrelevant temp was to BBQ... By that I mean once you go above 250 your less likely to **** your **** up and make crappy BBQ...I used the stoker sans the fan and multiple themes to record or keep a record of my various steam table items. And some cold ones. Always had it on file due to the stoker log.

Once I realized superior BBQ was made at hot and fast.... If I ver needed a fan to stoke the fire to hotter levels... I still used the fan.


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