Chargriller Akorn and IQ120
 

first post...

Thanks to all those who have posted their experiences with their Akorn cookers and/or with maintaining low temps. I must say, I like my Akorn, but maintaining 225 to 240 temps was a challenge (to say the least). I learned a great deal by reading through these threads and was relieved to learn I was not the only one having these challenges. Thanks to one and all.

This past week, I bought the IQ120 from pitmasterIQ. My first cook was last night. The device is the answer to my troubles maintaining low steady temps. It worked perfectly. My cook was only for 4 hours but it maintained 225 without a problem for 3 and 350 for an hour. I smoked lamb breast/ribs... low and slow for then "seared" them at 350.

I didn't need to do anything special with a ring of fire method or anything like that. Simply loaded up (in a mound) with lump coal, set a wax cube on top, and started the fire. Then, connected the IQ120, set the damper to 1, fan speed to 1, pit temp to 180. It overshot to 195. I reset pit temp to 210 on the device. It settled in at 225 and then I reset pit temp on the device to 225 and that's where is stayed (spiked occasionally to 235 but came back).

Only time I had a little trouble was after I had to open the lid. The device brought it back up to temp but I had to open the damper to 2 and set fan speed to 2 since the fire looked like it was snuffing itself out.

In any case, this device is the answer to my troubles with low temp cooking on the Akorn. I plan to do brisket next and will post results.

Thanks again y'all... information posted in this forum has been most useful for me as I learn to use this new smoker. I also have the Chargriller offset which I still use for larger cooks - so, it's not yet fully retired.

Peace...
Jim