B
bo_gator
Guest
Can someone please explain how digital temp controllers work on a smoker like a WSM :?:
Last edited by a moderator:
Can someone please explain how digital temp controlers work on a smoker like a WSM :?:
Great! If you are looking for detail, here you go:
PID controller - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I use Aubers. There is a fan that fits in one of the holes in a bottom vent. All others are shut. You have a temperature probe that goes on the cooking grate and is connected to the contoller. The controller is set at whatever temperature you want to cook at and when the temp drops below your target temperature, the fan kicks on and blows on the coals till the temp comes up.
Other controllers have a lot more features, wi-fi, charts, graphs, etc., but I just wanted one to contol the temp and the Auber works great for that. I have both size fans so if I want to cook at 300 or higher I just put on the bigger fan and may have to play with the bottom vents. On a WSM wind is a big factor, probably more than ambient temp.
Are you talking about something like this :?:
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=170
So, with an 18 1/2" WSM how bad are these controllers at driving the temps above the set point :?:
The controller will not turn the fan on if the wsm is at the set temp. Temp spikes are caused by opening the cooker and allowing a big rush of air to the coals no different than opening the dampers.
How do you know how big of a fire to build when using a controller :?: Is it all trial and error :?:
Yep, that's it. Simply put, the pid part means this controller learns your cooker and how long the fan needs to blow to raise the temp. I don't mess with the pid part, just use the default "set temp".
They act like fluffer on a p0rn0 movie set. Just enough windy to keep the fire hot
Actually PID parameters are set and that's how they work. The PID tuning loop does not learn the pit. That's why some of the old pit controllers would get "Integral windup" and have a big spike every once in a while. Unless you had a temp alarm, you would never know. The only way a PID controller learns your pit is if it has an adaptive algorithm or fuzzy logic like the auber products
Are you talking about something like this :?:
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=170
I just placed an order for this one a few minutes ago. :clap: :clap: :clap:
I just placed an order for this one a few minutes ago. :clap: :clap: :clap: