Golden Tiger PID smoker controller from Ebay - review with lots-o-pics

[colonel00]

Originally Posted by ---k---

Thanks for the great review. I've seen it before and wasn't willing to take a chance on an unknown product with other good product out there. But, this has given me second thoughts.

I would be very interested in knowing what the range of the remote is - especially with transmitting to partially below-grade basements and such.

And, just because I'm a geek, I would love to see a graph of the pit temps as it is coming up to temp. I have these for my Pitmaster iQ. I was shocked when I did it a third time (with different charcoals each time) the graphs were almost exactly the same each time. It was interesting to see how it stepped the temp.

I might be in the market for a second controller later this summer, so please keep us updated as to any reliability issues or such.

As far as the range, I did not get a chance to truly test it but I can say that with the UDS running in my driveway, I never had issues with the remote connecting anywhere in the house. On my next cook with the controller I will see how far I can go.

I believe the seller did say that graphing will be in the next release of the software for the wifi model. At least he knows there is interest in this feature and I would think it will be added soon enough. For my model, graphing isn't an option.

I will definitely keep this thread up to date and I will try to be a little more statistical in the next cooks by logging times and temps. A buddy wants me to cook some butts this weekend so I might set it up for a good old fashioned low and slow cook as I now usually cook much hotter (better things to do with my time mod ).

[---k---]

Oh missunderstanding. Graphing isn't really a feature I'm looking for. It isn't that important after you see the graph once. I made a graph for my Pitmaster iQ manually. I just sat next to the smoke and logged the temp every five minutes for the first hour and then every 15 minutes to 30 minutes for two hours until the small load of charcoal ran out. The interesting/geek part is the heat gain curve was the same when I repeated the test with lump, KB, and RO briq. I'm just wondering what his program is for heat gain, if it initially overshoots, etc... like I said, geek.

[colonel00]

Ah, I see what you are saying. Yeah, that is something I want to do as well at least for a couple of cooks. The one thing I would be interested in as far as a graphical log would actually be the run times and intensity of the fan during the cook in correlation to the pit temps.

[woodpelletsmoker]

Effective distance is 600 feet in open air.
TO draw a graph you need only to sit at your reading room, turn on your air conditioning, look at the display set. You do not need to sit beside your smoker under wind, rain, snow, sun burning. But a graph does less help. In my Stumps type smoker, temperature fluctuation is + - 1 F.
But a graph of time vs voltage output and temperature may help you to fine tune P.I.D. parameters

[Mark M]

I'm impressed with the features. Woodpelletsmoker, have you considered offering AC power instead of battery?

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Mark M

I'm impressed with the features. Woodpelletsmoker, have you considered offering AC power instead of battery?

I think the adapter is deadly cheaper.
Output:12VAC, 1.5 A
Again I prefer a battery. Battery is much safer than 110V AC.
Just image your smoker is at your backyard without cover. Rain suddenly comes,
110V AC must be dangerous. 12VDC will create no risk, at worst you destroy your battery.

In a few weeks we will develop a controller for pellet smoker, which must use 110VAC power. You can use it to control a charcoal smoker too by using 110VAC fan. We have a very nice 110VAC fan.

[colonel00]

Originally Posted by Mark M

I'm impressed with the features. Woodpelletsmoker, have you considered offering AC power instead of battery?

I have to agree with the seller's comments above as well. While I did run this test with an adapter, I do like the flexibility of using a 12v battery. You can pick up an adapter pretty cheap and then you have the best of both worlds. I plan on getting something similar to this to use as a normal power source. It should do fine. $28 bucks for a battery and a charger isn't bad at all. Granted, it does not say what the output of the charger is so it may not work as an adapter but all you need to do is connect the charger after every cook and you should always have enough power.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabel...ery/700551.uts

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by colonel00

I have to agree with the seller's comments above as well. While I did run this test with an adapter, I do like the flexibility of using a 12v battery. You can pick up an adapter pretty cheap and then you have the best of both worlds. I plan on getting something similar to this to use as a normal power source. It should do fine. $28 bucks for a battery and a charger isn't bad at all. Granted, it does not say what the output of the charger is so it may not work as an adapter but all you need to do is connect the charger after every cook and you should always have enough power.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabel...ery/700551.uts

I was using a 4 AH gel battery, it was just half size of this one.
This must be a lead battery
But now I am using LI metal battery. The size is 4 pieces of #5 cell battery.
Much smaller and lighter

[Mark M]

Originally Posted by woodpelletsmoker

I think the adapter is deadly cheaper.
Output:12VAC, 1.5 A
Again I prefer a battery. Battery is much safer than 110V AC.
Just image your smoker is at your backyard without cover. Rain suddenly comes,
110V AC must be dangerous. 12VDC will create no risk, at worst you destroy your battery.

In a few weeks we will develop a controller for pellet smoker, which must use 110VAC power. You can use it to control a charcoal smoker too by using 110VAC fan. We have a very nice 110VAC fan.

Thanks for the info. But I've never really had any electric/electronic device that I preferred DC over AC, unless AC just wasn't available. Regarding your comment about rain, I don't have to worry about that because "it never rains in southern California" (just kidding). Good luck and I hope you sell a million of your controllers. I'll consider your product the next time I need one.

[Triple T BBQ]

Hoping mine shows up in the mail tomorrow.

[MattG]

very nice review. Thanks for shareing.

[woodpelletsmoker]

Yesterday, 01:46 PM #3
Flat_Rate
Got Wood.

Join Date: 05-08-11
Location: Charlotte, NC
Downloads: 0
Uploads: 0

I just ordered one of these based on this review, looking forward to playing around with it.
__________________
UDS version 1.0, UDS version 2.0, Smokey Joe w/ tamale pot mod

Yesterday, 03:15 PM #4
cabledawg007
Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match.

Join Date: 02-16-12
Location: San Jose,CA
Downloads: 0
Uploads: 0

I got one last week too. I got the Tiger unit, can't wait to play with it.

[Chef Jim]

I only have one problem with this unit. Where its made. But that's just me.

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Chef Jim

I only have one problem with this unit. Where its made. But that's just me.

I am a chinese in Beijing,China.

[woodpelletsmoker]

OK, if you prefer AC over DC, in next delivery I will sell AC/DC adapter too