Auber Instruments Smoke Controller

I use their controllers for my espresso machine. Same thing, just different application. High-quality and their support has been great.

i got one for x-maS. have not used it yet on my wsm but it seems to be well made

sounds to me like they should send you one to test...

then you can make a video :becky:

it's win-win?

There are a couple other threads I have seen recently where people are using parts from that manufacturer to make their own controllers. If I see one I will post it but you can probably find them with a search.

I have one I use on my Meadow Creek PR60. I love it, works great. It powers 2, 25CFM fans and maintains a solid 275*, just where I set it.

Pete

Pete, Steve, and others:

Can you specify which models you want/have? This would be very helpful to those interested in these controllers.

They've made PID controllers for years. I've used a few of their PIDs in brewing applications and they work well. They've taken their generic PIDs and repackaged them as BBQ controllers - they should work just fine. They use the same algorithmic application as would be used in temperature controlled brewing systems.

Here is the one I bought:
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14&products_id=185

Then added two 25 CFM fans with DIY hook-ups for my meadow creek. I told them I was using the larger fans and they gave me a larger power supply. Works great.

I have two different models, both designed for an electric smoker.

On model will progress from step to step based on time or MEAT temp. It uses two sensors, one for cabinet and one for meat.

The other unit has one sensor, and progresses through program steps based on time.

I have moved one unit to controlling a blower on my UDS, got advice on changing PID values. Excellent technical support from them also!

http://samshuford.com/BBQ/?p=166

I have one that is use for my egg, it works really well. I have cooked on the egg at 250 degrees for 18 hours and never had to open it up. I did by my fan elsewhere. Nice product!

Good feedback, as I was looking at them also. Love the guru's but just easier to come up w/ half the money to give me something to control the temps. There are some advantages the guru's have for sure, and just trying to determine if the extra bucks are worth it.... Could buy me a few butts or ribs with the extra money!! LOL....

stglide said:

There are some advantages the guru's have for sure, and just trying to determine if the extra bucks are worth it....

Click to expand...

After using an Auber, and then a Guru, there is no comparison whatsoever. The features of the Guru's are what set it apart and is what led me to make the investment. First the DigiQ and then to the CyberQ.

I'm sure you can compare the features and specs, so I won't babble about them. All I can say is compare what features are important to YOU, and go from there.

Here's some info
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1540249

My experiences with the Auber for WSM

Got the Auber PID controller for the WSM (SYL-1613SYS-W). Read the instructions and manual; installed on the WSM; set the upper and lower alarms at 229-230 and 209-210 degrees (F) respectively; loaded up the WSM with about 70/30 load of lump/briquet charcoal (minion method), some pecan chunks, pan of water and a brisket (with a separate thermometer probe inserted). Clipped the thermocouple probe to the grate about and inch from the meat and set the control temp at 220 deg F and off we go....

First thing I notice that the low temperature alarm beeps. No surprise since the smoker is just coming up to temperature and is still below the 210 low limit threshold. Manual says pressing the shift button (>) will silence the alarm noise. Pressing the shift button does NOT silence the alarm. (I should mention that the alarm is annoying too!) Blower fan is pulsing on/off and soon the temp rises above the 210 low alarm set point and alarm goes off (silences itself). In a few more minutes the temperature reaches the set point of 220 and seems to settle around that point for the next hour or so. Then the temperature oscillations begin. Over the next several hours, the controller lets the temperature drift lower by as much as 12 degrees (low temp alarm again sounds when 209 is reached) a then the temperature rises and overshoots by (only) 3 degrees before letting the temperature go below the set point by 8 to 10 degrees again. This pattern continues for the next few hours even though the blower fan seems to be working harder (longer ON time periods) when the temperature is drifting lower. Eventually (after about 7 hours or so) the oscillations settle down to a 5 to 6 degree temperature swing below and a 2 degrees above the set point pattern. Each oscillation period took about 15 minutes. I also found that a quick stirring of the coals at the 8 hour point helped keep the temperature swings in a somewhat tighter band for the next few hours.

Meanwhile I called the company and spoke to "Andy" about the problem with the low temp alarm silence. He informed me that the manual is wrong (says the manual and instruction sheet need to be changed:shock::? and then proceeds to tell me why a low temperature alarm and associated silence feature is not needed for smoking even after the manual tells me why this is a useful feature to have for smoking!! Sorry, but I have to throw out the bullsnot flag on that one - the website ad can be changed right now but Auber's posted literature appears to continue to mislead the buyer on the low temp alarm silence feature. Microelectronic PID controllers are cheap and this should take only a couple lines of code to fix. Sounds like someone either went too cheap on the controller and/or memory or messed up the coding. BTW - you can silence the high temp alarm by pressing the shift button just like the manual says. On the temperature drift, I'm going to use the auto-tune feature per the instruction manual before the next smoke and see if that improves things. I also found that unplugging the fan blower power cord from the controller when I lifted the lid and then plugging in the blower when the temperature returned close to the set point when the lid was returned, prevented any serious temperature overshoot problems.

My verdict is that the Auber controller does keep the WSM in a tighter temperature band than what I could do by fiddling with the vents, etc. especially at this low of a temperature set point, but the alarm silence feature and Auber's explanations still has me out of joint. I'll let you know in a future post if the controller auto-tune exercise improves the control bandwidth or not.

Final result: After a 14 hour smoke the brisket reached 190 (I wrapped it in foil at 165 deg) and it turned out absolutely delicious! Of course, it wasn't as good as the one you smoked the other day.:-D

B-W