Am I Going to Kill My Fireboard

[jhapka]

I pulled my creek stone brisket out of the freezer last week to thaw it well before the Super Bowl. The plan was to put it on Saturday night and cook it overnight. In the time between then and now the forecasted low for Saturday night into Sunday morning is -26 and the high for Sunday is -11. Is my Fireboard screen or battery going to fail if I leave it out in that for 10-12 hours? How about the pit viper?

[jhapka]

Specs on fireboard’s site give a max temp of 140 F but does not suggest a low end.

[bbqLuv]

That is really cold and hope for low humidity. May I suggest smoking it to a nice bark and then wrap and finish it in the oven? Perhaps the heat from the cooker will keep the Fireboard alive.
Happy grilling to you.

[glitchy]

I wish I could answer this for you, but don't know. I'm definitely interested in the final answer though. I don't know the lowest I've run either my old original Fireboard or the new. I'm pretty sure never on the underside of 0 and I'm guessing 5-10 above is probably the lowest I've ever had it outside. I'd probably call Fireboard to ask that.

If the fan was always spinning I would think it would be fine, but with the Kamado it probably stops a lot.

[rickgregory]

I pulled my creek stone brisket out of the freezer last week to thaw it well before the Super Bowl. The plan was to put it on Saturday night and cook it overnight. In the time between then and now the forecasted low for Saturday night into Sunday morning is -26 and the high for Sunday is -11. Is my Fireboard screen or battery going to fail if I leave it out in that for 10-12 hours? How about the pit viper?

Yes. From the FB2 manual : Operating Temperature -13 to 140°F (-25 to 60°C)

PS: what smoker are you using? If it's a pellet, I'd just forgo the FB and trust the built in.

[Jfrosty27]

Yikes! That’s friggin cold! "Only" -13 for the low, +2 for the high over here on the WI side of Lake Michigan for Sunday. Sorry but I will definitely be cooking inside that day. I’m no help on your Fireboard question I’m afraid. As suggested above I would call the manufacturer.

[jhapka]

rickgregory thanks wish they had that on the website as well. No pellet grill, only a kamado and the PBC. Think it’s going in the kamado.

This is quite the pickle. My door from the kitchen to the deck closes pretty loosely, I wonder if I can get away with having the unit inside and cables gently closed in the door with the cooker scooted up real close to the house.

Guess I’ll have to figure something out

[tstalafuse]

I think I would just set a hot pad on top of the Kamado, then the Fireboard, and finally another hot pad on top of of the Fireboard. You should get enough radiant heat to keep it alive and protect it from overheating at the same time.

[RonB]

Does yur cooker's exterior get warn during a long cook? Too warm to touch? If it warms slightly, but not too hot to cook, maybe put the FB in a zipper bag on top of the cooker. Or maybe an aluminum foil cover to hold the heat in if that doesn't interfere with the signal.

[jfmorris]

jhapka as an electrical engineer still actively engaged in electronics design, the spec on most commercial grade parts is that they operate from 0C to +70C. Industrial grade parts typically extend the operating range to -20C to +85C, and military grade, when that was a thing, run -55C to +125C for the parts.

Now, if the Fireboard had an LCD display, I would be concerned about liquid crystals freezing at -26C. But being that it relies on the app on your phone as the display, that isn't a concern. You will not damage the internal parts at cold temperatures, but they may not act in a reliable manner, and readings may be off. The chief concern will be the battery pack, as lithium ion batteries do not operate well at temperatures below freezing. At the temperature you are talking about the battery may not function at all, and do NOT - repeat DO NOT - attempt to charge the battery at below freezing temperatures. It will be permanently damaged.

My thoughts are to manage temp manually (vents) and don't leave the Fireboard out there. You've smoked stuff enough to where you know when to go check it with the Thermapen or whatever instant read you use.

[FireMan]

Yup, forego the gadgets and use the space between your thumb & index finger or your cheek & temple. If ya git in real trouble, you can squeeze the weez, cuz we’re all bozos on this bus.

[Troutman]

Move

[jhapka]

It’s going to be a heck of a week

[smokenoob]

why not wrap it in some towels and stick it in your mini faux cambro next to a warm can of beans or something? works for pork butts!

[TxF]

If you have the outdoor cover with the magnets you could find a warm spot on the smoker to stick it to. Mine has no problem on the side of my Pit Boss. I stick it on the skirt just below the fire box. With an IR thermometer you should be able to find a spot that is cool enough but near the heat.

[grantgallagher]

jhapkaThe chief concern will be the battery pack, as lithium ion batteries do not operate well at temperatures below freezing. At the temperature you are talking about the battery may not function at all, and do NOT - repeat DO NOT - attempt to charge the battery at below freezing temperatures. It will be permanently damaged.

jfmorris So what you are saying is i have managed to wreck my 40V and 80V kobalt rechargeable batteries for garden tools by keeping them on a charger in my garage all winter? Cause that would really suck.

[jfmorris]

It depends on how cold they really got in your garage.

Here's where you can read more on the subject:

https://batteryuniversity.com/index.php/learn/article/charging_at_high_and_low_temperatures