Looking for experienced advice on choosing a thermostatic controller

[fzxdoc]

Alabama Smoke , to answer your question, you will need a different adapter for a kettle, but otherwise you'll still be able to use the same Fireboard/Pit Viper fan duo.

I don't have a top vent on my PBC. The only thing I change when using the ATC on the PBC is the lighting method. For it, I do 15-10. (Instead of 15-10-10.) That is, let 42 coals burn in the chimney for 15 minutes and pour over the unlit coals in the basket, letting that burn with the rebars out and lid off for 10 minutes until all the white smoke dissipates. Then I put the rebars in and lid on, and let the ATC do its thing, adding the meat when the temperature is where I like it.

I don't notice that the Pit Viper is responsible for blowing ash around the closed PBC while in operation, something that I was initially concerned about.

I have an adapter for my WSCGC but have never installed it. I keep meaning to, but that kamado/kettle is so rock solid with its temps and the temps are so easy to tweak if necessary that I don't feel the driving need to use ATC. I will one of these days, just because true set/forget is always handy on a charcoal-driven beast.

Kathryn

[Alabama Smoke]

fzxdoc, Kathryn thanks again for giving us experienced, detailed information. Useful information indeed! Tom

[fzxdoc]

My pleasure, Tom.
K.

[Spinaker]

Let us know what you come up with when you get er figured out.

[Spinaker]

There is a font scale in the signature section. You can make stuff bold, italics or colored. ecowper

[ecowper]

Spinaker how did I miss this!!!! Okay, thanks

[Alabama Smoke]

Wil do Spinaker. Thanks to all for all the help and suggestions.

[bep35]

Since no one else has made mention of Thermoworks, I must give a shout-out to the Signals BBQ Alarm Thermometer with Billows Fan as an option. That is what I use on my PBC and it has worked flawlessly for me. The software platform on Thermoworks was lacking for years but they upgraded their software a year or so ago and it is pretty good now. It works via bluetooth or Wifi as does the Fireboard. I use the Signals/Billows on my PBC and also own a Fireboard 1 combined with a Pit Viper 10 CFM fan which I use on my Weber Summit Charcoal Grill. The Fireboard/Pit Viper also works flawlessly.

I installed the Billows to my PBC using their Kamado Mounting Plate which runs $5.99 on the Thermoworks website. The Pit Viper fan required the Weber Adaptor for installation on the WSCG which cost $27.50 on the BBQ Guru website. Seems like a lot for what it is. I think the Billows could be attached to the Weber kettle without a mounting plate but you can Google that to be sure.

Good luck and have fun!

[Alabama Smoke]

Thanks for the comments bep35. Yes I have the Thermoworks Smoke which I have used for about 4 years. All I have had to do was a recent battery change. Great unit. It of course will not support the Billows. I believe the Smoke X will however. I will definitely be considering it as well. Also Thermoworks customer service, what little I have needed, has been great.

[gboss]

It's a great system, when it works. I've had two failures within a year, both involving the drive circuitry for the Billows. Thermoworks support has been fine, I'm just not interested in ruining cooks with failures and having the equipment travel back and forth to Utah every few months. I'm deciding on a FB2 or putting together a HeaterMeter kit for the next one.

[ecowper]

Alabama Smoke I have the FB2 with drive cable and their 20 CFM fan. I use it on my WSM22. It works nicely, and the remote control capability is great. What I don't really like is the adapter system. I am likely going to replace the FB fan with the pit bull and weber adapter from BBQ Guru. The older FireBoard fan, like I have, can get dislodged from a firm seal on the WSM very easily. When that happens, you are suddenly shoving way too much air in. On top of that, since the FB fan mounts on an air intake, it works at an odd angle compared to the charcoal ring. Long and short, FireBoard Drive is great, but get the BBQ Gurus fan as Spinaker suggests.

[Alabama Smoke]

Thank you ecowper. Good information to know.

[ecowper]

Alabama Smoke one quick note. I do not have the newer Fireboard fan, I am giving you information for the original fan. However, it appears to me that the only real difference is the attachment rails on the new fan. Other than that, it's the same 20 CFM fan.

[BluesDaddy]

I have a Tempmaster BBQube, the original version. I bought it to use with my 26" Weber kettle. The kettle adapter they sell is for the "Original" vent system, not one with the ash collector so I wound up sourcing a stainless flanged 2" pipe (forget the exact diameter) and drilled a hole for it below the charcoal grate line. Works great. It is four probe capable but only came with three. Extra probes aren't expensive. I got a two inch diameter round magnet to cover the hole when I need to. I've since bought a SnS Kamado grill so I ordered a Kamado adapter from them to try it out on that. Not sure it's really needed, though, as I recently did a 12 hour cook of a pork butt were the temp was pretty much rock steady the whole cook. It connects via bluetooth to your phone and has an app. The whole set-up is less than $200.

[Alabama Smoke]

Thanks BluesDaddy, I will look at this one as well. Looks like there is much to choose from.

[Alabama Smoke]

OK, I am continuing posting on this thread I started a couple of months or so ago. I have still not fully decided on the unit I want but am leaning toward the Fireboard 2 Drive and either the Pit Viper fan or the Fireboard fan. Fireboard fan is slightly more expensive but it also has slightly more air flow (which I have no idea whether I need or not).

Not yet married to the above but the overwhelming popularity here on AR tells me it would be a great choice.

NOW. Has anyone yet seen any BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON THIS YET? From what I have seen, regular prices are being advertised but am hopeful there will be sale prices before the Thanksgiving holiday is over.


Oh, does anyone here know of any reason why this could not be mounted to either a PBC or a Weber Performer(with separate mounting brackets of course)?

[ecowper]

So, I recently got both the BBQ Guru Pit Bull AND the Fireboard Fan (the new 2nd gen). I gave away my old first gen FB fan. Now I am trying each one out on the WSM and the SnS. First run I did on the SnS with the new style FB fan worked out quite well. Towards the end the Fireboard started chasing temps a little bit, but not badly.

Here’s the FB graph from that first fan cook. Notice that I had to do a lot of work to get the ambient/control probe placed right at the beginning. That’s my fault, not the Fireboard.



BBQ Guru Black Friday sales have started: https://bbqguru.com/storenav?CategoryId=1

Fireboard’s has not.

As I try out the two fans on both the SnS and the WSM, I will post more about my experience with each.

[Alabama Smoke]

ecowper, Thank you so much for the quick response! Please go ahead and cook with your new toys and let me know how they work! Will go now and see the BBQ sales page. Thanks again!! Tom

[Alabama Smoke]

jfmorris thanks for those recent extra comments. I do appreciate them. I am probably going with the Fireboard and either a Pit Piper or a BBQ Guru fan. I think BBQ Guru also has adapters for both so that is likely my ticket. Now just looking for Black Friday deals. Tom

[jfmorris]

That is the way I would go too Tom. I drilled the hole in my kettle with a cheap step bit from Harbor Freight as I recall, installed the BBQguru adapter, and not looked back.

[radiodome21]

I just bought the Thermoworks Billows fan yesterday because they had an 18% off sale 1 item yesterday. I looked back in my emails to see what their black Friday sales were from last year, and I think they were maybe 20% or something like that. Thermoworks tends to run some sales on some random stuff every now and then they’ll have a 20% throughout the year. I Only bought the Billows because I already had the Thermoworks Signals X4 that I bought a few months ago. I’ll use it on my WSM.

[fzxdoc]

ecowper , why did you buy both fans? Just curious.

And what do you plan to use the 25CFM Pit Bull fan with? I thought it was for large smokers like stickburners, 55 gal barrels, etc?

I use the 10CFM Pit Viper fan with the PBC and it works great. I always leave damper fully open, and rarely does the fan run full bore for more than a few minutes here and there.

Kathryn

[ecowper]

the FB gen2 fan is 20 CFM, it doesn't seem like a fair head to head to put the Pit Viper up against it. Plus the WSM 22 is primarily where I would use them. I don't think that the SnS Kettle really needs a controller, although I tried it out just to see. And finally, I got both to satisfy my own curiousity :-)

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for the additional info, ecowper . I've got a 10CFM Pit Viper to use with my WSCGC but have yet to attach the adapter and use it. Like your SnS kettle, the Summit runs so nice and solid without ATK. But I was thinking that perhaps I'd get a 25 CFM Pit Bull for the Summit if you reported good results.

Kathryn

[Mark Dudley]

Looking for step by step instructions for a 18 WSM using ThermoWorks Billows for a 350 degree cook of a 18 lb turkey

[STEbbq]

The free side has very detailed instructions on how to smoke a turkey including comments on the WSM.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/turkey-recipes/bbq-and-grilled-turkey-recipe

What questions do you have that have not already been addressed by the article?

[FireMan]

Welcome, dig yer avatar!

[Alabama Smoke]

Back again to share my decisions with all of you who were kind to advise me on this. I doubt there is anyway to really go wrong on this based on my research whatever each of you chose for yourselves was probably a good choice. I finally decided on the Fireboard 2 Drive and cables due here today direct from Fireboard. From BBQ Guru I ordered a Pit Viper fan and an adapter for my Weber performer as well as my Pit Barrel and those should be here tomorrow.

Special shout out to the folks at BBQ Guru for customer service. A gentleman jumped on the phone with me to be sure I understood how to install everything and told me to call him if I had problems or needed additional assistance later. Good folks for sure.

Thanks again to everyone!

Tom

[fzxdoc]

Tom, Alabama Smoke , you're going to love the convenience of the ATC with the PBC. I smoked two 7lb turkey breasts on Thanksgiving. Set the controller for 350° and didn't touch the PBC again until the turkey was at 155°. Sides were done when the turkey was ready to be sliced, with no frantic last minute scramble. Plus I could enjoy being with our guests. Win-win-win.

Kathryn

[Alabama Smoke]

fzxdoc Hoping to use that very rig this weekend to cook something good. Thanks Kathryn for all your assistance.

[fzxdoc]

My pleasure.

K.