ThermoWorks Signals & Billows Test Run on WSM 18.5"

[jsaniga]

Just finished a 7 hour test run of a new ThermoWorks billows fan on my WSM. I covered the bottom of the charcoal ring with Kingsford Blue briquettes and made a hole at the center to do the minion method. The level was at best 1/3 the height of the ring; certainly not even half way filled. I started a small chimney of Kingsford Blue and got the Billows set up. My water pan was in place and empty. I had no food on the racks - this was a dry run to test the Billows and Signals combo.

I ended up choosing the vent on the same side as my lid vent just because it worked better positionally. I initially had it set up horizontally but then repositioned the billows so it was positioned vertically on the vent. I used a small piece of metal tape to close off the third vent hole. The spring legs do a decent job holding the Billows in place but I needed to play a bit to made sure the foam gasket stayed in the rectangular frame. I twisted the billows left and right once the legs were through the vent hole and got it seated where I wanted. I connected the USB-C power cable to the Billows and connected to the correct side of the converter cable that came with it. That cable plugs into the USB-C charging port of the ThermoWorks Signals. There is another port on the converter cable where you a cable in that is connected to an AC power source. I am unsure whether the billows will run off the ThermoWorks battery, but if it does I bet it would kill the battery pretty quickly. I connected everything to an 120V AC power source and turned on the ThermoWorks. When you are using the Billows fan, the environmental temperature probe needs to be plugged into Port 4. I removed the yellow debris plug from the Billows unit.

I dumped my starter coals into the center of the ring and put the body of the WSM in place. I opened the top vent 1/8-1/4 open and closed the two bottom vents that didn't have the Billows attached. I placed the environmental probe into position on the top grate and turned on the ThermoWorks Signals unit. On the app on my phone, I set the target temperature at 250 F. I could "barely" hear the billows turn on; it is very quite. It came up to temperature very quickly. The temperature graph was flat-lined for a full three hours and then I started to get some fluctuations in the temperature, but it stayed in the set range. Again, I had not loaded the charcoal ring and can't guarantee the briquettes were evenly distributed in the ring. I let everything run as it was set up for 7 full hours. All in all, it worked great. At the end of 7 hours, there was maybe an hours' worth of charcoal left in the ring. I am pretty confident a full ring and filled water pan can deliver a good 10-12 hours of consistent temperatures for low and slow smokes. We'll see whether the temperature fluctuations happen again when I have actual food on the grates and water in the pan (pr not).

I chose the ThermoWorks system because I am a fan of their thermometers. They are very accurate, and the Billows did not disappoint on its trial run. I'll post an update here the first time I use it on a butt or brisket, or to keep temps up for whole chickens,.

[Millwright1]

I see 3 hrs into your test run is where the flexuations started,I’ve learned on my pk 360 and signals/bellows set up that ash build up may be causing that. The wind too plays into it some,bc that system is still open to to the wind. Was it a Little windy that day?As far as ash build up KBB produces a lot of ash,where others don’t,B and B briquettes in the orange bag works well.
that’s been my experience.

[jsaniga]

I did notice that there was a fair amount of ash when I cleaned out the bottom and brushed the walls. I never saw that when not using the fan. At the bottom at the end, sure...but not the ash dust. Nothing made it up to the grates but something to look at.

As far as windy, not it wasn't particularly windy. But that is why I get the bellows. I have a fairly open deck but depending on wind my house blocks a lot of air blow on the deck. It seemed I was always playing with the top vent.

[radiodome21]

Nice post. I also have the 18 WSM and a billows fan. I use it with my Smoke X4. I don’t use the WSM that much since I bought a kettle. I’ve only tried using the Billows a few times but I always overshoot my temp. Still turned out good food.

How many lit briquettes did you start with? I think I use too many which is why I overshoot my temps. I keep the top vent open all the way and close the bottom vents.

[jsaniga]

Small chimney initially

[Millwright1]

I load the kick ash basket for indirect cooking/half unlit bricketts,other half water/drip pan. If I want to cook at 225° I lite half a chimney,325° a hole chimney and open exhaust damper above indirect side just enough to get my ambient temp prob cable though. Set the temp parameters on the signals controller and let it go.

[Bumby]

Helpful post - thank you! How'd it do on a longer smoke?

[Millwright1]

That same set up at a temp at 225° lasted 11 hrs on a pk 360. Kept the cook going after taking off a pork butt was surprised it lasted that long on that much coals.