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Temperature Controller Recomendations?

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    Temperature Controller Recomendations?

    For the last 3 or 4 years I've been using a BBQ Guru DigiQDX2 temperature controller on my Kamado. In general I like the features, all though the user interface is somewhat tricky to navigate.

    However, it has started to get buggy and I'm now ready to trade it in. Problems include:

    1- After sitting in the sun for an hour or so, one of the buttons stops working. If I need that button, the only way to push it is to disconnect the controller, put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, and then hook it back up.

    2- Intermitent software bugs. For example, I'll set it up to maintain the pit to 120 degrees, but the computer somehow thinks that the target temperature is 140 and the fan runs to maintain 140, even though the display clearly says it is targeting 120. That is madening.

    That said, I really love the concept of this. If I am smoking something overnight, I really don't want to get up every hour to check/adjust the vents.

    Additional features I'd like on my next unit:

    1- Some sort of remote/wifi functionality so I can monitor the pit away from it.
    2- A better display so you can see the pit and food temp at the same time.

    And, of course, I want something that is more dependable than my DigiQ was.

    Any suggestions?

    #2
    Fireboard....

    Comment


      #3
      Second on the fireboard. I had the partyQ which i loved until the kids thought it would be fun in a bucket of water...but the Fireboard is awesome. I have it and the fan they sell (Aubor), but i would get the fireboard and then the pitviper fan. I think the aubor is a little underpowered for my cooker. Fireboard is super simple to use though- great device, great company, great customer service.

      Comment


        #4
        BBQ Guru’s new CyberQ looks pretty nifty too. I have a PartyQ. There was a time when I’d want the graphing and remote monitoring, but I’ve gotten to where I like things simple. Less to go wrong. PartyQ is simple in spades.

        Comment


          #5
          What kind of kamado? I'm willing to swear by the Smo-Bot. http://www.smobot.com/

          Just a matter of whether yours is supported.

          This thing works by adjusting the top vent just like you would manually. No fan, so it can be run off a battery pack. Works really well. Here's one cook - spares on a large BGE.
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          Last edited by EdF; July 4, 2018, 01:25 PM.

          Comment


          • BloomHybrid
            BloomHybrid commented
            Editing a comment
            That's pretty cool never heard of that before.

          • Henrik
            Henrik commented
            Editing a comment
            I bought one based on EdF’s recommendation. It’s still in the mail, but I can’t wait to get it.

          #6
          Love my cyberq

          Comment


            #7
            There is also the ikamand which is kamado Joe's s own fan controller, look interesting it just came out . I have the digiq as well and mine also seems bugggy at times.

            Comment


              #8
              Smobot for the kamados for sure. I’m a Fireboard and pit viper fan guy for my Weber’s. Rock solid and very versatile.

              Comment


                #9
                After reading your experience with BBQ Guru product, I'm wondering if they have an inherent issue with their products. My PartyQ does the same thing. They replaced it once and now the replacement is doing the same thing. I contacted them and they are requesting I send the unit in along with the probe for diagnosis.

                I overcome the issue by monitoring the pit temps with a Maverick ET-732 and adjusting the PartyQ accordingly. The BBQ Guru thermostatic controller is a sound concept but the execution appears to be flawed. Which makes the price tag harder to swallow.

                Comment


                  #10
                  I have the cubercue cloud. It works great. I do unattended overnight cooks with it. I have no problems leaving the house and letting the cubercue do it’s thing.

                  But if if I had to get a new one, fireboard or smobot would be the two contenders. Not that cubercue is bad, it isn’t just that fireboard can accept more probes (cubercue can only take three food and one pit) AND has a built in battery backup incase of a power hickup. Smobot is super efficient and easily battery powered, but no food probes. Not a big deal, I can just get a stand alone food thermometer.

                  Comment


                    #11
                    I bought a Smobot off Kickstart over a year ago and have used it many times. It does accept two food probes in addition to the grill probe.
                    I just had an issue with the servo not responding in the first hour of my last cook and sent an email to Smobot about it. When I went back an checked the servo was working and no more problems. I did send another email to Eric at Smobot to tell him the servo had started working. He went ahead and sent me a new servo at no charge any way.
                    I would highly recommend their product and the quick customer service.

                    Comment


                      #12
                      I have come to conclusion that the PartyQ is a great idea poorly executed. It is too quirky and I find myself unable to trust the temp reading as cook time increases. I am smoking baby backs today and both my pit temp (Maverick XR 50) and Q were mirroring each other. After two hours the Q, reported temp, starts drifting down and now there is a 15 degree spread in reported temps. I am thinking it's time to throw in the towel and consider moving on. BBQ Guru has replaced the original before and previously sent recalibration procedure when it got out of sync.


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                        #13
                        I have a Flameboss 300 and love it. The graphs are nice. I haven’t found it to be "quirky" at all. I can control it from my phone or in the absence of said phone. My 22” Weber + SNS + DnG pan + Flameboss is the easiest, most versatile setup I own.

                        I don’t have any data to support this but it seems like their algorithm is getting smarter as the software updates too.

                        I kinda wish Thermoworks would release something similar. The Smoke is my favorite piece of digital equipment for BBQ.

                        Comment


                          #14
                          The mystery deepens. I added the second XR-50 pit probe. There is 16 degrees difference between probe 1 & 2.

                          So I added my Maverick ET-732 to the mix. It reports (250) closest to the second probe (243) on the XR-50.

                          After power cycling the Q, it's temp is very close to probe #1 on the XR-50.

                          All the probes are installed side by side.

                          Conclusion: I have no idea which device to trust. The pellet smoker is looking better and better.

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                          Comment


                          • Polarbear777
                            Polarbear777 commented
                            Editing a comment
                            Similar issues with the party-Q. Seemed to drift out of cal all the time.

                          #15
                          ken g

                          I would do a water test on all of the units to find out which one is right. It should give you a pretty good idea on which one is off.

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