I will be getting a Fireboard when I get the LSG Cabinet smoker. Is there an advantage to using the Pit Viper fan as opposed to the Fireboard fan?
Reading the post Fireboard Drive + Pit Viper fan; https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...an-w-fireboard People seem to like that combo.
Smoker:
Landmann Smoke Master Series Heavy Duty Barrel Smoker (COS) - With mods including 2 level rack system with pull-out grates
Masterbuilt 40.2" 1200W Electric Smoker
Masterbuilt ThermoTemp XL 40" Vertical Propane Smoker
Gas Grill:
BBQPro (cheap big box store model) Stainless steel 4 burnerswith aftermarket rotisserie.
Charcoal Grill:
Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill 14"
Thermometer:​​​​​​
Fireboard 2 with Drive cable and 20 CFM fan and Competition Probe Package
Fireboard 1st Generation
ThermoWorks Mini Instant Read
Lavaworks Thermowand Instant Read
2 Maverick 733
ThermoWorks IR-GUN-S Industrial Infrared Thermometer
ThermoWorks ThermaPen Mk4 x 2
Govee Bluetooth Thermometer with 6 probes
Miscellaneous:
Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator - 1st generation
Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator - wifi/bluetooth connected
Favorite Beer:
Anything to the dark side and malty rather than hoppy. Currently liking Yuengling Porter and Newcastle Brown Ale. In a bar or pub I will often default to Guiness
Favorite Spirit:
Bourbon - Eagle Rare for "every day"; Angel's Envy for special occasions, Basil Hayden's, Larceny
Favorite Wine:
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Super Tuscan Sangiovese (Including Chianti Classico Riserva) Brunello di Montalcino
Favorite Meat(s):
Pork - especially the darker meat. I love spare ribs and anything made from shoulder/butt meat
Chicken - Mainly the dark meat and wings
Beef Ribeye steak
Favorite Cuisine to Cook:
Can't list just one: Indian, Chinese, Thai, West Indian/Carribean, Hispanic/Latin American, Ethiopian, Italian, BBQ
Favorite Cuisine to Eat:
Indian, followed closely by BBQ.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
I bought the Pit Viper to ensure compatibility with their adapters for the G2 and the Kettle. I use the same fan on both with the Fireboard. Had previous good experience running a pit viper on a WSM 18 driven by a DigiQ.
Weber S-335 gas grill
Weber 26†kettle
Weber 22†kettle
Camp Chef XL Smoke Vault
Camp Chef 3 Burner cook top
Camp Chef Woodwind 36 Pellet grill with sidekick burner
PBC
Accessories:
SnS XL
SnS standard
Vortex
Weber Rotisserie for 22†Kettle
1st gen FireBoard
2nd gen FireBoard
Griddle for Camp Chef cooktop
Several Thermoworks items
Set of Grill Grates
Not only more robust, there’s also I think a basic flaw with Fireboard’s unit, the discharge nozzle is square. I’m pretty sure your LSG will have a round ball valve. Square peg in a round hole? Better make sure there’s an adapter for that.
Also remember, the fan is a slave unit. The FB controls it through micro voltage regulation. That means theoretically either fan works the same because it’s really the unit in control.
Not sure what LSG cabinet you’re getting but I’d vote for the Pit Viper and maybe even the larger model if the cabinet is big enough.
I'm certain there are round adapters that screw into the small holes in the loop on the rectangular opening in the FB fan. Not sure why you say the Pit Viper is more "robust." My FB fan seems very high quality. It easily controls temps in my offset when doing charcoal cooks.
Again I have no issue with the FB fan, I have not had a chance to use it. If the FB fan is what you want then I think you'll be happy with it. I'm just a big fan of the Pit Viper unit.
I've tried both the FireBoard fan and the Pit Viper on my Weber 22" kettle. First up was the FireBoard fan which failed to keep the temperature at my target of 225. On my first cook, the FireBoard fan ramped the temperature up to 225 and held it steady for about an hour. By this time the fan speed was 0% and I thought things were going great. Unfortunately after the first hour the temperature climbed to 250 even though the fan speed was still zero. An hour later the temperature climbed again to 275. As best I could tell there was enough air coming thru the fan, even when off, that the temperature kept climbing. Next I tried the Pit Viper fan and had much better success. Like the FireBoard fan it ramped up the temperature to 225 but, in contrast to the FireBoard fan, the Pit Viper fan was able to hold the temperature to 225 plus or minus 2 degrees for 7 hours before my initial load of coals ran out and the fire started dying. I'm sold on the Pit Viper fan as my my fan of choice. When paired with the FireBoard controller it's an awesome combo.
I'm not sure if my Kamado experience translates to a kettle setup, but on my cooker, when the temperature starts drifting up with a 0% fan output, I take that as a cue to close the upper vent slightly and that solves the problem. I have a very old BBQ Guru fan.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
I like the round opening on the Pit Viper fan. I think you get a much tighter seal with the BGE adapter that way. And the fan just seems more robust than the FireBoard fan.
I already had the Pit Viper fan on hand from my Digi Q so I went with it. And it works great.
My toys:
Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center (WSCGC) aka Mr. Fancypants
Pit Barrel Cooker (which rocks), named Pretty Baby
Weber Summit S650 Gas Grill, named Hot 'n Fast (used mostly for searing and griddling)
Weber Kettle Premium 22" named Kettle Kid, eager to horn in with more cooks in the future
Camp Chef Somerset IV 4-burner outdoor gas range named AfterBurner due to its 30kBTU burners
Adrenaline BBQ Company Gear:
SnS Low Profile, DnG, and Large Charcoal Basket, for WSCGC
SnS Deluxe for 22" Kettle
Elevated SS Rack for WSCGC
SS Rack for DnG
Cast Iron Griddle
Grill Grate for SnS
Grill Grates: five 17.375 sections (retired to storage)
Grill Grates: six 19.25 panels for exact fit for Summit S650
gasser
Grill Grates for 22" Kettle
2 Grill Grate Griddles
Steelmade Griddle for Summit gas grill
Fireboard Gear:
Extreme BBQ Thermometer Package
Additional control unit
Additional probes: Competition Probes 1" (3) and 4" (1), 3 additional Ambient Probes. 1 additional Food Probe
2 Driver Cables
Pit Viper Fan (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Pit Viper Fan new design (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Thermoworks Gear:
Thermapen MK4 (pink)
Thermapen Classic (pink too)
Thermoworks MK4 orange
Temp Test 2 Smart Thermometer
Extra Big and Loud Timer
Timestick Trio
Maverick ET 73 a little workhorse with limited range
Maverick ET 733
Maverick (Ivation) ET 732
Grill Pinz
Vortex (two of them)
18" drip pan for WSCGC
Ceramic Spacers for WSCGC in Kamado Mode: 2 sets each 1/2", 1", 2". The 2" spacers work best with the 18" drip pan. The 1+1/2 inch spacers work best with the 14 inch cake pan.
Two Joule Sous Vide devices
3 Lipavi Sous Vide Tubs with Lids: 12, 18 and 26 quarts
Avid Armor Ultra Pro V32 Chamber Sealer
Instant Pot 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot 10 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Charcoal Companion TurboQue
A-Maze-N tube 12 inch tube smoker accessory for use with pellets
BBQ Dragon and Dragon Chimney
Shun Classic Series:
8" Chef Knife
6" Chef's Knife
Gokujo Boning and Fillet Knife
3 1/2 inch Paring Knife
Thanks everyone. I went with the FireBoard/FireBoard combo LSG offers an adapter for it to the ball valve.
Still waiting for the smoker....................how much loooonger until I get it?
I do not have a Pit Viper. I have the FB fan and my only complaint is the interface between fan and adapter plate and adapter plate and BGE could be sealed better in some way. Perhaps a gasket or slightly different adapter combo. Otherwise, now that I have it dialed I it does a great job on my BGE.
My FireBoard2 was delivered just three days ago. I bought it cuz my BBQ Guru driver finally gave up the ghost. The FireBoard website says that most 12V fans with 2.5mm barrel plug will work. And My Pit Viper (10 cfm) fans work just fine with it. Though not as powerful as the FireBoard 20 cfm fan.
I did not go with new fans because my kettle and WSM's have the BBQ Guru adapter already attached. Did not want to buy another adapter and have to drill holes.
Last edited by TripleB; August 30, 2020, 07:06 PM.
After a lot of searching I chose the Flame Boss Universal Blower Assembly. $40 for 21 CFM and it has a nice sheet metal draft blocker. Mine is for a larger custom build so I didn't look closely at the mounting options/accessories. Works great with a Fireboard 1.
Be aware that the max current the Fireboard 1 can source is 2 amps when plugged in.
This fan is great so far and has more than enough power (I even limit the max power to 60% in the Fireboard app). My smoker is similarly sized to: https://lonestargrillz.com/collectio...ulated-cabinet but without the fancy ball valves.
It was super windy in Denver yesterday and it did not noticeably affect the temp at all
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