Welcome!


This is a membership forum. Guests can view 5 pages for free. To participate, please join.

[ Pitmaster Club Information | Join Now | Login | Contact Us ]

Only 4 free page views remaining.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Trouble w temps

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Trouble w temps

    Hi - wondering if anyone has some insight. Ive had a mak one star for a few years and I find I have trouble getting the temp up to around 350 when cooking chicken, turkey, etc. I don't seem to have trouble when testing when it's empty, but if I try smoking at 250 for a while the bumping it up, it climbs very very slowly and then seems to stall around 285-90. Is this a pellet brand issue? Should I not use a drip pan below the chicken on the top rack (blocking heat?).

    #2
    Where are you checking temps and what are you setting the controller to? If you're setting the controller to 350 and using a drip pan, that's likely all it is. The air is deflecting around the pan and making it hotter by the RTD. I usually put my Fireboard on the rack with the food and adjust the controller to get what I want at that spot. Sometimes I using the MAK roaming thermocouple, usually it just stays in its spot though and I adjust high or low to get what I want near the food.

    Comment


    • Primo
      Primo commented
      Editing a comment
      Sorry I didn't put my comment as a reply and thanks for responding: I don't have the roaming thermocouple
      so it is in its regular spot. And I'm just using the mak controller. Yesterday I had the chicken on the upper rack on left side w drip pan below it. Even when I bumped the set temp to 375 it wasn't getting above 300. I guess I can try doing that on the right side, or conversely testing temp w FireBoard where the food is.

    #3
    I don't have the roaming thermocouple so it is in its regular spot. And I'm just using the mail controller. Yesterday I had the chicken on the upper rack on left side w drip pan below it. Even when I bumped the set temp to 375 it wasn't getting above 300. I guess I ca try doing that on the right side, or conversely testing temp w FireBoard where the food is...

    Comment


      #4
      So you say it's an older 1 Star, how old is it? A pic would help. Anyway I'm going to guess you don't have the newest firmware and you probably don't have the flamezone? The 1 star was sold as a solid smoker, and it is, but the older ones with the stock heat deflector and older firmware won't climb fast from smoke temp to a grilling temp.

      Comment


      • Primo
        Primo commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks, It's from 2017, although I have a new pit controller on it; no flame zone. I'm also wondering if my using some really old pellets may have affected this...

      • ItsAllGoneToTheDogs
        ItsAllGoneToTheDogs commented
        Editing a comment
        Primo yeah, old pellets could be the culprit. You say new controller... but if you are running new firmware (within the last 12 months) it is assuming you have a flamezone since that is standard now.

      • Primo
        Primo commented
        Editing a comment
        Well that's an interesting point, about the controller - I've ordered new pellets so I'll see if they solves things- otherwise I have to follow up w Mak about the firmware.

    Announcement

    Collapse
    No announcement yet.
    Working...
    X
    false
    0
    Guest
    Guest
    500
    ["pitmaster-my-membership","login","join-pitmaster","lostpw","reset-password","special-offers","help","nojs","meat-ups","gifts","authaau-alpha","ebooklogin-start","alpha","start"]
    false
    false
    {"count":0,"link":"/forum/announcements/","debug":""}
    Yes
    ["\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1157845-paid-members-download-your-6-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-for-free-here","\/forum\/the-pitcast","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2019-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2020-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2021-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2022-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2023-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2024-issues","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here"]
    /forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here