Auber Difficult to Understand... HELP!!!!!

[Libohunden]

Okay guys.  I had some issues last night with my new auber as you may have read in the previous posting.  I have slept on it and did a little more reading (not that it has helped much).

First, I think the main problem that everyone seems to have when they get their Auber's is that the instructions are difficult to understand.  It would be nice if they were more clear.  I'm still a little confused.  Maybe a clear cut video on youtube would a good idea.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand.

Yesterday, I autotuned my WSD-1500GPH for my Model 3.  I used a large paver type brick that is roughly 10x18" as a heat sink.  I purchased both cabinet sensors so that I could use the auber until I had time to install the wall probe.  I programed it as recommended in the Smokin-It Autotune instructions on this forum.

CO1 140 EO1 T TO1  .5
CO2 225 EO2 T TO2   2
CO3 140 EO3 T TO3   1
CO4  0    EO4 T TO4   0
CO5  0    E05 T TO5    0
CO6  0   E06  T  TO6   0

When it ended (and I did not stick around to watch it), I got P = 84, I = 617, D = 404.

I had the sensor towards the rear left of the cabinet, at least 2 inches from any wall, as I have always placed my Maverick in this same location.

After AutoTuning, I shut the Auber off, opened the door, removed the paver and let it cool down for about an hour and a half.  I then added wood and put in my seafood rack under the top rack (which still had the cabinet sensor still in the same exact place), put the food probe into a 3lb fillet of Salmon, and proceeded to program the Auber.

I programmed it as:

CO1 140 EO1 T T01 1.5
C02 150 EO2 F F02 145
CO3 0    E03 T T03  0
zeros on all other steps

I checked the operation after about an hour and found the cabinet temp was right at 141F, which is what I figured.  However, there was no smoke at all.  I noticed the smokin-it element light was coming on for about 1 second and then shutting off for about 1 second (read blinking slowly).  I waited another 30 min and there was no smoke still.  I was just under 1.5 hours but got ancy and decided to change the program.  So, I shut off the unit and turned it back on and changed CO1 to 150F.  Still nothing.  After 15 min or so, I raised it to 185F.  Still nothing after another 20 min. 

The entire time the Auber was connected, the smokin-it element light blinked slowly the entire time.  So, I assumed the element was not getting hot enough to get the wood blocks to smoke.

Frustrated and hungry, I finally unplugged the smoker from the auber (kept the auber plugged in to see temps), and plugged in the smoker directly to the electrical socket and ran it as normal.  I cranked it to 150F and she began to smoke like a chimney.  I finally cranked it up to 190 to get my food done in a reasonable amount of time but we still ended up eating very late.

What the heck did I do wrong?  What do I need to do to get this thing to work?

Thank you all in advance for any help you can give me!

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[NDKoze]

Based on your other post, I am pretty sure that you used the foil boats for your wood right? If so, you will have smoke problems if smoking at lower temperatures.

I know Divot and others have had good luck with the foil boats, but the key is that they are running at 225-235 from the beginning and not starting slow.

I tried using the foil boat method on some jerky one time and had the same problem. No Smoke when smoking at 150 or less.

So, for me, I don't bother with the foil. I just put my chunks/chips in typically toward the back of the smoker box, and then ramp up my temps. Without foil, I typically start getting smoke around 100-125 degrees or so.

I don't have an Auber yet, so I can't help you with that part of your questions. But, I am pretty sure that the foil boats at low temps are what prevented your smoke.

[Libohunden]

Koze,

Nope... I have never used foil boats for my wood.  So, that was definitely not the issue, unfortunately.

[NDKoze]

OK, then I will defer to the Auber experts.

I am sure they will be able to help you get this figured out.

[Libohunden]

Thanks Koze! 

FYI, one thing I wanted to add is that I not only read through both of the instructions that Auber sent on the CD that you get with the controller, but  also read through the auto tuning instructions in the Auber Instructions section of this forum (which were a little easier to understand... but still somewhat difficult to understand).

[DivotMaker]

What was the ambient temp, and the box temp (left window) when you started?  It actually sounds like your Auber was controlling the temp quite nicely, but if the element doesn't have to work very hard to get to a low temp like 140, your wood is not likely to smoke.  I find it takes a rise of at least 70-75 degrees above ambient temp to start smoking.  I suspect this may be part of the problem.  Also, what kind of wood?  Chunks or chips?  Any chip screen in use?

One other thing that struck me about your autotune:  the size of the heatsink.  With such a large paver in there, you likely got a false reading on your sensor.  Since the inside of your smoker is not much larger than that, you were essentially channeling the hot air up around the sides of the box.  You need some regular bricks, or a pan of sand, that is more like the size of something you would smoke.  Also, was the probe above, below, or on the same shelf as the big brick?  I know these may seem like small details, but will help us figure out what's going on.

[Libohunden]

Divot, it was around 65F yesterday, and cooled into the 50s as the sun dropped. 

I was smoking with peach wood chunks. No chip screen.

The paver, was about 2" thick and about the size of a brisket, I figured.  I don't really see a pan of sand being all that different from the paver. But maybe I could find 2 or 3 bricks and space them out.

The probe was on the same shelf as the paver about 2.5 inches from any side of the cabinet on the back left corner.

So are you saying that the Auber will always pulse on and off the heating element, instead of turn it on until it gets close to the temp and then pulse as needed?

Also, is it common for wood not to smoke when using the Auber?

[DivotMaker]

Libo,

I have never had a problem getting wood to smoke, given the proper temp.  At 65° ambient, you were only adding 75 degrees to the wood.  That's less than body temp, so it's probably part of the problem.  For low-temp smokes, many use chips.  I split chunks into slivers, and usually don't have a problem.  The pulsing you saw was due to the small rise in temp to 140.  It didn't want to overshoot the set temp, and maintain it.  It takes more heat to get chunks smoldering.  I mentioned that I usually see chunks start to smoke around +75°, but that's during the climb to cooking temp, so the element is still on. 

I still think your large paver was part of the problem, as far as the autotune.  Single bricks (about 3), or a bowl of sand will work better.  A brisket is not going to be a large rectangle that blocks almost the entire shelf, nor will just about everything else you smoke.  You could break your paver into a few pieces and stack it.  Get the heat flowing around it, like what happens with meat.

You are having issues that I haven't seen in the last year, and I've worked with the Auber a great deal.  But, my thoughts are the above factors are in play.  If you are confident in the autotune, try to smoke something like a chicken or pork butt (they're cheap), and see how it performs.  You combined chunks with a low-temp salmon smoke, and a questionable autotune. 

[Libohunden]

Well, I cooked Salmon without the Auber at same temp w chunks and seemed to smoke fine.  That is, I think.. I'll go back and check that.

I'm not super confident with the auto tune. Heck, with the Auber provided instructions, I doubt anyone is!  Lol.  I will find some bricks and re-tune.  Do I need to wipe the Auber memory?

Pork butts aren't cheap down here?  Heck, they're $2.50/lb on sale!  A year ago, they were .99/lb!

Thanks for your help, Divot!

[DivotMaker]

Wow, .99 pork butts...ah, the good 'ol days!

No need to wipe the memory; it will reset itself on the next autotune.  The more I've thought about it, I really do think the large paver could have been the culprit.  Lets see what the next tune does, and go from there.

[bigbassnutt]

I use chips with the chip screen, no foil on the wood and set my first step at 180, usually start seeing smoke around the 150 range, my thoughts would be to start the first step just a little higher to get the wood going then back it down. I have never really timed it but seems like smoke starts inside of ten minutes from start. I haven't tried a low temp smoke like fish but will someday.

[DivotMaker]

One simple question I forgot to ask, and I didn't see in your post:  During the autotune, and the cook, did you have your temp knob all the way to 250 (maxed-out, clockwise)? 

[Libohunden]

Divot, yes, I had it turned all the way up.

Last night I autotuned again.  The temperature outside last night was about 55F  I got P=80, I = 600, D =258. Is this about what everyone else gets in their Model 3? 

 I brined 2 pork butts overnight (18lbs total). This morning rinsed and rubbed them. Put them in the smoker and programmed the Auber to do 175 for .5(time), then 235 for 2hours, then 235 until internal temp hits 200, then 140F for 6 hours (in case I'm not home).  Now after an hour and a half, the temp is only 181.  This just doesn't seem right to me.  What are y'all's thoughts?

If I want to reprogram the Auber in the middle of the smoke, how could I do it?  I'm thinking of changing program to CO1 250F until cabinet temp is 235, then 235 until internal temp is 200, then 140 until I take it out.  Do I need to shut off the Auber then turn it on to change the program or just run through CO1 - CO6 and change the settings?

Smoking seemed less problematic with simply using a Maverick...

[Libohunden]

FYI, now at 2.33 hours, I'm at 225F.. I'm staying the course for now but may want to bump up CO3 to 250F until internal temp is 200.  Thoughts?

[DivotMaker]

You can change the program on the fly - no need to turn it off.  Just go through the C01-C06 steps and reset.  Not sure why you're only getting to 225 when set for 235...