temp problem...advice ASAP

[BIG BOB]

I can't get maverick to read over 200. The temperature setting on #2 clicks off at 220ish. Should I take in to house and in oven?

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[BIG BOB]

Been two hours.

[Three Sons BBQ]

Ensure nothing in SI except meat.  No drip pans etc.

[BIG BOB]

Riding it out. ... up to 226

[swthorpe]

Placement of the Maverick may have had something to do with the temp...I would have raised the temp on the SI to get the maverick up to 225F.

How did the ribs turn out?

[BIG BOB]

the temp prob must have been due to probe placement....

the ribs turned out fine...5.5 hours - no peek. my wife she said that she could only tell a slight difference between the FOIL method and no peek method.... that is good enough for me . no more foiling unless on the big Masterbuilt XL gasser.

thanks to everyone for help and advice!
AND the Pacers won!

[es1025]

Bob
probe placement is key. Try to clip the maverick as close to the meat as possible on the same rack. The probe could be providing inaccurate readings as well. I recently purchased a thermoworks high temp kit. Its pricy but after one smoke (ribs) I learned a lot about the temp swings in my smoker. I found out at a temp of 240, the smoker goes to 260 and then to 220 then cycles again. I cook my ribs at 240 for 5.5 hours.

[BIG BOB]

MY PROBE PLACEMENT WAS ON THE TOP SHELF WITH THE TOP THREE SHELVES PACKED WITH RIBS. (2 RIBS PER SHELF) I JUST THINK THE HEAT WAS "BLOCKED" PLUS IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY WINDY WHICH AFFECTED MY TEMP AND ESPECIALLLY THE OXYGEN IN THE SMOKERS. LOTS OF BELCHES EVEN THOUGH I MADE A FOIL POUCH FOR MY 2.8 OZ. OF HICKORY.

[swthorpe]

I guess it is possible that the probe was also picking up on the meat temp...this happened to me once when the meat came into contact with the probe.  Now, I try to keep the probe well away from any meat.

I have foiled the wood on the last 3 smokes and other than a couple of "puffs" at around the 180F mark, I have not experienced the big belch.    I also ramped the temp straight to 225F without the slow warm up.  I do think, though, that excessive wind can be problematic. 

[BIG BOB]

yeah .... the excessive wind made my #2 look like a door in the movie Backdraft...LOL.... it was give the smoker too much oxygen. - should have done the quarter trick.

i think I like the foiled ribs better, but not enough to go through all of the extra steps.

[DivotMaker]

Try the no-peeky method again on a day that is more "kind" to smoking.  I find trying to smoke in high wind really effects the performance of the smoker.  It disrupts the flow from the bottom air/drain hole up to the top vent hole, and can cause combustion (as you saw).  I have my share of smokes in high wind, and have gotten to where I won't hardly do it, unless I have to.

[BIG BOB]

i will try again Tony --- everyone was very pleased with the results - even my co-workers!

[DivotMaker]

We're our toughest critics, Bob!  Amazing when everyone raves about the results when we stress over a cook in tough conditions.  lol.  Even when it's the worst conditions, we still make some darn fine Q!

[shomesmoke]

On windy days I block the exhaust hole on top about half way with a quarter it really seems to help.

[DivotMaker]

I'm going to have to try the "quarter" trick!  I've been trying to think of a way to block the wind from the top hole, but leave it fully-open.