There's another Mod 3 in Virginia...

[Wik]

Well with the stock settings the PID has a default cycle time setting of 2 seconds.  What it does is figure out based on current temp, rate of temp increase, etc how long the power should be on for the 2 second cycle time.  So if it calculates that it should be on full blast still then it leave power on for the full 2 second cycle.  If it calculates it should be on at 75% power then it turns on the element for 1.5 seconds and off for 0.5 seconds.  If it calculates it should be on 25% power then it turns on the element for 0.5 seconds and off for 1.5 seconds.  The P, I, D setting affect the Calculation (didn't want to try and get into that part here), but in reality it still is a simple on/off cycle with the portion of the on time changing.  To throw in another option... There is another setting in the PID that for Power Option that basically would allow you to throttle the max on time.  Meaning if you wanted to have the Max on time of the 2 seconds be only 80% you could do this.  But I think leaving this at 100% makes sense for these smokers as I'd presume the element is already sized fairly close to what is needed.  If you had an oversized wattage element for the smoker size you might want to restrict this a bit.  Maybe another reason to mess with this is if you wanted a slower rise in temp for things like jerky for example, but I doubt it is worth messing with.  (that is me just thinking out loud as I think about this last setting that I never messed with)...  Sorry I run on...

Check out the Aubers website and in the PDF I'm referring to the following settings:
http://auberins.com/images/Manual/WSD-1503CPH.pdf
T - Page 9
Out - Page 12

[DivotMaker]

Good lesson, Wik.  Thanks!

[GeeBee]

Tony I've got to jump in here. Please realize I don't yet have a PID , but I have read the manual pretty completely (plus, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express). You stated the meat probe had to be plugged in for the PID to work. My reading of the manual is, you can set ALL the programming steps to TIME, and leave the meat probe unplugged. I could be wrong..........

[DivotMaker]

You may be right, Gary.  My understanding was that both plugs had to be in.  I'll have to re-read that section - thanks!

[Three Sons BBQ]

Yes... Pending the profile one need one or two probes plugged in.

[DHurd]

As yet, I won't be bypassing the built-in thermostat.  Maybe later.

Do any of you use an extension cord for your PID?  I now have a 12ft cord running from the smoker to the PID and about a 4ft cord running from the PID to the wall.  I have a few heavy duty outdoor cords that should handle the power requirements, but thought I'd check with you guys for some real world advice.

Many thanks,

[Three Sons BBQ]

Yes. You are totally fine.

[DivotMaker]

Tony I've got to jump in here. Please realize I don't yet have a PID , but I have read the manual pretty completely (plus, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express). You stated the meat probe had to be plugged in for the PID to work. My reading of the manual is, you can set ALL the programming steps to TIME, and leave the meat probe unplugged. I could be wrong..........

I looked back through the manual, but am just not seeing the reference to this.  If you could point it out, I would appreciate it!  Definitely not very obvious.

[DHurd]

Tony,

2 questions:

     1. You step up to 225 by "ramping" to 130 for half an hour (.5)?

     2.  225 is the temp for nearly every smoking recipe I find, yet SI owners seem to work all around it, some tweaking up to 300 degrees.  Is there any basis for comparison to a "standard" cook time or are we just poking and hoping since there's so little reference material?

Thanks,

And thanks Polish Q, for the response on the cord question!

[Walt]

I use 225 for all of my regular smokes, excluding low temp smokes like jerky, cheese, etc.

[DHurd]

Walt,

Thanks for weighing in.  Most everything I read on smoking speaks to 225 as the "low and slow" baseline temperature to use.

With all the nasty weather we're having here in Virginia, I find I'm doing less smoking and more reading on the subject.  Unexpectedly rebuilding a snow blower also found its way into my schedule this past weekend.  Had to prep for the blizzard, right? 

I think prepping some ribs would've been time better spent!

[GeeBee]

I looked back through the manual, but am just not seeing the reference to this.  If you could point it out, I would appreciate it!  Definitely not very obvious.

I'm reading the manual for the Auber WSD-1204CPH, since that's the one I'll be buying, Page 8 Item 3 Programming the Smoking Temperature Profile the last sentence of paragraph 2 "If all of the E0X are set to t, the controller can operate with only the probe 1 plugged in."

[Walt]

Been in Rochester, Minnesota for the last 2 weeks.  Finally flew home yesterday.  The temp was -15 with wind chill -38.  So cold they couldn't  get the planes to work & had to bus us to  Minneapolis. I am glad to be back home.  Starting preps today for my next smoke! 

[DHurd]

Geez... you have my respect and my sympathy Sir.

Having been born and raised in Iowa, I remember cold like that.  And don't you know my first posting in the Army was to Fort Carson.  They speak cold too.

[DivotMaker]

Tony,

2 questions:

     1. You step up to 225 by "ramping" to 130 for half an hour (.5)?

     2.  225 is the temp for nearly every smoking recipe I find, yet SI owners seem to work all around it, some tweaking up to 300 degrees.  Is there any basis for comparison to a "standard" cook time or are we just poking and hoping since there's so little reference material?

Thanks,

And thanks Polish Q, for the response on the cord question!

Dan, the slow climb to 225 isn't necessary in my #1, due to the smaller element.  In the Model 2 I've been testing, I've found I occasionally get combustion due to the much hotter 700 w element.  In the larger smoker, I found that the 1/2 hour at 130 allows the wood to heat, start smoking, and "settle in" for a bit before hitting it with the full heat again. 

For me, too, 225 is my "go to" temp for most smokes, but I have done ribs at 240.  Like others, I use various temperature profiles for lower-temp smokes (jerky, Canadian bacon).  Otherwise, you can't go wrong with 225.