Bear, the reason I didn't do the pan is I'm trying to eliminate the temp swing not eliminate hot spots. I will definitely try the pan once I figure what I'm going to change to a PID or not. Right now the PID is looking better and better. I did exactly what your temp swing post said but my swing was still 30 after 2 hrs. of running. I did bring the temp up like you said and let it settle in but still no joy with the swing. I've been smoking with charcoal on my Big Green Eggs for 13 years so I know the importance of controlling temp. The controller on your smoker and others may have tighter settings then mine. Maybe my gen 2 controller is the problem but it's definitely not user error.
If you follow that method I described at that link, you shouldn't have 30° swings.
Example Again:
Let's say you want a 230° smoker.
Turn it on & set it for 210°.
If it coasts to 235°, after shutting off at 210°, move your setting to 230°.
Now since it won't have to drop more than 5° before it comes on again, it won't fall far below 230, before it begins to rise again.
And then since it won't have far to go before it shuts off again at 230°, it won't coast far above 230° before it begins to fall again.
Once you understand & learn this method, you'll know where to reset your control when your initial start-up peaks out at other Temps.
The Pan isn't only for "Hot Spots";
Not putting the pan in like I said, can have an effect on the swings too, because the pan isn't there to slow the heat down on it's way up through the Smoker
Your Up Swings happen after the Heating element shuts off, and your Down Swings happen after the element comes back on.
Therefore the Swings aren't caused by the Controller.
Once you learn to turn the big swings into small swings, by using my method, you'll only have small swings, and they won't hurt anything.
I can get mine down to Swings of 2° to 8° in a very short time, unless it's Windy, and I don't have a Wind Block up.
Bear
