Daves Smokehouse....Part 9 Test Runs

[s2k9k]

Dirtsailor you are a pretty smart guy!!! I just don't know why I didn't think of that.
Well the storm pushed through pretty quick so I got to work. Put some legs on my element base then cut the Durock and now it looks like this:

102_1503.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

Then I set the PID to 170* for 5 1/2 hours just so it wouldn't start ramping. It was 80* when I turned it on and in 5 minutes it was up to 120*, in 13 minutes it hit 130*. Then it slowed down but it got to 150* in 45 minutes, then I thought it was going to stall there but it slowly pushed through and at 98 minutes it hit 170*!!! Whoo Hoo!!! I can live with that since with sausage I will be increasing temps slowly anyway!

102_1508.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

The top number is the set time and bottom number is how long it has ran:

102_1507.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

At 170* I opened the door to move a probe and it dropped to about 130* but within about 10 minutes it recovered back to 170*!
I reset the PID to 190* just to see if it will make it, it's at 176* right now about 15 minutes after I opened the door.

Thank You very much for your help DS!!! And everyone elses input has been Greatly Appreciated!!!! I could never have done this without the Great people here at SMF!!!

Oh I also ran another row of pellets and even with the bottom vents closed they burned perfectly and was puffing TBS out the top vents!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Dirtsailor you are a pretty smart guy!!! I just don't know why I didn't think of that.
Well the storm pushed through pretty quick so I got to work. Put some legs on my element base then cut the Durock and now it looks like this:

102_1503.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

Then I set the PID to 170* for 5 1/2 hours just so it wouldn't start ramping. It was 80* when I turned it on and in 5 minutes it was up to 120*, in 13 minutes it hit 130*. Then it slowed down but it got to 150* in 45 minutes, then I thought it was going to stall there but it slowly pushed through and at 98 minutes it hit 170*!!! Whoo Hoo!!! I can live with that since with sausage I will be increasing temps slowly anyway!

102_1508.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

The top number is the set time and bottom number is how long it has ran:

102_1507.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jun 26, 2013

At 170* I opened the door to move a probe and it dropped to about 130* but within about 10 minutes it recovered back to 170*!
I reset the PID to 190* just to see if it will make it, it's at 176* right now about 15 minutes after I opened the door.

Thank You very much for your help DS!!! And everyone elses input has been Greatly Appreciated!!!! I could never have done this without the Great people here at SMF!!!

Oh I also ran another row of pellets and even with the bottom vents closed they burned perfectly and was puffing TBS out the top vents!

Yay!!! Glad I could help. I don't know about that being smart part! I'm the one that dropped out of a 5 year Architecture program at year 4, bought a Charter Fishing boat and went fishing for 10 years

I would only suggest that you might want to add a 2x4 "Floor Joist" mid span on the Durock and one at each end.

Now the big test will be loading that puppy up with 50# of sausage, can't wait to see that thread!

 

[bdskelly]

Dave!  Hoo Chee Momma look at all them lights!  This thing going on a space shuttle?  Lots of Johnny Wizbang just for making Sunday dinner my friend. 

This thread just keeps getting better. 

Brian

 

[fwismoker]

Nice,looks good!    If you do add a thermal mass like some granite expect it to ramp up slower but might help you keep things stable in the colder months. 

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks DS! I think going fishing for 10 years is pretty smart!!!:biggrin:
Yea I'm going to support it, might just put some bricks in the center. It felt pretty sturdy and the element doesn't weigh much.
I'm planning on doing a bunch of snack sticks this weekend!

Thanks BD! No shuttle just a little PID!

Thanks for all your input FWI! Yea the cold months concern me. It's really well sealed, I can't even feel any warmth leaking around the door but I'm think cold air coming in the intake vents might wreak havok with it. Luckily I'll have plenty of time to figure that part out!


Well it has stalled out at about 180* but that is good enough for some sticks this weekend and I'm sure I'll learn a lot doing that!
I have a probe hanging right at the bottom rack level and one right at the top and have a 5* difference (bottom hotter), I think I can live with that!

 

[pineywoods]

It looks awesome

Now are you gonna send me a list of the parts for the electrical stuff and sources and are you coming down to install it 

 

[s2k9k]

It looks awesome

Now are you gonna send me a list of the parts for the electrical stuff and sources and are you coming down to install it 

Thanks Jerry!
Might need to have a mini gathering and we could do that!!

 

[JckDanls 07]

Atta boy Dave.. that thing is awesome... can't wait to taste some of the sticks... eerrrrrr.. I meant see some of the sticks....

Jerry... you gonna ditch the gas and go electric ?

 

[s2k9k]

Atta boy Dave.. that thing is awesome... can't wait to taste some of the sticks... eerrrrrr.. I meant see some of the sticks....

Jerry... you gonna ditch the gas and go electric ?

You'll have to wait til Nov to taste them!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Thanks DS! I think going fishing for 10 years is pretty smart!!!

Yea I'm going to support it, might just put some bricks in the center. It felt pretty sturdy and the element doesn't weigh much.
I'm planning on doing a bunch of snack sticks this weekend!

Thanks BD! No shuttle just a little PID!

Thanks for all your input FWI! Yea the cold months concern me. It's really well sealed, I can't even feel any warmth leaking around the door but I'm think cold air coming in the intake vents might wreak havok with it. Luckily I'll have plenty of time to figure that part out!


Well it has stalled out at about 180* but that is good enough for some sticks this weekend and I'm sure I'll learn a lot doing that!
I have a probe hanging right at the bottom rack level and one right at the top and have a 5* difference (bottom hotter), I think I can live with that!

5* difference from top to bottom is great! Can't wait to see how it performs once you have it loaded up.

Don't bother posting anything about how good it smells smoking those sticks, or show us any pics of the the final product. Please don't tell how good it tasted and for heavens sakes no sliced pics!!!

We just want the facts!

 

[pineywoods]

Keith with Dave's mad skills if his works out well I may have to change mine out

 

[ejluttmann]

Great progress, and great to see your hitting your goal temps now.  I've got the bottom of mine insulated and I've just got a single 1.5" pipe in the bottom as an air vent ... at first I was concerned it would not be enough but the [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]AMNPS seems to be working fine for me.[/color]

 

[antileno]

Hi Dave just wondering how you made out with your electrical cord? Did you bother to heat shield it? If so what did you use?Thanks!

 

[losttxbrewnq]

Dave,Do you have the details of the PID build? I am looking to do a temporary convert on my vertical Gas smoker into a smokehouse for lower temps using the element you have and I really like the idea of using a PID to control it versus a potentiometer. If it's using a SSR with the PID then It could double as my Electric HLT for my brewing rig (2000w element).Thanks in advance.Lou

 

[losttxbrewnq]

Never mind, found the search tool and a ton of info.

 

[s2k9k]

Never mind, found the search tool and a ton of info.

Yes that is where I learned everything. I didn't know anything about PID's until I started reading threads on here about them. Walleye has some real good info on here about them and Dward also helped me out a lot. If I can help you in any way just send me a PM.

 

[s2k9k]

Hi Dave just wondering how you made out with your electrical cord? Did you bother to heat shield it? If so what did you use? Thanks!

I haven't shielded it yet but have ran it 3 times for 6-8 hours each time. It never went over 170* (just did jerky and sausage) and the cord is rated for 194*. While the smokehouse was around 170* I felt the floor and around the cord and it wasn't really even warm. I think since I raised the element up 3" all the heat is going up above the floor and cord so I probably won't even shield it. I don't plan on ever using it for hot smoking above 170*.
I think if someone was going to use a set-up similar to this at 225* and higher then something different should be done with the cord just for safety sake.

 

[woodcutter]

It will get to 170 in the cold with the insulation but will take longer to get there. It is a little strange looking at the temps when the smoker is at 5 and the meat is at 36. Congratulations on your floor/element mod!

 

[idaho]

Wow that is awesome, Now i am thinking of changing my plan. I keep reading all these builds i will never get one built lol.