Smoke hollow smoke tronix users

[gmc2003]

Fordtech, I'm trying to understand what your saying. If I'm correct, then don't go by the therm that came with the Smoke Hollow. If your Weber Igrill is accurate then go by that. All smokers have hot spots. I believe Bear mentioned that the gen 2 MES has a hot spot on the right side where the heating element is as well as the stack. My WSM also has hot spots. The Smoke hollow therm can be used as a guide if the temp readings are repeatable smoke to smoke. Dial in smoking on the top shelve then on the other shelves and see what the temp/time differences are. Heat rises. Find your comfort zone and don't give up on the smoker. Once you know your smoker then you can fill it with meat and adjust your times. If this isn't your problem then please feel free to disregard my post.

Chris

 

[babcockwi]

Fordtech I understand your frustrations, but after owning 2 MES 30's over the years my expectations of the therms are not that high. That's why I have invested in the Thermoworks Smoke and also have a maverick 732 & 733. A smoker at this price point will not have the best of everything.

I put my Thermoworks therm next to the smokers therm for the last hour and it is only 2 degrees different even though it is up in the corner and should be In the middle. In the middle of the smoker it is running about 15-20 degrees cooler than what it's set at. This is not any different than any MES I've owned. The meat therm is currently only about 3 degrees lower than Thermoworks. All in all not to bad.

 

[FORDTECH]

Gmc and bab you are right and I totally understand this is the Input I was looking for. I have already figured out to ditch the factory and go with the I grill. This being my first smoker ever just didn't have the experience to know it was right or wrong but enough commen sense to do that. Now I know I'm not the only one out there doing this tho :)

 

[old sarge]

Check probe placement in your oven be it gas or electric. You generally find them up and away from the heating element, for stability as well as keeping the oven on long enough to heat up the entire chamber. I agree that on many electric smokers the probe is low, down by the heating element. I am assuming/guessing that this was done so that the analog controller could cycle off and on as the probe read the temperature BETWEEN the element and the load of meat above the element. SI, after much research, testing and trial and error by one of their forum members as in mounting the probe in various locations chose the top of the smoker for it's digital models, letting the PID work it's magic in regulating the temp. It turned out that the temp was more stable at the top. And it does this fairly well.

I am no engineer but if there is a circuit board in the controller, then I would think there is some sort of built in program or algorithm that averages out the temp of the smoker based upon the volume of the box, regardless of what the temp coming off the heating element is. Just a guess mind you. Best advice is to call Smoke Hollow and discuss with them. Could be a problem easily fixed under warranty. And as I said earlier, I use an instant read when the meat is done, theoretically done. I have done it this way in the past with my Cookshack and continue with the SI. And I adjust accordingly. I son't use multiple probes anymore. Just too maddening.

 

[FORDTECH]

So how did the brisket come out bab? How much water did you go threw ? And I'm still having issues with water from condensation running out back corners. Maybe I use to much water and I'm supposta let the water pan run out dry? Did you notice this smoker due to its design using more water then the other smokers you have used ? Thanks for all your input and help guys

 

[babcockwi]

The brisket turned out good, not my best but it was good. I didn't use any water in the pan. I actually can't remember the last time I used water in any of my smokers.

 

[babcockwi]

After my first run of the Smoke Tronix, I am pretty pleased. It held the temp pretty good, and heated up fairly quickly, considering It was 20 degrees here today. The unsoaked chips worked better than wet ones. The wet chips would go out after the element under the chip tray went off, and also took longer to get going. It averaged about 1.5hrs of smoke on a pan of chips. Personally thought that was pretty good. In the future I will try the AMNPS it might just fit in the slot for the chip tray and would get good airflow to keep it going. Will also use my smoke pistol should be able to mount it on the side by the trap door. I really liked the Bluetooth feature even though it has its limitations, maybe WiFi would be better for this but probably more expensive. The app works well and logged the cook even when it would be disconnected. If anybody has found a cover for the Smoke Tronix please let me know. I emailed the company about a cover and extra racks, when I hear from them I will post back.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Wow.. !
2 different frame of minds on the first impressions of this smoker.

I'm not sure I would use that water pan for all my smokes. Most people don't use those things. I see the water condensation in there causes black liquid to run into cracks.. might be an RTV seal modification down the road..
I have a question about that bottom drip shelf and water pan area.. Does it look like there would be a way to put in wood chunks somewhere down there where they could smoke ? I know there is an outter and center element there under all that bottom tray area. I would try to find a way to 86 the water pan in favor of a place to burn chunks if I wanted.. looks real nice. Hope you guys get good smoked meals from that smoker..

 

[babcockwi]

Here are a couple photos I just took. If you take the water pan out you can see the chip tray above the middle element. It has a cover over it and I would think if you remove the covers you could use chunks.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Here are a couple photos I just took. If you take the water pan out you can see the chip tray above the middle element. It has a cover over it and I would think if you remove the covers you could use ....

How about cutting a place in the center where the water pan area is, to set a cast iron pan in for chunks to sit in? Lol I know if I had that smoker I would be tempted.
Then to use water, You just put a foil pan over the hole you cut and just use the chip thing..

 

[Rings Я Us]

That chip tray is really long though I see. No room for a cast iron pan ...

They made that like how a new cars engine compartment is made.. shoehorned into it. Lol

 

[babcockwi]

If you took the metal rails that the chip tray slides on out, there might be room for a pan. It is about a 12"x12" area and the pan would sit on the middle element on the bottom.

 

[Rings Я Us]

If you took the metal rails that the chip tray slides on out, there might be room for a pan. It is about a 12"x12" area and the pan would sit on the middle element on the bottom.

Or replace that water pan with a big heavy duty piece of flat foil that you can cut to fit on the same rails that water pan is resting on.. You could cut the groves in the foil sheet like the water pan has around it's edges. But the new pan will be flat and the chunks can stick up out of the chip tray without its cover.. They sell big aluminum foil pans you can cut to be same length and width of the water pan in there..
Should give a couple extra inches for chunk bulk. Lol
Then your water pan can go back in whenever you want.

 

[FORDTECH]

Babcockwi did you ever get a responce from smoke hollow about the cover for this thing ?

 

[babcockwi]

Yes. They told me the Smoke Hollow SC38 will fit. I have found online for $30-$40. For new racks and brackets we will need to contact Smoke Hollow directly. They are around $15 a piece.

 

[babcockwi]

Yesterday I got to smoke with the new smoker for the third time. I did a double smoked ham and it turned out AWESOME! I followed bearcarver's instructions and used some hickory chips. Didn't get much Q-vue but I did get the finished product. The smoker worked great, no issues so far. I played around with the temp probe positions and the smoker temp was consistently off by 20 degrees or so and the meat probe was dead on. I had to reload the chip tray one time and got about 5hrs of smoke from the two trays.

 

[babcockwi]

Today I will be smoking a couple pork butts for pulled pork on Christmas day. I rubbed them down yesterday morning and wrapped them and put in the fridge. Fired up the Smoke Tronix at 545am and put the butts on at 6am. Filled the chip tray up with apple chips and hit the fast smoke button, had decent smoke around 620am. Going to smoke them at 220 until IT is 160-165 then wrap in foil pan until finished. So far this morning the smoker temp is about 30 degrees different from my Thermoworks and the meat probe is almost identical to the Thermoworks.

 

[old sarge]

I’d like plate full of that. Looks real tasty!

 

[tbrtt1]

Hi FORDTECH,

I'm a little late to this party, but what the heck. It looks like you are getting things somewhat worked out. Full disclosure statement: I don't have a Smoke Hollow. I have a Smokin-It #2 (electric Cookshack clone) and have extensive experience with it.

I have a few key thoughts and recommendations that have already been mentioned but I will echo because I am just sitting here drinking cup of coffee #2 and what the hell:

1- Forget the probes and temp readings on the Smoke Hollow. It could be the probes, the sensor or both that are off. If you have a good dual probe (sounds like you do) and you checked it in boiling water, this is your gospel temp reading. Put that probe somewhere around the meat and go with that. If you have to set the Smoke Hollow to 500* to get 250* at your probe, so be it.

2- Forget he water pan. Insulated box smokers retain a ton of moisture and the water pan is just causing unnecessary excess moisture. It will affect bark formation and possibly make it harder to get temps higher. High end electric smokers don't even have water pans. You may be able to put some wood chunks in the water pan, wrapped in foil to prevent them from possibly catching fire inside your smoker, and see if they smolder. Then you could maybe use chunks and not have to add chips every hour.

3-The black liquid is likely nothing to worry about, but if you can identify exactly where in the cook chamber it is coming from you can seal that with high temp RTV silicone, as I think someone else mentioned already. However, it may be difficult to pinpoint where it is coming from since it could be condensation and may actually be from the top of the cook chamber leaking down the inside walls and out the bottom, though probably not.

You can make some really nice Q in that smoker. Like any smoker it will be a learning curve. They all have a learning curve.

 

[tbrtt1]

One more thing, consider an Amazen pellet smoker maze or tube. Not sure if anyone has used it in a smoke hollow, but lots of MES and other electric smoker owners, my myself included, use them. You will likely have to shield it from dripping meat juices and leave the water pan door and chip tray door open for extra oxygen, but they produce a great flavor profile and can go for hours, meaning you can put those briskets on before you go to bed and smoke while you sleep.