How large did you go with your holes on the bottom?Happened to check this thread out. Getting serious about an Auber now. Also, I have my mailbox directly attached to my smoker and from trial and error I found I needed much larger holes on the bottom for better results. For cold smoking I need to put the tray inside the smoker tho or no draft. Might steal the ammo box idea too!
I went wifi to keep from having to use the wierdo interface. It's clunky at best. Lots of guys use it just fine but the wifi model puts it all clearly labeled in an app. I also like not having to stop what I'm doing to check Temps.I was real scientific at first and did math for it but later I just started grabbing bits and going nuts LOL. I think a bit bigger than 1/4" but would need to measure. WRT the Auber. Won't lie, I'd rather have a Smokin It but would rather save $1000 and get similar performance. Tempted to go wifi and I am not huge gadget guy but lots of good features for that extra $100.
MAN, I was hoping the wifi would be solid by now. Does it lose the history data when it disconnects? Might be dealbreaker for me. You may have posted it but I forgot, where did you get the ammo box? 50ca right?I went wifi to keep from having to use the wierdo interface. It's clunky at best. Lots of guys use it just fine but the wifi model puts it all clearly labeled in an app. I also like not having to stop what I'm doing to check Temps.
It does disconnect every now and then but I just restart the app and all is well.
If I had it to do over, I'd still go wifi.
It didn't lose history with me, just restart the app and all is well. It actually may have been my fault.MAN, I was hoping the wifi would be solid by now. Does it lose the history data when it disconnects? Might be dealbreaker for me. You may have posted it but I forgot, where did you get the ammo box? 50ca right?
Oh yes a PID smoker grows on you quickly. Just wait until you have worked all the kinks out of your mailbox mod. Your system will just continue to impress you.How large did you go with your holes on the bottom?
I put 6 - 1/4 inch holes in mine.
You won't regret an auber at all. It brought this thing back to life and now it is slowly becoming one of my favorite smokers.
The dryer hose between the mailbox and smoker plus having the mailbox lower then the smoker just a little helps with the cold smoking draft, most of the time mine drafts great but for the days when things don't want to draft I have a small computer fan I set over the outflow vent to help it along. I picked up the fan off Amazon for under $10 and wired in an old cell phone wall charger to power it.Happened to check this thread out. Getting serious about an Auber now. Also, I have my mailbox directly attached to my smoker and from trial and error I found I needed much larger holes on the bottom for better results. For cold smoking I need to put the tray inside the smoker tho or no draft. Might steal the ammo box idea too!
The pid is for more stable temp control and programming variable temp cooks.I'm *really* challenged when it comes to electronics (I'm a software developer, but hardware kills me - well, let's hope not literally), but this is interesting. I have an old 40" MES 20070311 that works great, except I keep having to fix the connectors every few months, even though I've tried the high temperature ones. I've tried soldering, etc, but must be doing it wrong. I've been considering replacing the whole smoker with either another electric or one of the egg type grills/smokers.
Well, now a friend who's much better at this kind of thing than I am is going to come over to help me look at it. If we're going to do this anyway, maybe we should try to tackle the PID. So, is the PID solely to hold temperatures better or can it also help with this problem of the connectors?
thanks!
Oh yes a PID smoker grows on you quickly. Just wait until you have worked all the kinks out of your mailbox mod. Your system will just continue to impress you.
FYI, I wired in a safety rollout limit switch that has a cut-off threshold of 354F just so I could do 325F poultry smokes and get birds with edible and often crispy skin. It's the only time I crank it up that high and the smokes/cookes never exceed 4 hours. The insulation isn't really rated to withstand long running operating temps that high but for some chickens or a turkey I do it. All other smokes, never more than 275F from me.
This is not for everyone and especially not for those who do not monitor their systems well. Just explaining this because my smoker can do ANY smoke out there. Cold smoking with no heat, to sausage/bacon/jerky, to normal ribs/pork butt/brisket, to skin on chicken and turkey :)
There are no limits on my set up other than prolonged really hot smokes (300F+ for many hours). So I can basically do it all and do it all with precision :)
I'm *really* challenged when it comes to electronics (I'm a software developer, but hardware kills me - well, let's hope not literally), but this is interesting. I have an old 40" MES 20070311 that works great, except I keep having to fix the connectors every few months, even though I've tried the high temperature ones. I've tried soldering, etc, but must be doing it wrong. I've been considering replacing the whole smoker with either another electric or one of the egg type grills/smokers.
Well, now a friend who's much better at this kind of thing than I am is going to come over to help me look at it. If we're going to do this anyway, maybe we should try to tackle the PID. So, is the PID solely to hold temperatures better or can it also help with this problem of the connectors?
thanks!
Thanks, guys, for the links and suggestions! And to the person who mentioned 325 degrees, I didn't realize that these PIDs will let us exceed 275, that would be nice for chicken!
Thanks again!
Thanks, guys, for the links and suggestions! And to the person who mentioned 325 degrees, I didn't realize that these PIDs will let us exceed 275, that would be nice for chicken!
Thanks again!