# What’s with Rec Tec?



## Weekend pitmaster (Dec 30, 2017)

ive been smoking pork, beef, salmon, you name it for years.  I’ve been using electric smokers until recently when I ordered a rec tec based on reviews.  Wow am I disappointed.  This grill shipped out with a damaged lid and incorrect hardware.  The lid was wavy, dented and had all these bumps that were painted over.  Very poor finish.  Called customer support and the crap customer service started.  CS told me to rig up the legs and use bolts that were too short and that lock washers the instructions said to use were not necessary.  They did offer to ship me a new lid to replace the defective one however they charged me shipping!  I saw stamped on the box “made in China”. It looks like this company is trying to cut corners to maximize profits, however they are shipping out junk now.  I couldn’t even assemble the grill.  The bolts were too short.  The owner called me personally and said elbow grease was necessary to assemble the grill with the bad hardware they knowingly shipped out.  He also said he has no control of what ships with the product defective or not, I guess because it all comes from China.   They just ship out bad products and hope people want to rig up their $1k grills.  I returned this cheap crap for a full refund.  Don’t let the good reviews fool you.  The new product they are shipping is cheap defective Chinese crap.  Buyer beware! 

Anyone have a suggestion for a quality pellet grill?  I’m looking for hassle free and good quality.  American made preferred!


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## 3montes (Dec 31, 2017)

I know little to nothing on pellet grills but I do know Camp Chef makes one and I have a good deal of other Camp Chef products and they are all quality. I can attest personally that their customer service is top notch. I ordered a Camp Chef Pro 90 camp stove about a month ago. It came with a minor dent in the aluminum plate next to the burner controls. 
Simply cosmetic had no effect on operation what so ever. I let customer service know simply for quality control purposes. Told them upfront it affected the operation in no way and it was cosmetic only. 
They promptly refunded me $40 or I could have returned it on their dime for a complete exchange.


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## SmokinAl (Dec 31, 2017)

That's too bad, because RecTec had a great reputation.
I can agree with the above about Camp Chef.
I have one of their flat tops, and a Smoke Vault 24. 
Parts are readily available & they make quality products.
Al


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## markh024 (Dec 31, 2017)

Sorry to hear about your unsatisfying purchase. I'm another very happy camp chef owner. I was gifted a PitBoss only to return it quickly because it had insane temp swings of 100+ degrees.  Went with a SmokePro STX and couldn't be more pleased. Came boxed very well and had it set up in 30 minutes. Give CC a consideration if you switch brands. Best of luck to you.


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## ross77 (Dec 31, 2017)

Sorry to hear about your problems.  I've had my RecTec for just over a year and besides the ignitor rod failing twice I've had nothing but good experiences.  Customer service has always been great for me, even responding on the weekend.  Replacement rods were shipped out quickly and completely free.  They even shipped out spare rods as well.

They've always been made in China though and I knew that prior to purchasing.  You got a lemon and it sucks but I wouldn't apply that to all the grills they ship out.  Many brands are made in China including Camp Chef, Traeger and more.  China doesn't always mean it's junk. 

Maybe the quality has slipped since I bought mine?  Lots of people are happy with the RecTec and I don't think they're lying.  Hopefully not.  Maybe we'll start hearing about these issues more often now. 

I am surprised at the owner's response though.  The grill wasn't exactly easy for me to assemble but he should have just sent the proper hardware and a free lid.

Some brands made in the USA include: Yoder, Blaz'n, Mak and Memphis.


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## ross77 (Dec 31, 2017)

And if I recall it stated in the assembly documentation that they test all the units.  From what you said it sounds like they aren't doing that anymore.  So the customer will find the defects before the company.  Perhaps their volumes have increased to the point where they decided not to do it.  Better hire some more QC people.  You don't want the customer doing your QC.


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## Weekend pitmaster (Dec 31, 2017)

It really just blows my mind at the arrogance from Rec Tec, the cofounder Ray called me personally and he acted like the grill was above me.  He said he could assemble it for me but it would take some elbow grease to get the bolts that are too short to work.  I asked him to do just that, come assemble this product with the wrong hardware.  He flat out said no I’m sorry you are too far away and I should just ship the grill back for a refund.  I told him that I know stuff happens.  Ship me a new unit with a good lid and correct hardware and I can have what I thought I purchased.  He refused.  Wanted me to swap parts and make the short hardware work.  Unreal these guys.  

Based on some research today, I’m leaning more towards green mountain grills.  The WiFi controller is really appealing.  These grills are also made in China, however customer service and quality control seems to be in check.  Lots of options to choose from.  Is it too much to ask that a company stands behind their products!?


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## jtrainor56 (Jan 1, 2018)

For all of the aggravation you should look at the Yoder YS640 or YS480.. Made in the USA in Kansas and backed by an awesome warranty and support staff. Also look at a Fireboard for monitoring your pit and food temps. Wi-fi sounds neat but buying quality over useless gadgets is not worth it. I will have owned my YS640 for four years come March and started it up this morning at -7*, after shoveling the snow off my deck.


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## Mastercaster (Jan 5, 2018)

I recently received a new RT-680 and my bolts were too short as well. Aggravating, but other than that everything else was perfect.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 5, 2018)

I was thinking of picking up the small Rectec but now am apprehensive. I don't want to hijack the thread, but....Reminds me of a new neighborhood Sub Shop that opened with plenty of area competition around. They sold at similar prices but LOADED the sandwiches with meat, cheese and veggies. Fabulous! Soon the line was out the door at lunch and dinner time. Within six months the quantity of meat was reduced to less than some area shops and they went from quality name brand meats to what ever water loaded crap the distributor had on special. It's a shame when companies got it good,they cut quality to increase profit...JJ


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## Gbert (Jan 5, 2018)

[New member here... been lurking for a bit and finally decided to register, so not trying to shill for Rec Tec or anything]

I got a Rec Tec 680 as a gift in November.  The bolts I received were a LITTLE short in that with the lock washers they provided, a couple were about 2 threads too short to make it easy to start the nut but I got it assembled with the provided parts and have had no problems with them since.  Even though it was a gift, I got good communication about delivery and the usual personalized business card in the package.  Talking to people on the phone, I never got any arrogance (but then again, I didn't have any problems to complain about either).  I was pretty pleased overall with the process.  I've only had a chance to smoke a couple things so far but have loved it.  

I don't know if I'd let the experience make you shy away from it.  It's still a solid product.


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## jakester (Jan 8, 2018)

You can get a Yoder YS480 for about 200 bucks more, wouldn't it make sense just to go with the Yoder? I believe it's similar in size too.


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## lwestby (Jan 17, 2018)

Very strange.  I've never heard anything but positive experiences with their customer service.  I've seen plenty of posts about damaged grills / lids from the shipping process and they always made everything right.  I'm really confused why they would not do the same for you.


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## Weekend pitmaster (Jul 12, 2018)

Wanted to update this thread.  I ended up ordering a Blaz’n Grillworks pellet grill and couldn’t be happier.  It’s has been working great the last few months.  I’ve used it for everything- Boston butts, briskets, salmon, chicken, sweet potatoes, chops, shrimp, vegetables, Mac n cheese, everything!  It’s well built, made in America and I love it.  I chose it over the Yoder because of the weight.  I have to move this thing around when I want to cook and can’t imagine trying to maneuver the Yoder.  So glad there is a better product made and supported right here in the US.  Rec Tec really dropped the ball on this.  I’m going to recommend Blaz’n Grillworks for taking the time to answer all my questions over the phone and providing a superior product!  Happy grilling ladies and gentlemen!


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## TonyBones (Jul 14, 2018)

Weekend pitmaster said:


> Wanted to update this thread.  I ended up ordering a Blaz’n Grillworks pellet grill and couldn’t be happier.  It’s has been working great the last few months.  I’ve used it for everything- Boston butts, briskets, salmon, chicken, sweet potatoes, chops, shrimp, vegetables, Mac n cheese, everything!  It’s well built, made in America and I love it.  I chose it over the Yoder because of the weight.  I have to move this thing around when I want to cook and can’t imagine trying to maneuver the Yoder.  So glad there is a better product made and supported right here in the US.  Rec Tec really dropped the ball on this.  I’m going to recommend Blaz’n Grillworks for taking the time to answer all my questions over the phone and providing a superior product!  Happy grilling ladies and gentlemen!


How long is the wait for your new rig?


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## Weekend pitmaster (Jul 14, 2018)

TonyBones said:


> How long is the wait for your new rig?


It took ~2 weeks for it to be delivered.


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## TonyBones (Jul 14, 2018)

Weekend pitmaster said:


> It took ~2 weeks for it to be delivered.


Cool man I would love to see it in action. Will be waiting for your posts!


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## smokingbro (Aug 3, 2018)

I got an RT-700 2 weeks ago and have been cooking every day on it since. IMO, quality is top notch. Assembly was very easy. And this thing smokes, grills, bakes, with ease. Great temperature control. My wife loves it because she hasn't cooked for 2 weeks. Customer support has been excellent. I had problems with UPS shipping (lost first RT). Rec Tec immediately shipped a second grill. 6-year warranty, and from what other owners tell me, they ship replacement parts quickly with no questions asked if anything ever breaks. I love this thing.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

I too just recently purchased an RT-700 and may live to regret it.  What happens with Customer Service is yet to be determined because I am in the middle of negotiations.

First, no matter what, the grill would not connect to my network.  It recognized all of my neighbors as far as 4 houses away, but not mine even though it was 10 feet away.  I later found out that they have issues connecting to the popular Netgear Router and Wireless even though it is top of the line and probably will never connect without an upgrade to the controller however how is that done if I cannot connect to the Internet, it cannot and I was not offered an upgraded replacement.

Some of the Washers in the parts pack were incorrect.

After assembly, the Lid smacked the Smoke Stack and sounded like a Bell every time I opened and closed it. Probably can be adjusted.

I set the temperature at 250 and as I was watching it, it jumped to > 300 in the blink of an eye and went into a "Cool Down" mode which is not mentioned in the documentation.  Was it actually at 250 and now being cooled, or was it really at 300 and did not reflect that fact.  Then after reaching set point temp the fan would cycle on and off every 5 seconds, again not mentioned in their documents as acceptable behavior.  At this point I had no idea what was going on and if I was even cooking a grill full of meat.

I cleaned the grill the next day and noticed there was not even one drop of grease in the drip bucket.  It was all down under the drip pan to the left, the opposite direction in which it was supposed to drain.  I did everything I could to try to change the angle of the drip pan and it is not possible.  I measured the angle and there was maybe a 1/2-degree difference between the shelf on the front of the grill fixed to the frame, and the drip pan.  Rolled it around my patio and no change.  The two level images are on the fixed shelf and the difference on the drip pan.



























There are nuts and bolts in two holes on the side of the grill in which the controller needs to be installed and instructions say nothing about removing them.  They were doing nothing except sitting there in holes I needed however, I was hesitant to remove since instruction manual does not refer to them.  They were not needed and had no function whatsoever.

Was supposed to get a Rec-Tec Shirt with the shipment, don't care probably would not wear it anyway however was not included.  Also advertised to get a personal letter along with a business card to call day or night but that was not included as well.

Needless to say, even though I had opportunities to use, I am not going to risk the chance of ruining another meal until I trust it.

















That being said, not matter what grill I end up with, wish I would have bought the Yoder, I think it is a smart idea to buy replacement parts that tend to wear out.  If you purchase a pellet grill and it stops functioning, you are out of luck finishing your meal.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

Judging by the photos it appears you may have the drip pan reversed. I can’t tell for sure without a wider shot but it appears the gap is getting wider on the left. 

As for the WiFi, I have a Netgear router and it works with the RecTec. Are you using a 2.4ghz network?  It’s not compatible with 5ghz. A mesh router can also cause issues. 

Lid hitting the smokestack is just an adjustment. 

RecTec should take care of all of the issues. They’ve bent over backward with any questions or issues I’ve ever had. 

Problems can arise but none of this sounds typical at all.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

Oh and cool down mode is what it does when you turn it off. Your photos showing the display with “Fan 288” is the fan running during shutdown. Could you have hit the power button by accident?


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 11, 2019)

I agree that from what can be seen of the drip pan, it appears to be backwards.

The angle located appears to indicate this as well.

The half moon cut in the edge of the drip pan should face the grease bucket.

The numbers showing on the display appear to indicate the cool down sequence when the grill is going through shutdown when you turn it off.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 11, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> I too just recently purchased an RT-700 and may live to regret it.  What happens with Customer Service is yet to be determined because I am in the middle of negotiations.
> 
> First, no matter what, the grill would not connect to my network.  It recognized all of my neighbors as far as 4 houses away, but not mine even though it was 10 feet away.  I later found out that they have issues connecting to the popular Netgear Router and Wireless even though it is top of the line and probably will never connect without an upgrade to the controller however how is that done if I cannot connect to the Internet, it cannot and I was not offered an upgraded replacement.
> 
> ...



I know it’s not the best pic to tell from.  But I’m looking at the gap between the drip pan and the back edge of the grill and it looks awful wide. Enough to make me wonder where the left and right ends of the grease pan sit. 

A wider angle shot would be great.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I agree that from what can be seen of the drip pan, it appears to be backwards.
> 
> The angle located appears to indicate this as well.
> 
> ...



I installed exactly as they showed in their Video and other I found on YouTube, that is the Flange on the Right as you are facing the Smoker.  There is a cut out that lines up with the square hole on the right that leads to the drip bucket.  Don't think could be put in 180-Degrees out.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> Oh and cool down mode is what it does when you turn it off. Your photos showing the display with “Fan 288” is the fan running during shutdown. Could you have hit the power button by accident?



Was not even close to the ON/OFF button and yes the fan was running.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I agree that from what can be seen of the drip pan, it appears to be backwards.
> 
> The angle located appears to indicate this as well.
> 
> ...



Cannot be installed backwards. I did not touch the Controls, during the Smoking process.  I have attached a couple of pictures.  One is showing the half-moon cutout lining up with the drip bucket.  The other two is the way it was installed originally 
	

		
			
		

		
	















	

		
			
		

		
	
 and the second if I put it up on the lip of the metal on the left.  It then does have an angle to it however it is very close to the Rack.  I tried that the other day and thought it would prevent air from circulating properly.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> Judging by the photos it appears you may have the drip pan reversed. I can’t tell for sure without a wider shot but it appears the gap is getting wider on the left.
> 
> As for the WiFi, I have a Netgear router and it works with the RecTec. Are you using a 2.4ghz network?  It’s not compatible with 5ghz. A mesh router can also cause issues.
> 
> ...



It is a Mesh however no where was I told that and the wireless has both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz.  Was told it would not connect and they are working on a solution.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

From the angle there it definitely looks like the drip tray is reversed. Also when its reversed the top grills will not fit correctly. Customer service should be able to walk you through everything. I work in IT and I dont see how the router does not pick it up. All routers should put out 2.4Ghz. Only reason I can see it not working is if the router has 2.4 disabled and only using 5ghz.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

metsfan2152 said:


> From the angle there it definitely looks like the drip tray is reversed. Also when its reversed the top grills will not fit correctly. Customer service should be able to walk you through everything. I work in IT and I dont see how the router does not pick it up. All routers should put out 2.4Ghz. Only reason I can see it not working is if the router has 2.4 disabled and only using 5ghz.



As I mentioned in a previous post that you may not have noticed, the Drip Tray cannot be reversed and the half-moon cutout on the right aligns perfectly on the drip bucket hole.  Not much light so difficult to see.
	

		
			
		

		
	







Thanks for the reply.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 11, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> Cannot be installed backwards. I did not touch the Controls, during the Smoking process.  I have attached a couple of pictures.  One is showing the half-moon cutout lining up with the drip bucket.  The other two is the way it was installed originally
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I think that I may see the issue with the grease running towards the wrong way.

The drip pan is supposed to hook on that lip near your temp probe.

If it wasn’t like that and you had several slabs of ribs on it then yeah, look at the gap at the back wall of the grill with the pan hooked over the lip and without it hooked over it.



> The other two is the way it was installed



If that’s the case then look at the two pics showing the barrel of the grill. 

One shows the drip pan at a clear slope towards where the bucket would be. The other shows the pan “level” at best. It should be descending towards the bucket.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> Cannot be installed backwards. I did not touch the Controls, during the Smoking process.  I have attached a couple of pictures.  One is showing the half-moon cutout lining up with the drip bucket.  The other two is the way it was installed originally
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Your first wide shot looks fine. It’s clearly sloping to the right. The 2nd wide shot doesn’t look correct. It’s not sloping at all. I think you may not be seating the right side fully down into the slot. Pouring some water on it will tell you right away if it’s installed correctly.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

That’s weird I am using a mesh network to had no problem connecting.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I think that I may see the issue with the grease running towards the wrong way.
> 
> The drip pan is supposed to hook on that lip near your temp probe.
> 
> If it wasn’t like that and you had several slabs of ribs on it then yeah, look at the gap at the back wall of the grill with the pan hooked over the lip and without it hooked over it.



You’ve got it. I just noticed that. That could also cause an issue with temp spiking as the drip pan being off the lip would mess with the airflow near the temp probe.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

metsfan2152 said:


> That’s weird I am using a mesh network to had no problem connecting.



Hard to say. Sometimes WiFi can be touchy. I know for sure that it will only connect to 2.4ghz. You have to make sure your 2.4ghz and 5ghz networks have different names. Some people use the same name for both and it can cause problems.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> Hard to say. Sometimes WiFi can be touchy. I know for sure that it will only connect to 2.4ghz. You have to make sure your 2.4ghz and 5ghz networks have different names. Some people use the same name for both and it can cause problems.


Yes that could definitely cause a problem. But if its a mesh network it should automatically determine that it only works with 2.4GHZ. Mesh networks only have 1 SSID. I ahve also connected cameras on my network that is also 2.4ghZ. They do this on purpose because 5ghz range is much shorter then 2.4ghz.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 11, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> Cannot be installed backwards. I did not touch the Controls, during the Smoking process.  I have attached a couple of pictures.  One is showing the half-moon cutout lining up with the drip bucket.  The other two is the way it was installed originally
> 
> 
> 
> ...



No, it’s supposed to be over that lip near your temp probe.

That gives the drip pan the amount of declination towards the grease port and grease bucket that you need.

Otherwise on a big pork cook with plenty of animal fat, if that pan isn’t sloping right the grease is going to pool and fall over into the barrel and cause a small to large grease fire.

It all adds up now. This likely happens, right at the bottom beneath temp probe, the grease overflowed the pan and went over into the barrel, smoke likely everywhere. Small flames may have resulted ie a grease fire, threw the temps way off, the grill overheated and shut down.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

metsfan2152 said:


> Yes that could definitely cause a problem. But if its a mesh network it should automatically determine that it only works with 2.4GHZ. Mesh networks only have 1 SSID. I ahve also connected cameras on my network that is also 2.4ghZ. They do this on purpose because 5ghz range is much shorter then 2.4ghz.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

You need to give 2.4 and 5 different names. You might also have to pick a channel for the 2.4 network rather than have it set to auto.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

You can also just try to disable the 5 ghz for now and see if can connect.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> You need to give 2.4 and 5 different names. You might also have to pick a channel for the 2.4 network rather than have it set to auto.



That was my next option was to set the 2.4 to a Static Port Assignment.  I have not seen where the Networks can be named differently but I'll look.


metsfan2152 said:


> You can also just try to disable the 5 ghz for now and see if can connect.



Thought about that however since it does not see the Router at all figured that would be problematic.  Another odd issue is that it does recognize a Wireless node named ORBI_ext and I do not have extenders as such.  I do have two Satellites but the SSID always displays the "ORBI" regardless of which unit you are actually connected to determined by signal strength. 

Thanks for you Help.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> That was my next option was to set the 2.4 to a Static Port Assignment.  I have not seen where the Networks can be named differently but I'll look.
> 
> 
> Thought about that however since it does not see the Router at all figured that would be problematic.  Another odd issue is that it does recognize a Wireless node named ORBI_ext and I do not have extenders as such.  I do have two Satellites but the SSID always displays the "ORBI" regardless of which unit you are actually connected to determined by signal strength.
> ...


I would still try to disable it and see what happens. It might see it once it gets disabled. Channels should not make a difference. 2.4 and 5 run on totally different frequency. Really odd it does not see it though.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

You should be able to add multiple wireless networks with any name you like.  Do you have the option to setup a guest network for 2.4 only?


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> You should be able to add multiple wireless networks with any name you like.  Do you have the option to setup a guest network for 2.4 only?
> 
> Started a Guest Network and other Devices connected however at 5G and no options to change Protocol.


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## ross77 (Apr 11, 2019)

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-Connecting-a-device-to-2-4GHz-only/td-p/1546178

According to the thread I posted, whatever device you use to control the RecTec must also be on 2.4.  This may be the issue you're experiencing.  Your router doesn't have a way to set 2.4 only.  It's all automatic.  I have a Netgear but not the Orbi and I setup 2.4 and 5 with different names.  

Here is a quote from the Netgear link above:  "However, I believe there are some devices that only talk 2.4 GHz which require setup from a phone or tablet, and that setup will not work unless the phone or tablet is also connected to 2.4 GHz."

That is the exact scenario the RecTec requires.  Unfortunately I don't think there is a workaround in your case.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 11, 2019)

ross77 said:


> https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-Connecting-a-device-to-2-4GHz-only/td-p/1546178
> 
> According to the thread I posted, whatever device you use to control the RecTec must also be on 2.4.  This may be the issue you're experiencing.  Your router doesn't have a way to set 2.4 only.  It's all automatic.  I have a Netgear but not the Orbi and I setup 2.4 and 5 with different names.
> 
> ...


There is, you can just turn off the 5GHZ and connect the devices. Then the rec tec should pick it up. At  least try it and see if that works. Then you can at least go from there.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 12, 2019)

ross77 said:


> https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-Connecting-a-device-to-2-4GHz-only/td-p/1546178
> 
> According to the thread I posted, whatever device you use to control the RecTec must also be on 2.4.  This may be the issue you're experiencing.  Your router doesn't have a way to set 2.4 only.  It's all automatic.  I have a Netgear but not the Orbi and I setup 2.4 and 5 with different names.
> 
> ...



Thanks Ross for taking your time to respond, appreciate it.


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## txgunlover (Apr 12, 2019)

metsfan2152 said:


> There is, you can just turn off the 5GHZ and connect the devices. Then the rec tec should pick it up. At  least try it and see if that works. Then you can at least go from there.


If that doesn't work use an old tablet or phone that only supports 2.4ghz and it will work fine during the setup.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 12, 2019)

txgunlover said:


> If that doesn't work use an old tablet or phone that only supports 2.4ghz and it will work fine during the setup.



Zach from Rec-Tec, very knowledgeable, and I worked on it this afternoon and he actually has an ORBI Mesh setup.  He said it was not usable with the most current version of software on my phone, no matter how the ORBI is configured.  He sent me a Beta Version of the app.  The new version did see my Router however it designated it was 5 Ghz only.  While trying to establish the connection I walked away from my Router until my 5G dropped but still a weak signal which would have been connected to the 2.4 Ghz only.  Walked back towards the Grill, Network light on solid and it connected as designed.  I now can control the Smoker from my phone.

Thanks for everyone's input.  I appreciate the community.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 12, 2019)

Great to see that you got it working.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 12, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> Zach from Rec-Tec, very knowledgeable, and I worked on it this afternoon and he actually has an ORBI Mesh setup.  He said it was not usable with the most current version of software on my phone, no matter how the ORBI is configured.  He sent me a Beta Version of the app.  The new version did see my Router however it designated it was 5 Ghz only.  While trying to establish the connection I walked away from my Router until my 5G dropped but still a weak signal which would have been connected to the 2.4 Ghz only.  Walked back towards the Grill, Network light on solid and it connected as designed.  I now can control the Smoker from my phone.
> 
> Thanks for everyone's input.  I appreciate the community.



Glad to see that you got things working as they should.

Now you know the correct way to install your drip pan, which is with  the left and right drip pan edges sitting in the left and right drip pan supports.

You also know to let the PID controller do it’s  thing and manage your temps and not to unplug the grill. And know how the shutdown sequence looks.

But most importantly, you can get to enjoying your purchase and your WiFi is working.

You have all the functionality. That’s huge.

Nothing left to do now but get cooking, trying different foods, different pellets etc.

I hate that your last cookout got ruined.

But you’re set to make some good BBQ now.

Good luck CountyCop911. And enjoy the Bull.


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## sandyut (Apr 12, 2019)

Hope you enjoy many good cooks on your Bull!   Mine is only six months old and have really loved the performance


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 13, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Glad to see that you got things working as they should.
> 
> Now you know the correct way to install your drip pan, which is with  the left and right drip pan edges sitting in the left and right drip pan supports.
> 
> ...



Thanks SloMo.  Have a big Party (25 People) for this coming Tuesday.  A number of the individuals are from Texas so I am going to attempt a Brisket as well.  Now to find the best recipe.  This Forum is loaded with advice.


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## sandyut (Apr 13, 2019)

Hey country cop. Sorry I missed if you have been smoking before you bought your Bull.  Briskets can be a little challenging.  Are you thinking a full packer, just the flat or???  I mostly do just the flat. A large one take many hours, planning for a lot of buffer between cooking and eating is a stress saver.  If you cooked these before then you know all that but just wanted to help if I could.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 13, 2019)

sandyut said:


> Hey country cop. Sorry I missed if you have been smoking before you bought your Bull.  Briskets can be a little challenging.  Are you thinking a full packer, just the flat or???  I mostly do just the flat. A large one take many hours, planning for a lot of buffer between cooking and eating is a stress saver.  If you cooked these before then you know all that but just wanted to help if I could.



I'm getting one ready to go on the Stampede tonight for my wife's Game of Thrones party tomorrow night.






Doused in Worcesteshire sauce after trimming some of the fat.  The Worcesteshire  for seasoning and to make the rub stick.
	

		
			
		

		
	






After the application of my favorite rub, Three Little Pigs Kansas City Championship, mixed  up with a tad of brown sugar, to cut some of the salt in it, and then dusted with Bone Sucking Sauce Seasoning and rub, it's to the fridge for a few hours before it goes onto the Rec Tec Stampede round midnight.   Cold meat takes on smoke better.   It should be ready some time tomorrow morning.





	

		
			
		

		
	
 .


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 13, 2019)

Looking good.
Just finished my pulled pork.


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## CountyCop911 (Apr 13, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I'm getting one ready to go on the Stampede tonight for my wife's Game of Thrones party tomorrow night.
> 
> View attachment 393143
> 
> ...



...and best IT when smoking completed to be able to slice?  Not my first smoking however tend to do more BBR's and Pork Steaks than Briskets which tends to go straight from the smoker to the Table.  I am seeing the "Resting Period".  Does that mean it is served cold?

Thanks for the help.

PS. I just used two acronyms in my reply.  Does that make me at least a Rookie Smoker?


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 13, 2019)

Now that looks real good metsfan.   Real good indeed. Nice work, nice bark on that shoulder, and above all else it's moist and not dried out.  Nicely done.

I just got my brisket on the grates at 10:02 PM EST.

Let's light up the smoke tube.  I use a blowtorch to make sure that I get it lit real good and let it burn while the Stampede is getting up to temp.  Then I blow it out and put it inside the smoker.







Let's fire up the Stampede and get the probes hooked up.  She's matching up real good with the readings of the Thermoworks Smoke, and without any adjustment.







Let's get the smoke tube propped up and  in a good spot and make sure it's well lit and giving off a good smoke from that mix of  A-Maze-N pecan and hickory pellets.






And put  the brisket on after that.







Let's let the PID controller do it's thing after I forget where I put my phone and leave the lid open while I'm looking for it,  having the auger dump in pellets the whole time the lid is open.  Then watching the temps spike up to over 260 degrees as a result after I finally do find my phone, take a pic and ultimately close the lid, only to  watch it correct out a few minutes later.












Wow.  It went back to 225* after spiking and overshooting to 268,  all without me doing a thing.  How about that.

How long did it take?  Looks like around 10-15 minutes, near as I can tell.  I had headed upstairs.

Let's let it ride.  I'm taking a shower and getting ready to turn in.  There's nothing I can do to make things go any smoother, so I may as well call it a night.












I'll see you in the morning.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 13, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> ...and best IT when smoking completed to be able to slice?  Not my first smoking however tend to do more BBR's and Pork Steaks than Briskets which tends to go straight from the smoker to the Table.  I am seeing the "Resting Period".  Does that mean it is served cold?
> 
> Thanks for the help.
> 
> PS. I just used two acronyms in my reply.  Does that make me at least a Rookie Smoker?



When I get up in the morning, it will be in the stall.

I'll use a technique that I've seen  Harry Soo use and that has given me great results then.  I used to wrap in butcher paper, but now I'm back to foil.

Take a look at the video at about 4:40 on in.  I follow this technique and it's given me remarkable results.



The Au Jus and fat separator, make a huge difference.


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 14, 2019)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Now that looks real good metsfan.   Real good indeed. Nice work, nice bark on that shoulder, and above all else it's moist and not dried out.  Nicely done.
> 
> I just got my brisket on the grates at 10:02 PM EST.
> 
> ...


Looking real good. Pretty much ahve the same set up with my smoke.
Whats the bracket on the A-Maze-N tube used for? You put that on yourself?


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 14, 2019)

metsfan2152 said:


> Looking real good. Pretty much ahve the same set up with my smoke.
> Whats the bracket on the A-Maze-N tube used for? You put that on yourself?


Yes. It’s a u bolt. Like a muffler clamp. However it’s stainless steel.

It props the front of the tube up. Keeps those pellets near the end from spilling out. Learned about this on this forum. Also, for reasons I don’t know, it makes the tube burn longer.

If you do this, make sure that you’re using all stainless hardware. No zinc.

7:14AM.  After I've slept like a baby, woke up, checked my notifications and responded to metsfan2152 above.  This is what pellet smoking is all about.  Sleeping through the night without tending a fire and vents, and not worrying about wild temperature swings.

You  simply can't impede the Stampede.

























She went through a few pellets, and of course the smoke tube has burned out,  but I'm liking the bark on this brisket.  I pulled it, added the beef broth and wrapped it at this point, then put it back on the Stampede just as it has started to rain.


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## dubob (Apr 14, 2019)

Looking fantastic!


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## sandyut (Apr 14, 2019)

CountyCop911 said:


> ...and best IT when smoking completed to be able to slice?  Not my first smoking however tend to do more BBR's and Pork Steaks than Briskets which tends to go straight from the smoker to the Table.  I am seeing the "Resting Period".  Does that mean it is served cold?
> 
> Thanks for the help.
> 
> PS. I just used two acronyms in my reply.  Does that make me at least a Rookie Smoker?


I usually wrap in foil and place ina cooler cover the wrapped meat in towels in the cooler for a couple hours when pulled from the grill.  If time allows.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 14, 2019)

dubob said:


> Looking fantastic!



Thanks dubob.

I'm still working at it, but it's pouring outside.








When it reached this temp point, I took it off.  My Thermoworks Smoke's meat probe was at 200*.  It is not pictured.













So the brisket has been on for going into 13hrs at 225*.  I could have cranked it up higher and finished earlier.  I pulled it off at 10:54AM, so just a few minutes before the 13hr mark.  This was an 8.5lb piece of meat before I trimmed some of the fat off of it.  Nothing fancy about it, it is a choice brisket.

I flapped it open and poured off the jus.







Then checked the temp and consistency.  Was satisfied with both.







Then let the fat start to separate to the top.







And later brushed it down with a little of the jus.







And tented it with foil to let it rest for a couple of hours.







This way of course does soften the bark some.  I can crisp it back up in the oven on broil for a few minutes if I like.   But when it comes to moisture, I haven't gotten better results than with this method,  and that's with trying Franklin's methods using butcher paper and others.  This way, works for me. YMMV.


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## sandyut (Apr 14, 2019)

looks fantastic!  nice job


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## metsfan2152 (Apr 14, 2019)

Looks real good there.


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## SlowmotionQue (Apr 14, 2019)

Thanks everyone.  It's time to cut it.

I folded back the foil and stuck it in the oven for about 10mins on broil to firm up the bark.







And moved it to the cutting board leaving behind a little jus in the pan.







And then the moment of truth.  I know that you experienced guys know this, but you want to cut your brisket against the grain.  If you cut it with the grain, it will be stringy and tough.



















I'm liking it.







But we'll add some of the jus to the cut pieces.







just a few drops.







And take a few more slices for the cook.









The brisket tastes great.  Just enough smoke flavor, tender flavorful and moist.  Thanks everyone for taking a look.  We went through about 13lbs of pellets by my estimate.  But likely less.  The Stampede has a 30lb hopper.  It was full when I started, and it doesn't look like I'm anywhere near having lost approximately half of that.

My wife's GOT party is on.  But the cook is going to go ahead and get started. Besides, he  deserves it.  He was up all night, tending a fire and playing around with vents to bring us this great tasting brisket....wasn't he?

I mean you saw for yourselves, he was out there with a blowtorch in the middle of the night trying to  getting the fire started. 

And then a thunderstorm blew in.







The aftermath.  This is a mix of CookinPellets Perfect Mix, Lumberjack 100% Hickory and some left over Rec Tec Ultimate Blend.  The smoke tube had a 50/50 mix of A-Maze-N pecan and hickory pellets in it.

The smoker was clean when I started.  I'll disassemble and look to see how much ash it left with this combination.


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