# Pit boss p setting question



## Smkryng (Feb 29, 2020)

If I’m running in smoke mode on p4 and my pit temp is 150 and I’m trying to get between 170 and 180 I need to use a lower p setting, is this correct?


----------



## Steff3 (Feb 29, 2020)

Smkryng said:


> If I’m running in smoke mode on p4 and my pit temp is 150 and I’m trying to get between 170 and 180 I need to use a lower p setting, is this correct?


Yes


----------



## Smkryng (Feb 29, 2020)

Steff3 said:


> Yes


Thanks! Just wanted to double check. I’m about to go to an appointment and leave my smoker unattended for a while. Didn’t want to  set it the wrong way and it go out while I’m gone.


----------



## sandyut (Feb 29, 2020)

Good way to remember is P stands for pause.  It’s the auger pause time.  Less pause = more pellets and v/v


----------



## dan vanhamme (Feb 29, 2020)

so if my p setting is  set to 4 but on smoke i get up to 300* so i should raise the p setting?


----------



## Steff3 (Feb 29, 2020)

yes...lower the P setting the higher the temp and higher the P setting the lower the temp.  P is for pause time.


----------



## RCAlan (Feb 29, 2020)

dan vanhamme said:


> so if my p setting is  set to 4 but on smoke i get up to 300* so i should raise the p setting?



300* degrees is awfully high for your PB Grill to be while on the Smoke setting...  Did you do a proper preheating of your grill for 20-30 mins at 300-350* degrees before going down to Smoke mode or did you just turn your grill on and immediately set it on Smoke mode?  Not trying to bash you, I’m just trying to figure out what happened, because that is not normal.  Remember P4 is factory default, so it should have been a lot more stable and closer to 160*-190* degrees then 300* degrees.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## sandyut (Feb 29, 2020)

dan vanhamme said:


> so if my p setting is set to 4 but on smoke i get up to 300* so i should raise the p setting?



Yes, Environmental factor affect the temp when set on Smoke.  I learn about this setting when my Rec Tec was in direct sunlight and it was over 80 outside.  it would just keep creeping up no matter what I did - Till i found the auger setting.

the higher the P setting means the auger pause between adding fuel is longer (cooler burn)

the lower the P setting mean the shorter the pause between adding fuel = hotter 

BUT - if its set too low and its cold out the fire could go out.  so once the temps outside cool off again, adjust as needed.  Thats what I was told - I never had a flame out, but I did set it back to the default in the fall.


----------



## Smkryng (Feb 29, 2020)

sandyut said:


> Yes, Environmental factor affect the temp when set on Smoke.  I learn about this setting when my Rec Tec was in direct sunlight and it was over 80 outside.  it would just keep creeping up no matter what I did - Till i found the auger setting.
> 
> the higher the P setting means the auger pause between adding fuel is longer (cooler burn)
> 
> ...


I could see this happening.  After a while today I bumped up to 225. As the sun went down and it started cooling off out side I had to switch back to smoke and adjust my p setting back up to be able to maintain 225


----------

