1150 Modifications?

[Usmc93]

I remember before when I was on here we were all talking about the controller sucking (got my new one from pitboss) and the temps being all over the place.

My updated controller keeps the temp on the screen more normal but it still didn't do much to help the major differences in temps from the left, middle, and right side of my smoker. I remember someone on here had made some slight modifications to their barrel to make the temps more even. Has anyone else done this or maybe someone here has the pics or links to the post the guy posted it in.

The left side of my grill is the coldest spot. The middle cooks way too fast, and the right is somewhat adequate.....the problem is that I can't utilize my whole smoker if I'm limited to one spot....unless I'm constantly switching my meats back and forth in different spots...which is a pain...

anyone else run into this problem and figure out a remedy?

 

[GAnewbie]

I don't have direct experience, but if you Google "Pit boss heat deflector mod" some solutions others have should pop up.

 

[Odian]

I posted to another thread a ways back.

1150 Pro temperature is off 30-50F

I have the new PID and it holds the set temp better, but the temp is not correct. It is off 30-50F depending on set temp. I have cleaned the temperature probe and it is spotless. The PB temp probe connected to input 1 matches my stand alone probe temps.

www.pitbossforum.com

I'm still singing praises about this Smoke Like A Boss heat deflector mod. Best 30 bucks I have spent on this so far.....

I did a 10 pound pork butt and 2 full racks of ribs two weeks ago. The left side of my grill runs about 5-8 degrees cooler than the right side. Front (closest to you) runs 3-5 degrees warmer than the back (farthest from you) across the whole grill.

I put the pork butt on the left side of my grill, and the racks on the right side. Also...I put a small bread pan of water in there on the farest left side (like up against the barrel wall, toward the back corner of the grates. Temp was set to 210.

I sprayed apple juice one everything every 1/2 hour.

I monitored the temps with my Inkbird, and after 2 hours I hit internals (on the ribs) of around 140-143. I took the ribs out. Wrapped the ribs (butter and apple juice, etc etc), and put them back in. after another 2 hours, the butt was hitting 140ish. Pulled everything out. Unwrapped the ribs, slathered on some bbq sauce/glaze, and put them back in. Put the butt into a pan, and covered, and back in it went.

Ribs were done 35 or 40 minutes later. And they were positively divine.

The butt took a total of 11 hours. I did have to turn it around every now and then, as the front of the grill is warmer. and I wanted the whole thing to be 203-204 at the same time.

Pre-heat deflector mod, those monitoring and spins of the food were truly annoying, as it had to be done MUCH more, which kept messing up the temps.

I've done other stuff like meatloaf. What a game changer for meatloaf. Never would have dreamed of smoked meatloaf.....

Anyway. Investing in the Smoke Like A Boss mod and a good multi-probe temp monitor, will make your smoking/grilling much more enjoyable and rewarding.....

Sorry this got so wordy.

 

[Steelheader1974]

I posted to another thread a ways back.

1150 Pro temperature is off 30-50F

I have the new PID and it holds the set temp better, but the temp is not correct. It is off 30-50F depending on set temp. I have cleaned the temperature probe and it is spotless. The PB temp probe connected to input 1 matches my stand alone probe temps.

www.pitbossforum.com

I'm still singing praises about this Smoke Like A Boss heat deflector mod. Best 30 bucks I have spent on this so far.....

I did a 10 pound pork butt and 2 full racks of ribs two weeks ago. The left side of my grill runs about 5-8 degrees cooler than the right side. Front (closest to you) runs 3-5 degrees warmer than the back (farthest from you) across the whole grill.

I put the pork butt on the left side of my grill, and the racks on the right side. Also...I put a small bread pan of water in there on the farest left side (like up against the barrel wall, toward the back corner of the grates. Temp was set to 210.

I sprayed apple juice one everything every 1/2 hour.

I monitored the temps with my Inkbird, and after 2 hours I hit internals (on the ribs) of around 140-143. I took the ribs out. Wrapped the ribs (butter and apple juice, etc etc), and put them back in. after another 2 hours, the butt was hitting 140ish. Pulled everything out. Unwrapped the ribs, slathered on some bbq sauce/glaze, and put them back in. Put the butt into a pan, and covered, and back in it went.

Ribs were done 35 or 40 minutes later. And they were positively divine.

The butt took a total of 11 hours. I did have to turn it around every now and then, as the front of the grill is warmer. and I wanted the whole thing to be 203-204 at the same time.

Pre-heat deflector mod, those monitoring and spins of the food were truly annoying, as it had to be done MUCH more, which kept messing up the temps.

I've done other stuff like meatloaf. What a game changer for meatloaf. Never would have dreamed of smoked meatloaf.....

Anyway. Investing in the Smoke Like A Boss mod and a good multi-probe temp monitor, will make your smoking/grilling much more enjoyable and rewarding.....

Sorry this got so wordy.

Do you have the one that goes over the fire pot or the one that screws on to the left side by the probe? I have that one.

 

[Gkr7007]

Do you have the one that goes over the fire pot or the one that screws on to the left side by the probe? I have that one.

I use both the firepot deflector and the side mod. I also put gasket on the bottom and sides of the barrel where the lid closes. One advantage of the firepot deflector is I can lay a Mojo brick on top before I start cooking and I'll get some nice extra smoke for an hour and a half or so. If you want to use the sear function (I never do) simply pull out the deflector. My temps have really evened out. My grate temp tends to be about 4 to 5 degrees lower than set temp and no more than 6 to 7 degrees variance from left to right. Huge difference from stock.

 

[Steelheader1974]

I use both the firepot deflector and the side mod. I also put gasket on the bottom and sides of the barrel where the lid closes. One advantage of the firepot deflector is I can lay a Mojo brick on top before I start cooking and I'll get some nice extra smoke for an hour and a half or so. If you want to use the sear function (I never do) simply pull out the deflector. My temps have really evened out. My grate temp tends to be about 4 to 5 degrees lower than set temp and no more than 6 to 7 degrees variance from left to right. Huge difference from stock.

I also have the gasket on the sides and bottom and top as well. It still leaks some smoke from the bottom it’s almost like the lid isn’t perfectly straight when it was installed in one area in the side I had to double up on gasket to fill a gap. I’m thinking I may have to do that on the bottom also. I used the Oklahoma Joe gasket from Lowe’s.

 

[Gkr7007]

I also have the gasket on the sides and bottom and top as well. It still leaks some smoke from the bottom it’s almost like the lid isn’t perfectly straight when it was installed in one area in the side I had to double up on gasket to fill a gap. I’m thinking I may have to do that on the bottom also. I used the Oklahoma Joe gasket from Lowe’s.

That's why I didnt put gasket along the top. It kept the lid from closing all the way at the bottom.

 

[Steelheader1974]

That's why I didnt put gasket along the top. It kept the lid from closing all the way at the bottom.

Yeah I’ll probably remove the top gasket it’s not all the way across anyways. I had to remove 1/4 of it so the lid would shut. I may end up buying that pot heat deflector I still get a 20 degree variance from left to right on my grates with the right being the hottest. The heat prolly gets forced over there more instead of blowing on the temp probe. I wonder if that flimsy pan that goes around the fire pot forces the air that way too I should take that out so there is more open air. It seems to catch a lot of the ash that’s the only good thing I have seen about that piece. I’m assuming you don’t have yours in right? Write I had the mod by the temp probe my temps were 50 degree variance but it ran colder than the actual temp. Like if I wanted to run at 250 I would have to run the controller at 270. Now with the mod in if Im running at 180 I get like 190 on left and 200 in the middle and slightly hotter on the right. I seen some people have removed the shield around the temp probe. I haven’t yet. What kind of pellets are you using?

 

[Gkr7007]

Yeah I’ll probably remove the top gasket it’s not all the way across anyways. I had to remove 1/4 of it so the lid would shut. I may end up buying that pot heat deflector I still get a 20 degree variance from left to right on my grates with the right being the hottest. The heat prolly gets forced over there more instead of blowing on the temp probe. I wonder if that flimsy pan that goes around the fire pot forces the air that way too I should take that out so there is more open air. It seems to catch a lot of the ash that’s the only good thing I have seen about that piece. I’m assuming you don’t have yours in right? Write I had the mod by the temp probe my temps were 50 degree variance but it ran colder than the actual temp. Like if I wanted to run at 250 I would have to run the controller at 270. Now with the mod in if Im running at 180 I get like 190 on left and 200 in the middle and slightly hotter on the right. I seen some people have removed the shield around the temp probe. I haven’t yet. What kind of pellets are you using?

No...I don't use that tin thing. As for pellets, some of the worst that I've tried are Pit Boss. Tons of ash. I like Bear Mountain and BBQ Delite. Lumberjack arent bad either. They cost more but the flavor is there and they burn better so you don't use a many. And I always mix in about 20 to 25% charcoal pellets as they add a more true BBQ wood flavor and and burn hotter. The last thing to remember is that this controller is PID. It learns the more you use it. Although it's not directly hooked to the heat source as an electric would be, it still adjusts itself. I still have a Masterbuilt vertical electric that had problems with their controller and I finally put a PID in it and plugged the heat element directly to the PID. After a couple of cooks that thing stayed within a degree or two of set temp. I used wood chunks and broken up lump charcoal in the wood tray and that thing put out very good food. It's still laying around, I dont know why I dont use it more.
Anyway....all the best to you.

 

[Odian]

Do you have the one that goes over the fire pot or the one that screws on to the left side by the probe? I have that one.

I have the one you screw onto the rail on the left side.

With the numbers I am currently seeing from just that mod....I am not sure I want to change anything else by adding the one that covers the firepot.

I'll see how this works now that fall is getting here and temps are dropping. (blech - I'm a summer guy)

 

[acroyle724]

With the mod that goes over the fire pot, which direction do you have the open ends? Front to back or side to side?

 

[Gkr7007]

With the mod that goes over the fire pot, which direction do you have the open ends? Front to back or side to side?

You have the channel for the auger to the firepot coming from the left so you have to have the open ends on the sides to fit over that. Closed ends are front and back.

 

[acroyle724]

You have the channel for the auger to the firepot coming from the left so you have to have the open ends on the sides to fit over that. Closed ends are front and back.

so, you take out the thin heat shield that has the hole in it that goes over the burn pot?

 

[Gkr7007]

so, you take out the thin heat shield that has the hole in it that goes over the burn pot?

That's what I did. I'm not sure what that thing is doing in there in the first place. Just remember, if and when you want to use the sear function (I never do) just move the firepot mod piece over to the right or take it out completely.

 

[acroyle724]

That's what I did. I'm not sure what that thing is doing in there in the first place. Just remember, if and when you want to use the sear function (I never do) just move the firepot mod piece over to the right or take it out completely.

Sounds good