Advice needed for new PBV4PS2 First cook

[DanStealth]

I hope I don’t confuse you even more. Lol. And the manual is very confusing itself. At least mine was. What I’ve wound up doing after getting a little educated here is…….
It automatically starts on S. I leave it alone. I’ll leave the door open till I see the smoke starting and know the pellets are feeding etc. Then I’ll close the door maybe 20 mins and let it heat up a little in there and then put the meat in. After that I leave it alone. Still on the S setting. I use two probes for the temp. One rear left on rack. One front and right on rack. I’m watching the temps. What I’ve found is the thing will settle on about 130 for awhile and then climb slowly to 180-190. Btw the control will still show S. If I’m watching the app on my phone it will show a temp number. Very very wierd. Lol. But I KNOW my two probes are correct. So again, I just leave it be u til I have my desired ‘smoke session’ depending on what I’m cooking. For like a big pork butt maybe 2 hours or a little better. This sounds crazy maybe but I get the absolute best smoke session by letting it do it’s thing in the S setting. When I’m satisfied with the initial smoke I then raise to my desired temp. Usually starting at 250 on the control which normally yields about 225 on my probes.
And from there just run it like any other smoker. I’m convinced there’s some logic to that S setting in the control but honestly I’m tired of trying to figure it out. I believe the engineers have it acting in some manner. But I’ll be darn if I e figured it out.
But I know from experience now that is the best way MY cooker will give the best smoke.
I fought that thing quite awhile. Starting it. Immediately raising to 225-250 and trying to smoke and it was a no go. That S setting has become my buddy. Lol.
Ye this sounds like some voodoo for sure but for my absolute best smoke session I leave it be and then and only then take over the control and start running the temp myself.
And also just while I’m running my mouth. A smoke tube during the S session and also early into the cook helps tremendously if you really want a smoky taste. That’s something else I kinda fought. But it works.
Trust me. These guys in here , all the Mikes and the other guys lol are a huge help.
I went from almost returning it to using it at least one or two times a week. The manual concerning this and a couple of other things is awful. I think some things changed and wasn’t updated.
Try letting that S mode work for ya. I don’t know your machine but it works great on mine.

Do you ever clean the ash during cooks? I did ribs the other day for 6 hours and the amount of ash I the pot was concerning. I’m doing a brisket this weekend which is gonna go for a lot longer.

 

[Edchad]

Do you ever clean the ash during cooks? I did ribs the other day for 6 hours and the amount of ash I the pot was concerning. I’m doing a brisket this weekend which is gonna go for a lot longer.

I’ve never had to clean the ash during a cook however I always clean out the pot before a cook.
they may all be different but mine has never produced a huge amount of ash. Even on a longer cook. Maybe 7-10 hours it’s never over say an inch or so.

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Just cleaned mine after a 15 hour smoke yesterday with the PBV4PS2. Over a inch of ash in the burn pot, using PB competition, which is more than I get from their apple pellets. Switched to Bear Mountain Gourmet, I'll see if there is less ash like people claim, very little pellet dust or crumbs I saw right away.

 

[Edchad]

Just cleaned mine after a 15 hour smoke yesterday with the PBV4PS2. Over a inch of ash in the burn pot, using PB competition, which is more than I get from their apple pellets. Switched to Bear Mountain Gourmet, I'll see if there is less ash like people claim, very little pellet dust or crumbs I saw right away.

I’ll be watching for the results on this Mike. So for like a 15 hour smoke with their Apple you get less? If ya don’t mind me asking about how much? I’ve never done a cook that long yet. I think right at about 10 hours is my longest. And memory serving me correct I don’t think it was over an inch. For about 10 hours of cooking I didn’t think what I got was extreme. Maybe close to an inch.
I have some Bear Mountain Gourmet I haven’t tried. I really need to try them and some more I have on hand to test.
Honesty when I tried the PB Charcoal and the Kingsford 100% Hickory I’ve pretty much stuck with them. Because for us we liked the flavor. I’m curious of your results though Because, and I may sound like a Dummy asking, but how much ash buildup before it would cause a problem? I’m sitting here thinking and am I correct that a large amount of ash buildup could cause issues with the new pellets falling in there and not burning proper? Like maybe some or all getting buried in the ashes if there’s too many in there? As a Pellet Noob I’d like to know. Is the major concern of extreme ash buildup, that it could kinda smother out the new pellets dropping down in there? If this is a dumb question please excuse me. Lol. But sounds like something to really pay attention to and I really haven’t. Thanks in advance!!

 

[Mike From R.I.]

I’ll be watching for the results on this Mike. So for like a 15 hour smoke with their Apple you get less? If ya don’t mind me asking about how much? I’ve never done a cook that long yet. I think right at about 10 hours is my longest. And memory serving me correct I don’t think it was over an inch. For about 10 hours of cooking I didn’t think what I got was extreme. Maybe close to an inch.
I have some Bear Mountain Gourmet I haven’t tried. I really need to try them and some more I have on hand to test.
Honesty when I tried the PB Charcoal and the Kingsford 100% Hickory I’ve pretty much stuck with them. Because for us we liked the flavor. I’m curious of your results though Because, and I may sound like a Dummy asking, but how much ash buildup before it would cause a problem? I’m sitting here thinking and am I correct that a large amount of ash buildup could cause issues with the new pellets falling in there and not burning proper? Like maybe some or all getting buried in the ashes if there’s too many in there? As a Pellet Noob I’d like to know. Is the major concern of extreme ash buildup, that it could kinda smother out the new pellets dropping down in there? If this is a dumb question please excuse me. Lol. But sounds like something to really pay attention to and I really haven’t. Thanks in advance!!

PB apple has less ash in a 8 hour smoke than their competition, I noticed the extra ash with the competition. My son in-law has the Austin xl grill and he stopped using the competition pellets, anything but them he says. Whiskey/bourbon, trager signature, pecan pellets he likes for flavor and low ash.
I was in the middle of a 15 hour smoke and I went to grab those Bear Mountain Gourmet pellets and dumped them in so I wouldn't run out 3/4 into the smoke. After cleaning the smoker up this morning I still have PB competition in the smoker I saw thru the window. Night and day color difference. I didn't want to dump the hopper in the middle of a smoke, but I will let you know once I know I'm on all Bear Mountain for ash content. Tractor Supply review raved about the low ash and excellent flavor. I'm sold on the very little or no pellet dust and crumbs at the bottom of the bag.

 

[MKinHB]

I’ll be watching for the results on this Mike. So for like a 15 hour smoke with their Apple you get less? If ya don’t mind me asking about how much? I’ve never done a cook that long yet. I think right at about 10 hours is my longest. And memory serving me correct I don’t think it was over an inch. For about 10 hours of cooking I didn’t think what I got was extreme. Maybe close to an inch.
I have some Bear Mountain Gourmet I haven’t tried. I really need to try them and some more I have on hand to test.
Honesty when I tried the PB Charcoal and the Kingsford 100% Hickory I’ve pretty much stuck with them. Because for us we liked the flavor. I’m curious of your results though Because, and I may sound like a Dummy asking, but how much ash buildup before it would cause a problem? I’m sitting here thinking and am I correct that a large amount of ash buildup could cause issues with the new pellets falling in there and not burning proper? Like maybe some or all getting buried in the ashes if there’s too many in there? As a Pellet Noob I’d like to know. Is the major concern of extreme ash buildup, that it could kinda smother out the new pellets dropping down in there? If this is a dumb question please excuse me. Lol. But sounds like something to really pay attention to and I really haven’t. Thanks in advance!!

I would think that when the ash builds up to the igniter or up to one of the air holes that is when you can have problems from it.
when my grill was new it would build up over the igniter after a 6 hour cook so I started cleaning it out before every cook.
Don't make the mistake of sucking up any hot pellets in your shop vac. Always wait until they are completely burnt out!
I wait to vacuum before I start a cook, I did have a shop vac catch fire one time, could be a disaster if I put it in the garage without noticing it, I still have a garage.

 

[Edchad]

I would think that when the ash builds up to the igniter or up to one of the air holes that is when you can have problems from it.
when my grill was new it would build up over the igniter after a 6 hour cook so I started cleaning it out before every cook.
Don't make the mistake of sucking up any hot pellets in your shop vac. Always wait until they are completely burnt out!
I wait to vacuum before I start a cook, I did have a shop vac catch fire one time, could be a disaster if I put it in the garage without noticing it, I still have a garage.

Sound advice. Thanks !