PS1150 Temp problems - SLAB Heat Deflector

[Scurbs]

I installed “smokes like a boss”’ heat deflector mod last week. Ever since installed it, I can’t get the temperature inside my barrel to go higher than 300, and I have to set it to 450 to hover around 300.

Any ideas?

 

[brewersfan73]

Are you using the readout from the Pit Boss temp probe? Or are you verifying with another temp probe? Also, when's the last time you cleaned off the temp probe?

I have a knockoff version of that heat deflector, and although it didn't work the miracles that I was hoping for, it didn't cause any issues like that. Did you also get a flame tamer to control the hot spot over the burn pot?

 

[Scurbs]

I don’t have the tamer, but here are my results. I set it to 250 and even 30m later, it’s barely creeping above the 200 mark.

On my ThermoPro, probe one is on the left closer to the PB probe, while probe two is on the right.

I did clean the PB probe back to its shining chrome. Note that this problem could also be linked to the latest firmware update that I did as well last week.

 

[Scurbs]

I ran more tests this morning. Looks like my PID controller holds ~120f below the requested temp.

When set to 350, it would hold around 230.
When set to 500, it would hold (with lots of fluctuation but it could be linked to the wind picking up) at 370-380

 

[brewersfan73]

Were you having these types of issues before installing the heat deflector?

Based on my limited expertise, it should seems like it is the controller since it should be calling for more pellets/heat since the RTD is well below the temp set point. It's not like you have a major discrepancy between the Pit Boss probe and your ThermoPro probes. I think your comment that you updated the firmware last week is more likely the culprit than the heat deflector.

On a separate note, I would highly recommend the flame tamer (or something similar). That hot spot above the burn pot really made the middle section of my grill difficult to work with. Although it is still warmer than the edges, it isn't such a big temp swing.

 

[Scurbs]

I didn’t have the problem before installing my heat deflector, but I installed it at the same as I did the firmware update, so it’s hard to say. When testing without the heat deflector, the PB probe is well off the actual temp (50-100 difference) so it stops feeding pellets, so you could argue it’s the same results.

The funny thing is that if I open the seering plate, it will actually go up to the desired temp and stay there. It’s almost like my heat is stuck at the bottom of my heat deflector and can’t manage to find its way up the barrel, or that the pid is too conservative on feeding new pellets.

I talked to pit boss support this morning and they are sending me a new controller. I’ll update this post with new results when I receive and install the new controller.

If I can get this working to my likings I’ll then upgrade it with the flame tamer

 

[Freedbyjc]

I installed “smokes like a boss”’ heat deflector mod last week. Ever since installed it, I can’t get the temperature inside my barrel to go higher than 300, and I have to set it to 450 to hover around 300.

Any ideas?

Is your

I installed “smokes like a boss”’ heat deflector mod last week. Ever since installed it, I can’t get the temperature inside my barrel to go higher than 300, and I have to set it to 450 to hover around 300.

I didn’t have the problem before installing my heat deflector, but I installed it at the same as I did the firmware update, so it’s hard to say. When testing without the heat deflector, the PB probe is well off the actual temp (50-100 difference) so it stops feeding pellets, so you could argue it’s the same results.

The funny thing is that if I open the seering plate, it will actually go up to the desired temp and stay there. It’s almost like my heat is stuck at the bottom of my heat deflector and can’t manage to find its way up the barrel, or that the pid is too conservative on feeding new pellets.

I talked to pit boss support this morning and they are sending me a new controller. I’ll update this post with new results when I receive and install the new controller.

If I can get this working to my likings I’ll then upgrade it with the flame tamer

Your rain cap on top of the chimney stack ... to get started, spin it up all the way to the top and run it wide open for the best air flow. It’s NOT a chimney damper like on a stick burner that you need to adjust to control the heat in the barrel, the awesome PitBoss controller constantly monitors the digital temperature probe readings and its algorithms runs the auger to regulate the heat in the barrel and the combustion fan runs constantly to help maintain the fire... so you don’t have to babysit it.



It is just a rain cap... wide open will give you the best air flow for a quicker startup and the best temperature maintenance. You can adjust it down some to maintain your barrel temperatures in extremely low temperatures.



Running your smoker with the rain cap down can cause it to take a long time to come to temperature, overheat and cause a flameout or an ERH overheat error code.
Any ideas?

 

[Redoctapus]

Are you using the readout from the Pit Boss temp probe? Or are you verifying with another temp probe? Also, when's the last time you cleaned off the temp probe?

I have a knockoff version of that heat deflector, and although it didn't work the miracles that I was hoping for, it didn't cause any issues like that. Did you also get a flame tamer to control the hot spot over the burn pot?

Can you post a pic of this deflector plz?

 

[Freedbyjc]

Can you post a pic of this deflector plz?

https://smokeslikeaboss.com/

 

[Scurbs]

Sad to report that I’m having the same results with the new controller that I received. When set at 350, it will hover around 250, and when set to 450, it will hover around 350. I played with the height of the cap and it didn’t change much. Open to suggestions.

 

[brewersfan73]

Did the old and new controller use the same firmware version?

Other than that, I'm out of ideas. I guess you could try a new RTD temp probe, but that doesn't seem to be the culprit. I'm hoping someone else might be able to help.

 

[Scurbs]

The new PID controller was on the old firmware, so that’s not it. Here is something that happened when I turned it off. I just experienced a crazy amount of smoke coming up the auger and into the hopper. It was quite scary, it’s the first time this happens.

I’ll be taking my auger apart and cleaning it out. I might also put blame on wood as I’ve been burning wood from a pellet bag I opened last year and that was stored in my basement all winter. I’m not sure if there is such thing as a pellet expiry date

 

[Scurbs]

Auger is cleaned out, old wood is now removed. I did notice that my aluminum heat deflector at the bottom wasn’t entirely in its place, but not enough to cover a lot of the fire. I’ll put in new wood tomorrow and fire her up. Stay tuned

 

[Scurbs]

Here is today’s test. I’m running my smoker with fresh wood and a cleaned auger. I removed everything from the inside so that it’s only the burn box. I felt the fan pushing air nicely inside the burn box. I set the temp to 250, and I can’t even make it!

Something that I did realize is that my igniter goes on while the auger is turning, even after the fire has caught. Is this normal behaviour? Maybe my smoker is stuck on a boot sequence which would explain why the pid never actually takes control.

 

[brewersfan73]

You answered the only other question I was going to have - as to whether the fan was pushing air into the burn pot. I was wondering about this when you mentioned smoke coming back to the pellet hopper.

I have a non-PID controller so I can't tell if you the ignitor is supposed to come on or not in the middle of the cook. I know mine definitely kicks in during the cook if the temp drops pretty low (under 150 or something like that). I'm assuming it is programmed that way in case the fire actually went out and the temp dropped. I don't recall if it gets hot whenever the auger is feeding. I could check, but since my isn't a PID, it probably doesn't mean much.

You said you are using fresh pellets now? Did you buy them this year and what brand are they?