NEW BBQ GURU DigiQ Help


 

Mike DiMaggio

TVWBB Member
I finally. took the plunge and bought a guru for my 22.5. This weekend I took it for test run with a pork butt and don't know if I was doing something wrong or what, but I expected better. Maybe I'm not doing something right. I figured I would post here and try and get some help. I started out with a full ring of Kingsford charcoal and dumped three quarters of a chimney of lit charcoal in the middle. There was no water in the water pan.all events were completely closed except the top one which was a hundred percent open. The vent on the Guru fan was a 100% open. the temperature slowly climbed and after a half hour was it about 150 degrees. I had to kick the vent and door open to get the temperature to rise faster. Am I expecting too much from it how long does it normally take to bring up to 250 degrees. After I finally hit my 250 degrees it seems like I was playing vent games all day. The temperature on the pit would go down to 240 and I would have to open one of the bottom vent to get it to stabilize again. Then it would reach 250 again and after a little while the temperature would be up to 260 270 and I would have to close the vent again. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks guys.
 
Hy Mike,
I don't have yet BBQ GURU, so I really can't help you, but as you can understood im planning to buy it. So Im very interesting in!
I would like to know how long the cook was and if you HAD to constantly manage the vents during the time. I mean.... The cook lasted 8 hours and you managed the vents in the very first 2/3 hours. Or, you managed the vents all 8 hours?
I started reading about BBQ GURU in the ATC section of the Forum and I understood the briqs set up is VERY IMPORTANT. Yuo choosed what i call the central tin can minion method but I really believe the fan's influence could much more effective if you use the edge tin can minion method. What I mean is to kove the starting lit briqs super close to the charcoal ring just in front of the vent with the Automatic Temp Control (fan's vent).
Please let us update with this set up!
Enrico
 
Hi Enrico,
I posted this same post on another forum and the general consensus is that I left the vent closed on the bbq guru fan and that prevented it from working to its potential. Not knowing for sure if it was opened or closed I cant really answer that. Ill try it again this weekend and let you know how it goes. I will also try the cove technique you talk about.
 
Mike I have the dx2 that I run on my 18.5 wsm and all tho its smaller I do the tin can method and only dump about 20 lit briquettes and a few chunks with my blower 1/3 open and lid vent wide open and walk away from it work on rubbing the meat by the time I get back its up to temp ready to go. Make sure to check you damper on the fan is open,there are 3 makings on the blower damper play with it on a few test runs until you learn it. Also which blower did you get? I have the 10 cfm. And don't rely on the lid thermometer as I'm sure you know they're not too accurate. Keep us posted, hopefully we can help you figure this out.
 
Enrico you will appreciate the dx2 on those long cooks and its ease of use, I know I do
 
Hi Enrico,
I posted this same post on another forum and the general consensus is that I left the vent closed on the bbq guru fan and that prevented it from working to its potential. Not knowing for sure if it was opened or closed I cant really answer that. Ill try it again this weekend and let you know how it goes. I will also try the cove technique you talk about.


I mean this way, just in front of 1 of tge bottom vents to which you could apply the fan....



IMG_4108 di BBQness, su Flickr
 
I haven't had an issue with making a slight indention in middle of the coals and adding 10-15 lit. I even use coals leftover from a previous cook to start it. I really think 5 lit would suffice. All vents open until it gets within 20 degrees of desired temp and set it up as you like. This takes about 20 mins to level out the temp for the cook.
 
I have the digi q and I smoked ribs tonight and had some difficulty. This was only the second time I used it and the third overall smoke on my 18.5. Last time I smoked I noticed the pit temp and the lid temperature were very close. When I started cooking I noticed that the temps were very far apart, so I moved the pit clamp and then the temps were very close to each other. Is their a specific spot on the grate that I should be attaching the clamp to? I also noticed a big discrepancy when I foiled the ribs. It was very frustrating especially when you spend all this money so you don't have to deal with this.
 
I don't have a Guru but I have a Stoker (getting fixed right now) and from reading posts, with the ATC, you should only have to light the pit, have bottom vents closed (except vent your ATC is attached to) and have the top vent open. Depending on the fuel (lump or charcoal), your vents may need some adjusting until you learn where they should be. Once you have it dialed in, you shouldn't have to touch the vents at all since the ATC will be pushing the needed air flow over the coals to keep the heat going. If using briquettes, after a while, you may have to deal with ash build-up but that should be it. I haven't had much success with my Stoker on keeping steady temps since I am still figuring out how it reacts to the top vent and how far I should open it along with the type of charcoal I am using.

Dave
 
Kevin I place my pit probe on the center of the cooking grate when using my digi q 2, forget about the thermometer on the lid, they can be off by as much as 50* , ur guru will tell u all u need to know temp wise.what temp are u smoking your ribs at? The top vet is the only vent you should play with when using ur ATC, I keep mine wide open and never have to touch it no matter what temp I'm smoking at..
 
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It takes a couple of cooks for your digi to learn your cooker. Damper your fan down to 50% when you start it up at let it go. It will over shoot your cooker by as much as 10-15degrees so adjust you temps according.
 
Kevin I place my pit probe on the center of the cooking grate when using my digi q 2, forget about the thermometer on the lid, they can be off by as much as 50* , ur guru will tell u all u need to know temp wise.what temp are u smoking your ribs at? The top vet is the only vent you should play with when using ur ATC, I keep mine wide open and never have to touch it no matter what temp I'm smoking at..

You say ..... Just play w/the top/exhaust vent. But what about the 3 bottom vent. 1 is busy with the fan (1 hole of 3. The other 2 holes ??????). The second and the third vent just ALWAYS closed ????????
 
Damper your fan down to 50% when you start it up at let it go. It will over shoot your cooker by as much as 10-15degrees so adjust you temps according.

Sorry, but my english is not good enough to understand correctly what you mean. Do you mean to close the fan at 50% when i start cooking and let il go ?
The second part I don't understand. Please help me.
Thanks
 
You say ..... Just play w/the top/exhaust vent. But what about the 3 bottom vent. 1 is busy with the fan (1 hole of 3. The other 2 holes ??????). The second and the third vent just ALWAYS closed ????????

Sorry I should have been more detailed, yes the other two vent should be closed and the vent with the blower u can use high heat tape to seal the remaining holes on the occupied vent.
 
Sorry, but my english is not good enough to understand correctly what you mean. Do you mean to close the fan at 50% when i start cooking and let il go ?
The second part I don't understand. Please help me.
Thanks

The blower has a damper with 3 settings (marks) on it. When I first got my dx2 I had to cook with the damper 1/3 open but I use it with an 18.5. Maybe 2/3 on a 22.5 but u will figure it out very quick if u over shoot ur target temp,just cut back on the damper. Hope this helps.
 
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It takes a couple of cooks for your digi to learn your cooker. Damper your fan down to 50% when you start it up at let it go. It will over shoot your cooker by as much as 10-15degrees so adjust you temps according.

The learning function is only for each cook. Power off the guru and the learning starts all over.
 

 

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