JeffB
TVWBB Pro
I used my DigiQ DX II BBQ temperature control for the first time this Thanksgiving to smoke a 14 pound turkey on my WSM 22.5. 
Once I figured out just exactly how it operated and worked out a few kinks in using it, I am blown away by how great this gadget is and would recommend to anybody using a WSM or other smoker to consider getting one for themselves. It’s a great tool that I believe will vastly simplify your life and make cooking on your WSM, BGE or other smoker that much easier and enjoyable.
For my planned 3-3.5 hour cook, I did not use the MM because I did not need that much fuel. I just needed a hot (325-350*) smoker for 3+ hours and I was good. Following the advice I saw on another forum, I left open all the lower vents while the smoker got up to temp and then planned to close them and let the DigiQ take over from there. I set the DigiQ to have a pit temperature of 325*, dumped in my lit charcoal (a used a FULL chimney of lit which should have been sufficient to hit those temps) and sat and waited. After 45 minutes or so the grate temperature was fluctuating between 285* to about 300*, but never approached the 325* mark. I was a bit flustered but went ahead and put my bird on the smoker because of time constraints. My temperature then dropped to below 300* and I was getting pretty upset. The external air temperature that day was in the lower 50’s and it was drizzling outside which I thought could be affecting my temps. I finally figured out 2 problems with my approach. These appear to be KEY to using the DigiQ successfully. As an aside, I was using the DigiQ with the Pit Viper blower system that I purchased as a package.
First, dump in your coals, maybe wait a few minutes and then shut all the lower vents. It seems that by leaving them OPEN, the cool air entering my WSM through those vents was keeping the coals from reaching the set temperature on the DigiQ. Once I closed them, the DigiQ quickly got up to temperature. Ding ding ding…we have a winner!
Second, and this is important too. The factory “default” temperature range on the DigiQ is 50* plus or minus which I did not realize when I first used the unit. So, if you set the grate temperature to reach 300*, the DigiQ can range from 250* to 350* (50* plus or minus the set temperature) before the alarm goes off by going outside of this range. The factory default can be changed from a range of 20* to 125* plus or minus your set temperature. I changed it to 20* instead of 50* and the DigiQ worked like a charm. It never fluctuated by more than 5* and most of the time the grate temperature was spot on at 350*. Consistently at 350* for 2 hours straight. Wow…just WOW!
I can’t wait to use this thing on an overnight cook and not worry about temperature control on my WSM ever again. Why fool with adjusting the openings on the lower vents when the DigiQ streamlines the temperature control so effortlessly?
That is my review of the DigiQ DX II. I hope you find this information helpful.
Once I figured out just exactly how it operated and worked out a few kinks in using it, I am blown away by how great this gadget is and would recommend to anybody using a WSM or other smoker to consider getting one for themselves. It’s a great tool that I believe will vastly simplify your life and make cooking on your WSM, BGE or other smoker that much easier and enjoyable. For my planned 3-3.5 hour cook, I did not use the MM because I did not need that much fuel. I just needed a hot (325-350*) smoker for 3+ hours and I was good. Following the advice I saw on another forum, I left open all the lower vents while the smoker got up to temp and then planned to close them and let the DigiQ take over from there. I set the DigiQ to have a pit temperature of 325*, dumped in my lit charcoal (a used a FULL chimney of lit which should have been sufficient to hit those temps) and sat and waited. After 45 minutes or so the grate temperature was fluctuating between 285* to about 300*, but never approached the 325* mark. I was a bit flustered but went ahead and put my bird on the smoker because of time constraints. My temperature then dropped to below 300* and I was getting pretty upset. The external air temperature that day was in the lower 50’s and it was drizzling outside which I thought could be affecting my temps. I finally figured out 2 problems with my approach. These appear to be KEY to using the DigiQ successfully. As an aside, I was using the DigiQ with the Pit Viper blower system that I purchased as a package.
First, dump in your coals, maybe wait a few minutes and then shut all the lower vents. It seems that by leaving them OPEN, the cool air entering my WSM through those vents was keeping the coals from reaching the set temperature on the DigiQ. Once I closed them, the DigiQ quickly got up to temperature. Ding ding ding…we have a winner!
Second, and this is important too. The factory “default” temperature range on the DigiQ is 50* plus or minus which I did not realize when I first used the unit. So, if you set the grate temperature to reach 300*, the DigiQ can range from 250* to 350* (50* plus or minus the set temperature) before the alarm goes off by going outside of this range. The factory default can be changed from a range of 20* to 125* plus or minus your set temperature. I changed it to 20* instead of 50* and the DigiQ worked like a charm. It never fluctuated by more than 5* and most of the time the grate temperature was spot on at 350*. Consistently at 350* for 2 hours straight. Wow…just WOW!
I can’t wait to use this thing on an overnight cook and not worry about temperature control on my WSM ever again. Why fool with adjusting the openings on the lower vents when the DigiQ streamlines the temperature control so effortlessly?
That is my review of the DigiQ DX II. I hope you find this information helpful.
