Total rookie move.
I got the bbq guru dx3. Drilled a 1 3/8" hole next to one of the bottom vents. Install looked slick and clean.
I started an over night cook. Closed the bottom vents, opened the top vent and set my temp for 250, watched it get up to 245ish, heard the fan whirling and then went to bed.
I noticed that the temp was dropping little by little throughout the night when I was half asleep looking at my wireless thermometer. I was too tired and too determined to let the bbq guru do the work so I let things be.
Next morning, I found the temp all the way down to 210.
Scratching my head, I pulled out the manual and read it for the first time.
Apparently, there is a vent on the pit viper itself and I had it closed off the entire night / choking the oxygen.
I took this opportunity to add a 2/3rd full chimney of lit briquettes and cracked the pit viper open 1/3rd (as manual recommended) and watched the temp climb to 250.
I then left for my son's baseball game and came back hours later to a 250 temp grill. This was freaking amazing!
I then finished my short rib plate, pulled it off, and threw it in the cooler.
With plenty of.juice left in the charcoal, I turned the temp on the guru to 300 to put on some wings.
This thing is like an oven, it came up to 300 within minutes and I put on my wings.
Besides my initial mistake of not opening the pit viper vent Bbq guru has honestly automated BBQing. There's litey nothing to think or worry about anymore.
I am now going to focus on meat injections and different rubs as fire management has been taken off my plate.
I can't wait for the next cook.