LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
Well I've got to say I'm pretty disappointed in my Stoker on this second cook. In fact if someone was to ask me whether to purchase a Stoker or a DigiQ II, 13 hours into this smoke I'd have to tell them get the DigiQ II.
Just like my last cook I had to "wake-up" the stoker. What I mean by this is I'd been running her with the top vent 100% open, she was maintaining 230s without any blower action. she'd been running in the 230s and rising (no fan action) at all (SEE GRAPH) so around 2:30 a.m. (yep, I have a automatic draft control system and I'm babysitting this piece of S*&# at 2:30 a.m.) I close vents to 60% open. I watch the temp drop on my Stokerlog, dropping, dropping, dropping past the 225 setting I have my Stoker to maintain. Blower never comes on. Having had this happen last time I adjust the pit temp from 225 to 224 (when temp had reached 219) and the blower comes back on. What the hell? As I said this is not the first time I've had to do this, I believe I had to do the same thing twice on first Stoker cook.
Next issue, so around 7:30 a.m. (ish) I look at my Stokerlog and notice it's not logging anything. I try to get data from stoker and nothing, I try to connect to the stoker via a web browser using the IP, nothing, I try again, again and again, nothing. So I check my wireless bridge. No problem, I can connect to her, open her admin tools, she's running like a champ. So I go outside and look at the Stoker display, she's glazed over, totally blank!! So I power her down for 60 seconds, turn her back on, reset everything up, come back in and I can connect to her again. ***?
OK, just as I was writing this message I had to "wake" the Stoker up again by adjusting the pit temp by one degree. This is ridiculous, why the hell did I buy this thing if the fan isn't going to come on without me adjusting the temp one degree? I bought this so I wouldn't have to babysit.
Honestly guys, I can control my temps better than this thing with my clay saucer.
Here's are some more GRAPHS from after I had to reboot the Stoker. Also here are some PICTURES from my cook.
Sorry to ***** guys, I know there are many out there who love their Stokers and I'd love to also, but I've got to be honest with you, I've seen a buddy of mine who is a new DigiQ II user use his system now twice, and it's pretty much set it and forget it and it is rock solid on 225 the entire cook. Also I'm a bit peeved as I bought this so I could sleep through night and last night I didn't get much sleep as I was stressed out and kept looking over at my laptop on my nightstand.
Thanks for listening and I hope someone out there has some ideas.
Go Giants!
Just like my last cook I had to "wake-up" the stoker. What I mean by this is I'd been running her with the top vent 100% open, she was maintaining 230s without any blower action. she'd been running in the 230s and rising (no fan action) at all (SEE GRAPH) so around 2:30 a.m. (yep, I have a automatic draft control system and I'm babysitting this piece of S*&# at 2:30 a.m.) I close vents to 60% open. I watch the temp drop on my Stokerlog, dropping, dropping, dropping past the 225 setting I have my Stoker to maintain. Blower never comes on. Having had this happen last time I adjust the pit temp from 225 to 224 (when temp had reached 219) and the blower comes back on. What the hell? As I said this is not the first time I've had to do this, I believe I had to do the same thing twice on first Stoker cook.
Next issue, so around 7:30 a.m. (ish) I look at my Stokerlog and notice it's not logging anything. I try to get data from stoker and nothing, I try to connect to the stoker via a web browser using the IP, nothing, I try again, again and again, nothing. So I check my wireless bridge. No problem, I can connect to her, open her admin tools, she's running like a champ. So I go outside and look at the Stoker display, she's glazed over, totally blank!! So I power her down for 60 seconds, turn her back on, reset everything up, come back in and I can connect to her again. ***?
OK, just as I was writing this message I had to "wake" the Stoker up again by adjusting the pit temp by one degree. This is ridiculous, why the hell did I buy this thing if the fan isn't going to come on without me adjusting the temp one degree? I bought this so I wouldn't have to babysit.
Honestly guys, I can control my temps better than this thing with my clay saucer.
Here's are some more GRAPHS from after I had to reboot the Stoker. Also here are some PICTURES from my cook.
Sorry to ***** guys, I know there are many out there who love their Stokers and I'd love to also, but I've got to be honest with you, I've seen a buddy of mine who is a new DigiQ II user use his system now twice, and it's pretty much set it and forget it and it is rock solid on 225 the entire cook. Also I'm a bit peeved as I bought this so I could sleep through night and last night I didn't get much sleep as I was stressed out and kept looking over at my laptop on my nightstand.
Thanks for listening and I hope someone out there has some ideas.
Go Giants!