At least for today. Figure water and electronics generally do not mix. Maybe tomorrow! In the mean time, I am still playing with this awesome device at my desk. I have it working (at least on my desk) and seems to be doing everything it is supposed to. Question is, is the pit sensor and Food sensor calibrated differently? They are sitting next to each other but registering a 3 degrees difference. Ultimately that probably does not matter, but is it supposed to do that?
Rain washing out my Stoker test run
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Each probe has a calibration setting that will adjust it. In my opinion 3 degrees is "good enough" but there are people that place the probes in boiling water (just the tip of the probe), calculate what temperature water boils at for their elevation above sea level and adjust the calibration based on that.
That is truly too bad about the rain. The probes are sealed but you shouldn't get the blower motor, Stoker unit or the probe plugs wet (I believe the probe plugs are sealed but they contain a small circuit board with a chip or two on it so you don't want to get it wet). Some people build tin foil tents over the blower motor and have the Stoker in a box and under the roof eave to protect it from the weather. Any chance you can do that?
That is truly too bad about the rain. The probes are sealed but you shouldn't get the blower motor, Stoker unit or the probe plugs wet (I believe the probe plugs are sealed but they contain a small circuit board with a chip or two on it so you don't want to get it wet). Some people build tin foil tents over the blower motor and have the Stoker in a box and under the roof eave to protect it from the weather. Any chance you can do that?
I think we need to start building an ark in the NE this weekend. Another day of rain, with a hurricane going to Maine no less. Not brave enough to risk the equipment on its inaugural journey, so we wait till next week. Unfortunately for me, next week is supposed to be a 15+ person cookout, and this w/e was my test run. Oh well, just dive it. The equipment seems to be working at my desk.
Eric Aarseth
TVWBB Super Fan
Larry, I'm thinking about getting a stoker unit with the idea I can start my WSM in the morning and monitor it from work via computer. Reading the posts and Rock's website I'm not sure if I understand the whole process. I see what looks to be a wireless router in your bucket. Do you have a computer at home that then is connected via a wireless card? How do you then input the data to Rock's website.
You are probably rolling your eyes and concluded I'm hopeless - but maybe not. Anyway, I don't really need the Stoker, but if I could monitor and run from work, that would be worth something.
If you have a router at your home, you pronbably can monitor from work. You can hook your stoker to the router either by wire (recommended) , or a wireless bridge. You'll then have to go into your router setup and forward port 80 to the IP address of your router. You can then access your router from the outside world. This sounds simple unless you don't know how to do it. We can help.
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
Hi Eric, Here's my setup - Wireless router for my home network, wireless bridge that connects my Stoker to my wireless router, wireless and wired PCs that connect to my router and access my Stoker.
While my wireless bridge works great it does drop connection from time to time, which for me isn't a big deal as I home office and can reconnect easily. If you were off site I'd recommend hard wiring your stoker to your router.
Ken is right on port forwarding or, I have used a product called "LogMeIn" to access one of my home computers running Stokerlog via the Internet. LogMeIn is free.
Lastly, as Ken wrote, lots of people on here who are willing to help you set this up.
While my wireless bridge works great it does drop connection from time to time, which for me isn't a big deal as I home office and can reconnect easily. If you were off site I'd recommend hard wiring your stoker to your router.
Ken is right on port forwarding or, I have used a product called "LogMeIn" to access one of my home computers running Stokerlog via the Internet. LogMeIn is free.
Lastly, as Ken wrote, lots of people on here who are willing to help you set this up.
Eric Aarseth
TVWBB Super Fan
Thanks Ken. You've answered my primary question which was, can I do it. I don't have a Stoker right now so no point in asking clarifying questions now but it sounds doable.
Can't stand it, now i'm so curious I have to ask: I'm currently running a wireless router from my cable box (internet provider). I have another wired router that I'm not using. I guess in my mind I'm assuming I not only need to have the wired router connected to the Stoker but then also run wire all the way to the computer that is connected to the internet. That computer then "talks" to the Stoker and can also transfer the data to the website that I can access independently from work. Is this the general working diagram minus the details of how to get the Stoke to "talk" to the wired router and the computer to "see" the Stoker?
Can't stand it, now i'm so curious I have to ask: I'm currently running a wireless router from my cable box (internet provider). I have another wired router that I'm not using. I guess in my mind I'm assuming I not only need to have the wired router connected to the Stoker but then also run wire all the way to the computer that is connected to the internet. That computer then "talks" to the Stoker and can also transfer the data to the website that I can access independently from work. Is this the general working diagram minus the details of how to get the Stoke to "talk" to the wired router and the computer to "see" the Stoker?
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
Eric, a router is different than a bridge. The bridge is added to connect your device wirelessly to the router. A wired setup only requires a wire running from your wireless router to your Stoker. No bridge required. I'm assuming your wireless router has "ports" for wired devices.
Eric Aarseth
TVWBB Super Fan
My wireless router does have wired ports. Did not know the diff between bridge and router, but I think I now do. That probably is a good measure for my level of technical knowledge on the subject (i.e. just enough to be dangerous).
Thank you Larry for the help.
Tom Burrus
TVWBB Fan
Hi Eric, Just to clarify a couple of points. First no data is sent to Rock's website. The Stoker has a built-in webserver that you use to control the Stoker from your computer (via your home network, either wired or wireless through a bridge.) To get the Stoker to work through the home network is pretty straightforward, especially if you wire it to your router directly. It gets a little more complex using a bridge but it is still pretty straightforward.
However, viewing the Stoker from a distant computer over the internet is another story altogether. I have done it, just to see if I could, but then I "undid" it because I don't need that functionality and I felt exposed with an open connection to the internet on my router.
Using Ken's excellent StokerTimers program, I monitor the cook via text messages sent to my cell phone on a regular basis (every 15 minutes or so) while I'm at my local pub for a pint during a long cook. All the while, StokerLog is recording the chart on my computer. It is a lower-tech way to go but it is very effective (and a good conversation tool!) In reality, once you get the hang of the Stoker, monitoring is not really too necessary... it just holds the temp steady until you run too low on fuel. The Stoker is a beautiful device. Good luck!
Eric Aarseth
TVWBB Super Fan
Thanks for the clarification. As usual, simplifying is better. Ok. This gives me a pretty good picture of what I can do with the Stoker. Text updates work for me.
