Battle tested my Guru DigiqII in -20 windchill today


 

Tom Raveret

TVWBB Pro
With Temps not expected to hit zero today I thought it would be a perfect day to do a little Q'ing and fire up the WSM and battle test my Guru DigiQ-II

Deciding to try and brave the elements today I did a load of spares on the WSM with wonderful performance.

I was afraid that the fan could sieze up but after I used it through a snow storm a few weeks ago for an overnight with decent results (and some snow built up on the fan but no problems).

The old days of running outiside after the old maverick et-73 started beeping are gone!! (just for giggles i hooked up the et-73 to watch from inside remotely)

The Guru held temps perfectly! through the wind and the very cold weather.

The Guru is not listed as weatherproof or waterproof so I cut a whole in a plastic glad and carefully made sure that water wouldnt be an issue but i dont have any kind of shield to protect the fan or deflect precipitation.

While things have worked great for me I dont like pushing my luck. Has anyone developed a shield??
 
I use a plastic bag on the unit itself and I make a little foil tent for the motor. I plan on doing some ribs today as well. Last night was -10 but today we should be out of the -'s.

rob
 
Hi Tom, You have more guts then I have!I live appox.20 miles south(Racine). Did you use a wind screen at all? I just received my Guru and I'm thinking of working with it when the weather warms up.Do you have any pictures? You made me hungary for some ribs.
 
Chuck, in case this is your first unit, be sure to check the settings before using, as it will be set up in the ramp mode. While it won't matter on a timed cook, it will effect cooks that monitor internal temps. I found out the hard way last year when I got mine. Didn't know it was on and I was cooking a butt and couldn't figure out why the pit temps kept dropping. It (the ramp mode) was turned on and when the internal comes within 25* of the desired finishing temp, it will drop the pit temp so you don't over shoot the internal.
 
I did put up a windscreen. I have two three panel folding screens a friend made from the material they make the snow plow blades from.

For the electronics I use a plastic glad container with a small hole cut out for the wires. I'll have to think of how to configure a aluminum foil tent that wouldnt be blown away.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom Raveret:
The Guru is not listed as weatherproof or waterproof </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Tom, yes it is. It says so in the very first line of the product description. Link for you.
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thats another plus for it Bryan thanks for that useful tidbit!!! I still want to put things ina plastic case. Why test the waterproof feature if you don't have to!!
 
have any of you had problems with the WSM coming up to temp? I have a older Guru Etemp and it just seems I cant get it up to temp that the colder air Im blowing in is pushing out all the hot air. Have you guys throttled back the fan and vents dramatically?
 
I used a pit viper fan running at 18 volts on my DIY Guru this past Saturday on the WSM. Worked fine. Make sure all your intake vents are closed. You can also play with the fan's damper too if you want. Mine is half open. My fan mount drafts down as well.

Also, consider using another thermometer for reference. The was a thread somewhere about recalibrating a Guru competitor but I'm not sure where. It involved reseting the knobs.

-rob
 
Question? Do you really need a wind screen when you are using a DigiQll? all the bottom vents are closed off.
Just wondering.
 
I'm going to be using my DigiQll tomorrow for the first time!!!I have one question, Do I put the ribs on right away or hold off till I hit the 225 temp? I'll post pictures later.Thanks for any help an d ideas.I'm using Kingsford charcoal.
 
Chuck, I always minion the start for ribs. Just dump your lit on top of the unlit add your wood on-top of the lit coals, assemble the WSM add the ribs right away and you're off. No need to wait for it to come up to temp.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
Question? Do you really need a wind screen when you are using a DigiQll? all the bottom vents are closed off.
Just wondering. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's a good question, I just figured since I always used one in windy conditions (which affected fuel consuption and contirbuted to spiking temps in the past) to help keep the temps stable.

Did I NEED it not sure but it was blowing alot that night so when the winds are high I use the screen

The other benefit of the windscreen is it kept the snow from blowing in or on the fan which could concievable short the fan out.
 

 

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