Big Steel Keg question


 
I have found that the secret to running a fan/damper on a Kamado style smoker is to let the Damper do most the work. On my Akorn, I have the fan set on 0%min, 30% max, and on at 50% (Fan will not kick in unless damper is open at least 50%)

This lets the damper do most of the work to allow natural flow-through to the smoker. Also I leave the top damper open about a pencil width (1/4" or so)
 
I have a keg & it takes a LOT of patience not to overshoot. If your gasket is older, you probably need to replace it, that helped mine a bunch. I don't use heatermeter a lot, just on low & slows but at the beginning I couldn't run below 275* (no damper, fan would naturally draft too much to keep 225).
 
I think I found settings that worked well for me.

P=12, I=.004, D=6

Fan output Voltage on above 0% min 10% max 60% startup max 15%

It held at 225 + or - 3 to 4 degrees for a few hours

Wes
 
I have a keg too. I find it requires a high P and D to run properly. Also, you got it right with a low startup max. You need to creep up to the setpoint or you'll overshoot, then take so long to come down, that the fire goes out. Here's my settings:

P: 20
I: 0.01
D: 10
Fan on above 10%
Min: 0%
max: 25%
Startup max: 5%
Servo output is inverted on mine.

Top vent set at 1.5.
I seal the bottom around my damper adapter plate with foil hvac tape each time.
 
I don't have a keg so my statements may be way off base, I use the HM mainly on an akorn Kamado. That said, I have heard people talk about low startup max settings and creeping up the startup temp slowly and find that not to be the best method in my experience. Reason being, when the HM sees a slow rate of change in pit temp it will react slowly, when the HM sees a fast rate of change it will react faster. So when startup max is set high the rate of change is fast and the HM reacts faster to reduce the output as the temp rapidly approaches the setpoint.
I prefer to leave the startup max high (I use 100%), when I build the fire I make sure not to light too many coals (I use 1/2 a weber starter cube for low and slow). I let it burn with the lid open unit I see the smoke from the starter cube go away and then close the lid with the top vent open just a little bit. The pit temp should rise rapidly, the HM should react rapidly, the output will cut off on or before the target temp is achieved and the tight top vent will help choke the fire to the proper size. At this point the blower MAX value will kick it, I generally set this much lower (like 30%), so when the blower kicks on again it will be at a much slower speed. At this point I adjust the top vent so the HM runs in roughly in the 30% range to maintain the target temp.
This is just my method, I know there are many other methods being used since the HM setup is so flexible and the variety of grills it is being used on is so wide.
 
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