Aubers Temperature Controller for Charcoal Smoker


 
I don't have this particular controller but I did use one of Auber's PID controllers in my DIY controller.

I changed all of the settings to the same as what your controller is set to in the beginning with poor results. I also tried the auto tune. Not much luck with that either. It wanted to "surge" the fan on and off.

I switched it to simple on/off mode and it's been working awesome ever since. I set it to come on at a three degree differential, so if it's set at 225, and the temp gets down to 222, it kicks the fan on until the temp gets back to 225, then kicks it off. That way, the fan doesn't over stoke the fire. I think that's the problem you guys are having with the overshoot. The fire is getting stoked too hot bringing the temp up and it takes too long for it to cool back down.

Anyways, I've had great success with the on/off mode on 10 plus overnight cooks and never missed a wink of sleep.

One more thing, I let the smoker get up to temp on it's own before turning on my controller. That way it doesn't overshoot. I also have a switch on mine to turn off the fan when I raise the lid so it doesn't stoke the fire.

Good Luck

Aaron
 
I switched it to simple on/off mode and it's been working awesome ever since. I set it to come on at a three degree differential, so if it's set at 225, and the temp gets down to 222, it kicks the fan on until the temp gets back to 225, then kicks it off. That way, the fan doesn't over stoke the fire. I think that's the problem you guys are having with the overshoot. The fire is getting stoked too hot bringing the temp up and it takes too long for it to cool back down
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Great tip, thanks. It was something I had thought about trying. The unit waits to long to respond then responds too much. Sounds like you got the fix.
 
I am still new to the WSM- and I appreciate this site. This seems like a good deal for a ATC. Is this a complete kit, or am I missing something? How does this compare price and features to other ATCs?
 
I am still new to the WSM- and I appreciate this site. This seems like a good deal for a ATC. Is this a complete kit, or am I missing something? How does this compare price and features to other ATCs?
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I think I paid around $150 for the atc and fan, which is a complete set up.

IMO, the wsm runs fine without an atc. I generally like a slow ramp up and prefer to let the wsm settle where it wants and have found that I can let it go at that temp, for long stretches of time, without any vent adjustments. I'm finding the atc doesn't work all that well with the wsm, and kind of interferes with the way it works. I suspect that to get the atc to work, I'm going to have to make the wsm more air tight. I recently picked up a primo jr and figure I'll have better luck getting it tuned to that.

I decided to buy the auber unit because I liked the price and wanted it for insurance during comps. I like to have my meats on a tighter schedule during a comp and letting the wsm settle where it wants usually means that the meat finishes before or after when I want it to.

With that being said, my guess is that all atcs (guru, stoker, etc) are based on the PID controller. And if that assumption is correct, than the auber should run no better or worse than the others, it just doesn't have a bell or a whistle (actually it does have a rather sad alarm).

I don't have anything to compare to, but I have seen temp logs from stoker controlled units that suggest to me that all atcs are imprecise and allow temps to cycle.
 
Ran again today. This time running 300 for a competition style Pulled pork based on 'The Pickled Pig' method.

Assembled the unit cold with about 20 briqs for a minion and the ATC running. It got up to temp in about 1 hour and didn't overshoot. Today was windy but I was worried about it possibly "running" away again but it didn't do that.

Since autotuning mine has worked much better than the default setting, maybe next cook I'll try the on/off mode and see what happens.

Aaron, I like your idea of a second switch to shut the fan off when the lid is open!
 
Originally posted by RodneyS:
I am still new to the WSM- and I appreciate this site. This seems like a good deal for a ATC. Is this a complete kit, or am I missing something? How does this compare price and features to other ATCs?
Click to expand...

When I purchased mine they were having a special, all included controller, temp probe, fan, adapter plate and shipping was $112.

As Jay said, the WSM (and my egg and Jay's Primo) all have very decent temperature control. I find that after 3 years on the Egg and 5 years on a Pro-Q (20" WSM type clone) that I knew vent positions and would set them once and get the temperature I wanted. The ATC is overkill as I've run both the Pro-Q and Egg for over 12 hours each with very little vent adjusting until the very end of the cook for the Pro-Q as charcoal began to run out. I think that at 250 and loaded full I could go about 20 hours in the egg.

If you are new to the WSM I'd concentrate on learning how to use it, control the temperature, set different temps and how it effects your cooking. Once you can turn out consistent results add the ATC or other goodies. Figuring out your method for cooking the various meats is more important in my opinion than getting temperature control down to a degree.

At this point I believe I could produce an excellent Brisket, Pork Butt, Chicken or Ribs on a smoker running anywhere from 200 - 350.
 
Ran again today. This time running 300 for a competition style Pulled pork based on 'The Pickled Pig' method.

Since autotuning mine has worked much better than the default setting, maybe next cook I'll try the on/off mode and see what happens.
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which unit were you running?

what kind of temp oscillations were your getting?

If you are new to the WSM I'd concentrate on learning how to use it, control the temperature, set different temps and how it effects your cooking. Once you can turn out consistent results add the ATC or other goodies. Figuring out your method for cooking the various meats is more important in my opinion than getting temperature control down to a degree.

At this point I believe I could produce an excellent Brisket, Pork Butt, Chicken or Ribs on a smoker running anywhere from 200 - 350.
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amen!
 
Hi, I'm new and found my way here looking for info on draft controllers, looks like I'll get to provide some as well. Wiki has a solid little blip on tuning PID loops, it's worth a read.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller
If you are having ringing your Ki is most likely too high.
It is important to remember that these tuning parameters will change a little based on outside temperature, water/no water, amount and temp of meat etc.
But most importantly the size and heat of the fire can DRASTICALLY alter the performance of your tuning parameters.

-MD
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Ran again today. This time running 300 for a competition style Pulled pork based on 'The Pickled Pig' method.

Since autotuning mine has worked much better than the default setting, maybe next cook I'll try the on/off mode and see what happens.
Click to expand...

which unit were you running?

what kind of temp oscillations were your getting?

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ran on the Egg. I'm only using the Pro-Q these days for big cooks such as ribs or multiple briskets. With a setpoint of 300 I didn't see anything over 300 and once it'd been running for an hour I didn't see anything less than 290. About every 30-40 minutes I'd go out and check on it, which is what I do with or without the ATC. Every time I went out the fan was running.

Since it was cold outside (for me in the lower 50s) I finished the cook up in the oven once I foiled so only ran the smoker for 4 hours.
 
Originally posted by ACrocker:

I switched it to simple on/off mode and it's been working awesome ever since. I set it to come on at a three degree differential, so if it's set at 225, and the temp gets down to 222, it kicks the fan on until the temp gets back to 225, then kicks it off. That way, the fan doesn't over stoke the fire. I think that's the problem you guys are having with the overshoot. The fire is getting stoked too hot bringing the temp up and it takes too long for it to cool back down.

Aaron
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Bravo! Many times the lower tech solution is neglected even though it turns out to be a better one.

Have you tried different sized fans? I suspect you should be able to use a much smaller fan.

How about windy conditions, does this cause a problem?

Curt
 
Originally posted by Curt Timmerman:
Bravo! Many times the lower tech solution is neglected even though it turns out to be a better one.

Have you tried different sized fans? I suspect you should be able to use a much smaller fan.

How about windy conditions, does this cause a problem?

Curt
Click to expand...

throttling the fan is a good way to figure out if a smaller fan will work better...it reduces the effective gain of the feedback path
 
Anything new to report on the Auber temp control unit? I've been keeping an eye on this posting as I am interested in getting one. I actually wrote to Aubers and asked if they are doing a dual probe unit with the fan, they responded by saying that they could not rule it out. It may be in the product line offering for this year but not 100% sure. I think I may hold out for that.
 
Nothing new on my end. I haven't used my again after the first try on the primo. Luckily everything is here in this thread, so I can skim it to remember what the plan is for getting it working.

At this point, I'm very curious to know how much differently this thing operates when compared to a
guru.
 
Originally posted by Curt Timmerman:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ACrocker:

I switched it to simple on/off mode and it's been working awesome ever since. I set it to come on at a three degree differential, so if it's set at 225, and the temp gets down to 222, it kicks the fan on until the temp gets back to 225, then kicks it off. That way, the fan doesn't over stoke the fire. I think that's the problem you guys are having with the overshoot. The fire is getting stoked too hot bringing the temp up and it takes too long for it to cool back down.

Aaron
Click to expand...

Bravo! Many times the lower tech solution is neglected even though it turns out to be a better one.

Have you tried different sized fans? I suspect you should be able to use a much smaller fan.

How about windy conditions, does this cause a problem?

Curt </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Curt,

The fan I installed is probably around a 5 CFM model. I'm not sure, since it wasn't labeled and it came out of my parts box from old pc's. I had many to choose from. It's the only one I've used and it works great. When the temp is stable around 225, it takes a couple of minutes to raise the temp around five degrees (*With maybe one to two degrees of overshoot*). So, I have about a five degree swing in temp.

Windy conditions don't affect the performance of the fan at all. The enclosure I have for the fan doesn't let much wind in. If you haven't seen it, check this post: My ATC

Aaron
 
After a few months and couple of uses my power adapter broke. I went to unplug it and the case pulled away from the outlet, leaving behind the prongs and the back of the case, severing one of the wires. I emailed Auber and I got a replacement in the mail in 72 hours
icon_eek.gif
The good news is that they have outstanding customer service.

I suggest that anyone with an Auber, should put a few wraps of electrical tape around the brick of their power adapter. Seems like reasonable assurance.
 
Got my Auber controller literally in the middle of my first smoke with my WSM 22.5". I went ahead and hooked it up and let it run things. I made several mistakes, although my ribs came out fantastic:

1 - This device is intelligent, so if you start in the middle of things, you screw up the "brain" of the device. At one point the temp was dropping fast, so I opened up the vents other than the one with the fan. My advise to anyone buying the Auber is that you need plenty of fired up coals even if you are going Minion. Let it run things.

2 - Crap, you are not supposed to fill the water bowl when you use this thing. I had already put water in. It seemed that the auber struggled to adjust the temp. Of course, because you had a water pan in there.

3 - In general, the wsm can probably manage the temp on its own. Overnight smokes, maybe you need the temp control.
 
Used my Auber on my first overnight smoke. I had two 7 lb butts.I loaded the charcoal ring with unlit K briqs then added 1/2 chimney lit coals. No water in the pan just lined with foil for easy cleanup. Put both butts on top grate and let the Auber do the driving.

8pm start. 9pm the temp was 235...target was 225. At 10pm temp was 230. At that point I crashed.

Woke up at 4am and rushed outside to find the Auber holding steady right at 225. Went back to bed; at 6:30 got up and checked again...rock solid 225.

At 8am the temp started to dip...I stoked the coals (knocked off tons of ash) and the temp jumped right back up. Held very steady all the way to noon when meat temp hit 190. I pulled the butts and split one in half and pulled for my family, and wrapped the rest in foil and held in my oven at 170 for a party later.

The stuff I pulled right away was good, but the butt I let rest for a couple of hours was like butter. I was very popular at the party. Great taste and texture.

Lesson...you should let the butt rest an hour or two wrapped in foil (in the oven at 160 or in a cambro) after removing from the smoker.

The Auber did a fantastic job. I highly recommend it for overnights. My next "project" will be a brisket.
 
Originally posted by James Jacobson:
Used my Auber on my first overnight smoke. I had two 7 lb butts.I loaded the charcoal ring with unlit K briqs then added 1/2 chimney lit coals. No water in the pan just lined with foil for easy cleanup. Put both butts on top grate Nd let the Auber do the driving.

8pm start. 9pm the temp was 235...target was 225. At 10pm temp was 230. At that point I crashed.

Woke up at 4am and rushed outside to find the Auber holding steady right at 225. Went back to bed; at 6:30 got up and checked again...rock solid 225.

At 8am the temp started to dip...I stoked the coals (knocked off tons of ash) and the temp jumped right back up. Held very steady all the way to noon when meat temp hit 190. I pulled the butts and split one in half and pulled for my family, and wrapped the rest in foil and held in my oven at 170 for a party later.

The stuff I pulled right away was good, but the butt I let rest for a couple of hours was like butter. I was very popular at the party. Great taste and texture.

Lesson...you should let the butt rest and hour or two after pulling.

The Auber did a fantastic job. I highly recommend it for overnights. My next "project" will be a brisket.
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Hey James, a tip, put her on a 10pm, monitor for stability until 11pm or 12am and go to sleep and wake the next morning at your leisure. The Auber is rock solid. I actually did a cook one time where I filled the charcoal ring to the top, loaded it with wood on top and mixed in with the Stubbs briquettes, we went to the beach and got back 12 hours later and it was almost done. I highly recommend Stubbs. I'm glad to hear you had a good experience.
 
Hi, I'm new to the forum and appreciate the experiences everyone shares.
Just ordered an Auber for my 22.5 WSM to use with longer and overnight smokes. I'm in North Carolina and keeping the temp down in the summer is a challenge. On warm days is it better to turn the ATC right away or get the temp up first?
Also am I correct in thinking that you do not put water in the water pan when using an ATC?
Thanks
 
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