Steve Conway
New member
Hello,
I have a Large BGE and have been looking for an automatic temperature control system for awhile. I have been looking at the DigiQ DX2 but then ran across HM and have been reading the Wiki and these forums for a few weeks! Very impressed that this DIY project exists. Plus I have a rPI B+WiFi adapter lying around collecting dust. I am looking to pull the switch and start ordering stuff, but I was hoping to get a few questions answered from the community here.
1. I have very little experience soldering. I do have a solder pencil from Radio Shack. A very cheap one. Will this work or should I purchase/borrow something a little better? Also, do I need flux when I solder this or if I use the Rosin Core Solder I'll be ok?
2. I'm not sure if I should go with just the 4 probes or with the thermocouple option. I understand that the TC will allow me to go high on temperatures, but why would I even use this bad boy when I'm cooking pizza? I would just open the top and bottom of the egg and let her get as hot as possible. Or if I'm grilling at 450, do I really need the HM? I was assuming that I would use the HM on only low and slow sessions. Do people use it for higher temp cooks? Any advice here would be helpful. I don't want to spend the extra money on the TC option if it won't help me. If you do tell me to go TC, is the build more complex? I do plan on buying the kit.
3. I'm still a bit confused about the Servo/Damper. Especially regarding the configuration. Does the fan blow into a tube that has a servo motor controlling airflow and then this is connected to the bottom of my egg? Is this really required or can I just go with the fan? What are really the problems if I do go with just the fan? Can I add the servo / damper later or is it better to do it now? I don't really see a standard build for the blower/servo anyway. Looks like more people figure that out themselves.
Anyway, sorry for the basic questions. Thank you for your help!
I have a Large BGE and have been looking for an automatic temperature control system for awhile. I have been looking at the DigiQ DX2 but then ran across HM and have been reading the Wiki and these forums for a few weeks! Very impressed that this DIY project exists. Plus I have a rPI B+WiFi adapter lying around collecting dust. I am looking to pull the switch and start ordering stuff, but I was hoping to get a few questions answered from the community here.
1. I have very little experience soldering. I do have a solder pencil from Radio Shack. A very cheap one. Will this work or should I purchase/borrow something a little better? Also, do I need flux when I solder this or if I use the Rosin Core Solder I'll be ok?
2. I'm not sure if I should go with just the 4 probes or with the thermocouple option. I understand that the TC will allow me to go high on temperatures, but why would I even use this bad boy when I'm cooking pizza? I would just open the top and bottom of the egg and let her get as hot as possible. Or if I'm grilling at 450, do I really need the HM? I was assuming that I would use the HM on only low and slow sessions. Do people use it for higher temp cooks? Any advice here would be helpful. I don't want to spend the extra money on the TC option if it won't help me. If you do tell me to go TC, is the build more complex? I do plan on buying the kit.
3. I'm still a bit confused about the Servo/Damper. Especially regarding the configuration. Does the fan blow into a tube that has a servo motor controlling airflow and then this is connected to the bottom of my egg? Is this really required or can I just go with the fan? What are really the problems if I do go with just the fan? Can I add the servo / damper later or is it better to do it now? I don't really see a standard build for the blower/servo anyway. Looks like more people figure that out themselves.
Anyway, sorry for the basic questions. Thank you for your help!