My "take" on low temperature heat control - it's IMPOSSIBLE without water in the pan.


 
Don Reed said:
I still don't understand why auto temp controllers are being used on a WSM, they really work fantastic without them, I don't use water, I can maintain a stable temp around 250-260 I have yet had the need to do an overnight cook, to each their own, but all the gadgets seem to go against why we BBQ in the first place but that's just me.
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Hallelujah!!!
 
Some of us just like our toys. This is a fun hobby/obsession and while I may not be a purist, I do please others with my efforts and that is the real purpose of what we do. How we get there is not the real issue. Do I need an ATC, no, do I like using it, yes. I will never criticize anyone who goes the purist route but just know that those of us who don't can create great Q also. I can control my WSM without my ATC but I like to use it to have a record of what the pit is doing. I like my electronic, it is that simple. I have done many mods to my WSM and have all kinds of toys for my Performer. Do I need those things, no. I just like them and have fun with them. This is a hobby/ obsession so don't worry. With some practice you will learn to control your WSM. Once you get the hang of it, it is easy to control. If at that time you want to use an ATC, go forth and have fun.
 
Bob Ivey said:
Charles H brings up a good point. I checked the bbqguru website and there fan appears to have a manual damper. So is the OP is overshooting temps then the damper should be closed more than it is. The bbqguru website does address this issue. I might help for the OP to comment on this issue as to whether or not he is using the damper control. My ATC does have an automatic damper control so I have no problem in this regard.
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This may be at least part of the issue I am having. It does have a manual damper which I have always kept wide open but I wonder now if that could be a problem with keeping the temps low? I have the original door and maybe that is also causing some of the issues. Perhaps an upgrade to the CB door would resolve part of it.

For the record, I started using the DigiQ just to simplify my cooks but I do understand the point you all make concerning manual temp control. I'm not normally a "gadget guy" but the DigiQ looked cool and I was increasingly frustrated with my Maverick ET-732 not maintaining its wireless connection on overnight cooks. The DigiQ seemed to be a decent "fix" for that issue.

I dunno what the answer is at this point, but I think my next cook I will try again with a full water pan and ditch the DigiQ to see what kind of results I can get.

Thanks for all the posts!
 
That's a good idea Jeff. Go back to the basics and make that work, then play with the toys. Good Luck. We are always here to help.
 
Jeff why not just change one thing at a time?

Just add water next time and keep everything else the same. Or add the door gasket, or play with the damper
If you change two things or more you may not work out what makes the difference.
 
Re: Door gasket

I found a little gentle manipulation bending the door to fit worked wonders for me. Personally I think the WSM would be simpler and perform better if it was manufactured without a door at all. I never used it once in hundreds of cooks.
 
Even though I am using the WSM stock, I like gadgets too and if I didn't have good temp control I would be tricking up the WSM trying to achieve it.
My only issue with the temp controllers is they cost so much and it seems to be as hit or miss with them as it is just using the vents.
The aftermarket door falls in the same bucket, I like the way it looks but there are just enough reports about it not really fitting that it makes me leery of buying one. I don't really use the door much so if I thought that was a problem I would either tape or caulk it closed.

I think the best thing you can do for your WSM is to cook chickens, for something that doesn't have pounds of fat on it a chicken produces a lot of very sticky splattery grease that goes everywhere and will really help seal up a WSM.

I use a dry foiled water pan because clean up takes ~30 seconds. I am just not willing to clean a slimy water pan.

When it comes to 'purist' I don't think there is such a thing, after all we are cooking butchered meat in porcelain steel cookers with store bought charcoal instead of cooking an animal we chased down and killed in hole we dug in the ground with a flat rock or our bare hands.
 
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timothy said:
To each his own ( and I'm saying this nicely) but the only magic that happens when running @ 225 is it takes longer. :)
I learned long ago that my WSM runs at 275 with an empty foiled pan with minimum fuss and vent adjustments, so I just roll with it.
Like you said the BBQ came out great with no complaints, so I would just get used to how it runs in your backyard.

Tim
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^^^ This ^^^

Plus, if you can't get your temp low, you have air leaking. I wouldn't bother chasing it as long as I could generate good BBQ and as long as when I shut all vents the fire goes out in a reasonable time. You can have a lot of coals burning, but if there's no air, there will be no heat. Water, sand, clay saucer . . . are all just heat sinks. They moderate fluctuations more than they control temp.
 
I mostly agree on the cooking temperature comments.
I like to cook at low temperatures because I serve BBQ at the noon meal and the low cooking temperature meets my timing needs for sleeping and the noon serving time.
There is less carryover temperature on a low temperature cook after the meat is pulled, this may or may not be considered an advantage.
With higher temperature cooks the stall is a non-issue and fat renders better.
 
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