My new DigiQ DX arrived yesterday. I am going to permenantly mount the adapter and install some lamp rod for the sendor wires this week. I'm planning on giving it a test run Sunday with a slab of spare ribs and a half dozen thighs. If everything turns out well, I have a big party coming up the following weekend. If not, I have one or two more chances to practice before the party.
New DigiQ DX arrived yesterday
- Thread starter Daris
- Start date
I just got mine too. Where are you drilling the through-hole?
You won't regret the lamp rod eyelets. I did mine last weekend. Didn't find the threaded rod in a single piece though, found a set of precut pieces, with two half inch pieces in there. They worked perfectly.
I also recommend the genie garage door handles attached at the strap mount points. There's a youtube vid showing the process, basically get the handles, whack them a couple times on the end, check that the holes line up and attach.
You won't regret the lamp rod eyelets. I did mine last weekend. Didn't find the threaded rod in a single piece though, found a set of precut pieces, with two half inch pieces in there. They worked perfectly.
I also recommend the genie garage door handles attached at the strap mount points. There's a youtube vid showing the process, basically get the handles, whack them a couple times on the end, check that the holes line up and attach.
I'm not sure exactly where I want to put the adapter. I am considering orienting the bottom so that two vents are facing forwardish, and the third toward the back. I think that may put an open space around 3 o'clock. I am thinking that the fan lead is six feet and the probes are eight. I will probably put a five foot folding table to the right of the WSM. What are your thoughts?
Since the mount aims the air down, I thought I might put the hole slightly above the line for the uppermost intake vent holes. Also thinking about making the hole the same size as the vent holes if they're smaller than 1", so the intake is the same size as when people mount the blower on the vent itself.
I bought the 10ft probe leads for the guru but still need longer ones for the maverick. The mav unit hangs nicely on the door currently. I've got my grill w/ a side table on one side and a set of wire shelves on the other. I'll try different positions out, but I tend to like the tighter, self-contained solutions best. I expect I'll rig up some kind of mount on the WSM itself, with some kind of standoff to keep it from direct contact w/ the smoker.
I've got in mind getting a piece of re-bar and bending it at 90deg, slotting it in one of the handles and hanging the mav and guru off of it.
Here's my current setup (with eyelets in the wrong spot of course if I'm going to permanently mount on/near the handles
) :
I bought the 10ft probe leads for the guru but still need longer ones for the maverick. The mav unit hangs nicely on the door currently. I've got my grill w/ a side table on one side and a set of wire shelves on the other. I'll try different positions out, but I tend to like the tighter, self-contained solutions best. I expect I'll rig up some kind of mount on the WSM itself, with some kind of standoff to keep it from direct contact w/ the smoker.
I've got in mind getting a piece of re-bar and bending it at 90deg, slotting it in one of the handles and hanging the mav and guru off of it.
Here's my current setup (with eyelets in the wrong spot of course if I'm going to permanently mount on/near the handles
Some good points. I'm thinking about mounting the fan adaptor in line with the upper holes of the bottom vent. I don't want to fan too low, so that it ends up being hard to check. My back gets to me a times.
I read something about a temperature difference between an ATC and a Maverick. According to the poster the problem turned out to be one set of leads were resting on the side of the WSM. I did not want to go too long on the pit/food probe leads if the motor lead was only 6 foot. The handles with rebar is a good idea for keeping the leads off the side of the WSM.
I'm tired of juggling things during a smoke. I've decided I want a 3-5 foot plastic folding table next to the smoker. I can put the DigiQ on the table some way, either lay it on the table or mount the universal bracket on the table.
All that said, I'm new to the WSM. I tried out smoking on a Smokenator for a couple years. I finally decided smoking was something I enjoyed and will continue to do. I got my WSM this month and have only used it one time. I'll probably end up changing my mind after using it a bit. The current urgency is the plan to cook to briskets (my first) for a party in two weeks.
I'm going to Harbor Freight at lunch today to get a step bit. I plan on installing the lamp rods and fan adapter after work this week.
I read something about a temperature difference between an ATC and a Maverick. According to the poster the problem turned out to be one set of leads were resting on the side of the WSM. I did not want to go too long on the pit/food probe leads if the motor lead was only 6 foot. The handles with rebar is a good idea for keeping the leads off the side of the WSM.
I'm tired of juggling things during a smoke. I've decided I want a 3-5 foot plastic folding table next to the smoker. I can put the DigiQ on the table some way, either lay it on the table or mount the universal bracket on the table.
All that said, I'm new to the WSM. I tried out smoking on a Smokenator for a couple years. I finally decided smoking was something I enjoyed and will continue to do. I got my WSM this month and have only used it one time. I'll probably end up changing my mind after using it a bit. The current urgency is the plan to cook to briskets (my first) for a party in two weeks.
I'm going to Harbor Freight at lunch today to get a step bit. I plan on installing the lamp rods and fan adapter after work this week.
I installed the WSM fan adaptor and the lamp rods tonight. It did not go quite as I had planned.
I intended to drill the holes for the lamp rods on the opposite side of the bracket screws next to the door. I guess I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have been, because I ended up drilling the hole on the back side (opposite the door).
At first I was bummed. I actually heard myself mutter "measure twice and drill once". I thought about it for a bit. You know the "how the hell do I fix this" conversation you have with yourself after you realize you made a mistake. The more I thought about it the better I liked it. I'm the type of guy that snags or trips over everything. I bought 8 foot leads. With the leads running to the back side of the smoker, I'll probably never snag them. Accidental genius, that’s what that is! My wife, knowing me for the klutz that I am, agreed whole heartedly.
You can see the lamp rods on the opposite side in this picture.
I drilled a hole for the BBQ Guru WSM fan adaptor to the right of what will now be the front vent. The adaptor directions said 1" and the holes in the WSM are 3/4". Split the difference and you get 7/8", which is convenient because the largest size on the small bit is 7/8". I would have had to switch to the large bit if I wanted 1". I can always enlarge it to 1" later if I want. I used masking tape and a 1/8" bit to drill a pilot hold. I did not have any problems with chipping the paint.
And here is adaptor with the plug installed.
I am looking forward to a spare rib and thighs smoke this weekend. I really don't need it for that short of a cook, but it will give me a chance to play with it.
I intended to drill the holes for the lamp rods on the opposite side of the bracket screws next to the door. I guess I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have been, because I ended up drilling the hole on the back side (opposite the door).
At first I was bummed. I actually heard myself mutter "measure twice and drill once". I thought about it for a bit. You know the "how the hell do I fix this" conversation you have with yourself after you realize you made a mistake. The more I thought about it the better I liked it. I'm the type of guy that snags or trips over everything. I bought 8 foot leads. With the leads running to the back side of the smoker, I'll probably never snag them. Accidental genius, that’s what that is! My wife, knowing me for the klutz that I am, agreed whole heartedly.
You can see the lamp rods on the opposite side in this picture.
I drilled a hole for the BBQ Guru WSM fan adaptor to the right of what will now be the front vent. The adaptor directions said 1" and the holes in the WSM are 3/4". Split the difference and you get 7/8", which is convenient because the largest size on the small bit is 7/8". I would have had to switch to the large bit if I wanted 1". I can always enlarge it to 1" later if I want. I used masking tape and a 1/8" bit to drill a pilot hold. I did not have any problems with chipping the paint.
And here is adaptor with the plug installed.
I am looking forward to a spare rib and thighs smoke this weekend. I really don't need it for that short of a cook, but it will give me a chance to play with it.
Mine is situated similarly. Will take pics when I have it set up this weekend how I like it. Plan on a brisket test run Saturday.
On a side note, there are brass caps you can get for that threaded lamp rod to seal the eyelets if you don't like their positioning and end up adding two new ones somewhere else. I may wind up doing that as well.
On a side note, there are brass caps you can get for that threaded lamp rod to seal the eyelets if you don't like their positioning and end up adding two new ones somewhere else. I may wind up doing that as well.
I looked for the caps but couldn't find them. Will look again as I'm likely going to be adding two more eyelets in order to move them behind the current handle location.
The trial run this evening is going awesome. 230*F +/-2* for going on 3 hours now... Posted details to my own 'new guru' thread.
The trial run this evening is going awesome. 230*F +/-2* for going on 3 hours now... Posted details to my own 'new guru' thread.
I used the DigiQ DX for the first time this weekend. This was my second smoke on the WSM. As far as I am concerned, the ATC is worth every penny. I used the Minion method. The smoker was up to target temp quickly, stayed dead on the target temp and recovered from opening the lid quickly.
I was most interested in the temperature difference between the gauge in the lid and the displayed temperature on the DX. Most of the time the lid was 20 degrees cooler than the grill sensor, but once or twice the lid was 20 degrees hotter than the grill.
Either way the end product was fantastic. I tried some new techniques. My wife said the spares were the best I had ever made. She wasn't too happy that I spent nearly as much on the BBQ Guru as I did on the WSM. She has no problem with the Guru now, as long as I continue to make Q like I did last night.
I was most interested in the temperature difference between the gauge in the lid and the displayed temperature on the DX. Most of the time the lid was 20 degrees cooler than the grill sensor, but once or twice the lid was 20 degrees hotter than the grill.
Either way the end product was fantastic. I tried some new techniques. My wife said the spares were the best I had ever made. She wasn't too happy that I spent nearly as much on the BBQ Guru as I did on the WSM. She has no problem with the Guru now, as long as I continue to make Q like I did last night.