New HM Build for UDS


 
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Dave Pasma

TVWBB Member
Hello All.

I have a UDS and 2 Weber kettles (a one-touch, and a 3-vent). I have been using an iGrill to monitor cooker and meat temps. I like it, and I am ready to get something that will allow me to do overnight cooks, and not have to constantly pay attention to the cooker temperature.

This week I ordered the T/C version of the HM.

I surely have many questions about it, and I know that in some regards, I don't yet know what I don't know.

I would appreciate it if folks could tell me their experience with using the HM with Weber kettles, and UDSs.

Do you use a damper with a blower? How do you use it with a Weber kettle?

Thanks
 
Welcome to the Heatermeter world.

I use mine on an UDS exclusively and you will need to change two things with the HM.

I have been using a 28cfm blower since the beginning of the HM at a maximum speed of 30%. Anything higher then the blower just moves to much air and it you get a cooling effect and then a overshoot of the temperature after enough coals have light up.

So, your best bet would be to find a blower in the 10cfm(8.4cfm would be the minimum). You can go higher then 10, but anything lower then a 8.4cfm then you will have problems with control.

And since you would need a bigger blower, you would also need a AC adapter of atleast 1.2 amps. 1amp or less then you run the risk of the HM restarting when there is a high load on the adapter.

Again welcome to the Heatermeter world, Byran has developed a wonderful addicting device for the BBQ world
 
I use my HM for my Weber WSM22 and just love it. Just got the rotodamper so haven't used that yet, only the blower setup with a large stainless steel cat water bowl. Works great. For my Weber kettle (Performer), I only use the HM to monitor temps of pit and food. Still trying to figure a way to control temps on it with the one touch bottom vent. Welcome to our world.
 
John Bostwick said:
Welcome to the Heatermeter world.

I use mine on an UDS exclusively and you will need to change two things with the HM.

I have been using a 28cfm blower since the beginning of the HM at a maximum speed of 30%. Anything higher then the blower just moves to much air and it you get a cooling effect and then a overshoot of the temperature after enough coals have light up.

So, your best bet would be to find a blower in the 10cfm(8.4cfm would be the minimum). You can go higher then 10, but anything lower then a 8.4cfm then you will have problems with control.

And since you would need a bigger blower, you would also need a AC adapter of atleast 1.2 amps. 1amp or less then you run the risk of the HM restarting when there is a high load on the adapter.

Again welcome to the Heatermeter world, Byran has developed a wonderful addicting device for the BBQ world[/QUO


John which fan would you recommend? I also have a UDS I will be using my Heatermeter with.

Thanks,
Ramiro
Click to expand...
 
I use a Delta blower bfb1012HH, the one I have used since about 2010(Ebay) has been working flawlessly in all types of Chicago weather. But, really any blower will do, just find one that is at least 10CFM.

I just made an HM for someone that has a big cabinet smoker and I got him a bfb1012H(25cfm) as he wanted something over 20cfm.

Delta blower BFB0712H is a 11.3 CFM, it will give you some overhead
 
John Bostwick said:
Welcome to the Heatermeter world.

I use mine on an UDS exclusively and you will need to change two things with the HM.

I have been using a 28cfm blower since the beginning of the HM at a maximum speed of 30%. Anything higher then the blower just moves to much air and it you get a cooling effect and then a overshoot of the temperature after enough coals have light up.

So, your best bet would be to find a blower in the 10cfm(8.4cfm would be the minimum). You can go higher then 10, but anything lower then a 8.4cfm then you will have problems with control.

And since you would need a bigger blower, you would also need a AC adapter of atleast 1.2 amps. 1amp or less then you run the risk of the HM restarting when there is a high load on the adapter.

Again welcome to the Heatermeter world, Byran has developed a wonderful addicting device for the BBQ world
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply. All of my thoughts and ideas about the HM are theoretical, and are based on my experience with manually controlling my UDS. I have 2 3/4" ports that have caps. I also have a 1" port that has a ball valve. I tweak the valve, and open/close the other ports as needed.

Instead of using a bigger fan, have you ever tried setting up your UDS to drift slowly down from you target temp, and then let the HM add air via a small fan?

I am thinking about adding a servo damper (like the "RotoDamper) to the HM. Do you have one of those in addition to the fan?
 
I have long been skeptical of the super large 28CFM blower John uses, no offence John. If you take 28CFM and multiply it by the 30% you are running it at that is 8.4CFM, so 28CFM is major overkill. The stock HM blower is about 6.7CFM, which is pretty damn close to 8.4CFM, I think you should be able to run a UDS on the stock blower personally, in theory from looking at the numbers and knowing the air flow the stock blower is capable of, but I don't have a UDS to prove it....

Edit: Yes John as a roto damper, I recall making the blower mount for that monster fan he runs, it was a PITA to print...
 
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RalphTrimble said:
I have long been skeptical of the super large 28CFM blower John uses, no offence John. If you take 28CFM and multiply it by the 30% you are running it at that is 8.4CFM, so 28CFM is major overkill. The stock HM blower is about 6.7CFM, which is pretty damn close to 8.4CFM, I think you should be able to run a UDS on the stock blower personally, in theory from looking at the numbers and knowing the air flow the stock blower is capable of, but I don't have a UDS to prove it....

Edit: Yes John as a roto damper, I recall making the blower mount for that monster fan he runs, it was a PITA to print...
Click to expand...

Its nice to have though. As I Go much higher then the 30% if needed when I want to do very high heat cooks. But, never do. I did state that 8.4 to 10 would be the optimal CFM for a UDS.

When I started using the Heatermeter, I believe the stock blower was 5cfm at the time and I could not get the UDS to change one degree. The 6.7cfm you may be able to use if you plan on doing very low heat and you want or you don't mind taking forever raising the heat to a higher setpoint. The UDS is much different then a ceramic smoker that can hold in heat much much better then a UDS. On a UDS you have to over come cold weather, Wind and heat loss to the thin metal of the UDS. also the charcoal basket on the UDS is usually over a foot or more away from where the blower enters the UDS, that may or may not have effect also.
 
Ralph, I happen to like the newer mount you made this time, then compared to the 2 piece one you had made last year. it has a bigger opening for the blower
 
John, I think I printed the same object, or maybe not? Maybe that's why I had such a hard time printing the second one, I might have modified the design to print easier the first time but printed out the original design the second time around...

On the air flow in the UDS, I think you have a pretty small air input tube, or small ball valve, or ball valve not fully open inline with your air input???.... any of this restricts the air flow from the blower... As I suggested originally, the roto damper IS the valve so you shouldn't need another ball valve, and having another valve after the RD is most likely going to be counter productive.

EDIT: AHH, just noticed you said "2-piece", now I recall I made the first one a two piece press fit design 'cause the 1 piece was a real PITA to print. I've kept working on my 3D printer, changed hotends and kept tuning and tweaking, so this time I was able to get the thing printed in 1 piece, but it was a real PITA to get done.
 
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Well, my point being... When the stock HM blower is rolling 100% it is actually moving a fair amount of air, certainly enough to achieve low and slow to mid or even high range temps on most any home smoker or kamado. If the output of the blower is left unrestricted it should be able to stoke a pretty good fire...
 
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