WSM 22 Fan recommendations


 
J

JHendrickson

New member
I recently got a WSM 22 and am going to get a Fireboard 2. I don't really like the looks of how the FB fan would connect to the WSM, so considering other options. I prefer a round connector. Is a Pit Bull overkill? What do you all recommend? What else should I consider?

Thanks
 
Why not start with the bare bones smoker? All the jimcracks and gewgaws are well and good but, learning the basic (pretty simple) methodology is better, in my opinion.
I thought one of those would be great but, I spent half a summer chatting with a guy that had owned all of those things. He told me “The thing really works well all by itself so, I took all that stuff off mine.”. Consequently, I have not been too enamored with more “stuff” as far as that is concerned.
The whole idea is “barbecue” it’s slow and not asking for a lot, isn’t it? Patience is the most valuable tool in the equation.
I’m not buying anything aside from ribs, brisket and butts for a while!
That said, the windscreen has been a fun project. Illumination for late night cooks is convenient.
 
The ATC I got a couple months ago was soooooo totally worth it.

I was totally able to keep my 18 WSM running steady using manual adjustments. Including overnight cooks. But after learning how that all works, I see absolutely no point in continuing to do that.

In a similar vein, I am quite capable of driving my car at highway speed for 750 miles in one day. But it is just better/easier to use the cruise control for that task. What exactly is the benefit I get from fiddling with a gas pedal or dampers if you don't have to?

I have a SmokeX2 and a Billows. Super simple, works great. I didn't feel the need for four probes or Wifi. So the RF version (which works right out of the box) is more than fine for my needs.

I find that the ATC really frees up my hands/mind/day during a long cook. The ATC doesn't do anything I couldn't do myself. But the ATC makes it must easier.
 
My kids bought me a remote chugod temperature controller with several probes that seem to work really well. However, I'm unable to find (like a billows) fan to pair with it. Any suggestions ? Thx
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Easier is good, maybe I’m just being a contrarian!
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Timothy, I know exactly where you are coming from. I have operated my 18" wsm for more than10 years with no need for gadgets at all and have loved every minute of it. I would encourage every new wsm owner to do the same.
But, I have to confess, I had been looking at ATC's for quite some time and with the Thermal works 25% discount this week, I crumbled.
We will see how my new 'crutch' works out. If not, it will go into the proverbial 'drawer full of holsters'.
 
Tom Corboy said:
My kids bought me a remote chugod temperature controller with several probes that seem to work really well. However, I'm unable to find (like a billows) fan to pair with it. Any suggestions ? Thx
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The Chugod is a thermometer not an ATC, automatic temperature controller. It is used to check the temps of the grate & the food. An ATC will have a power source output along with a fan, as well as probes for the food & grate.
 
Colin,
I really like the “drawer of holsters” admittance! I have a couple of “Buckets of disappointments “ myself.
I had a pit probe go down this morning, glad I had that spare!
 
My kids bought me a remote chugod temperature controller with several probes that seem to work really well. However, I'm unable to find (like a billows) fan to pair with it. Any suggestions ? Thx

Most probe thermometer units just measure temp. Only a few have a fan option/upgrade.

I had to buy a new temp unit (Smoke X2) just so I could get the Billows fan to work. Other than the fan option, the X2 was basically identical to the temp unit I already had.
 
I use an ATC most of the time, but I still stay proficient not using one. I'm afraid of it dying halfway through a cook. You'd better know how to drive if the Tesla blows a fuse. Thermoworks would be my first commercial choice. Heatermeter is my primary ATC. Commercial ATCs don't have the damper to shut down airflow. That makes it harder to bring the temp down rapidly if needed. JMO.
 
From researching for myself, I believe the bbq guru fans are the way to go with the fireboard. I have a cyberq with bbq guru fan and love it. I have been looking at the fireboard though. Check the compatability but I'm almost positive it works.
 
I am using the FireBoard 2 Drive and Pit Viper fan. If you get a FireBoard 2 Drive that is working as it should it works very well and you can control it from wherever there is access to the internet or your phone/tablet. The temperature control is very accurate, Monitoring can be done on your phone, tablet, or computer. It can monitor 6 probes at a time. The only caveat is that FireBoard has production/Quality Control issues. I bought one directly from FireBoard in May. It took 4 units to get one that worked. The first one had a bad fan controller. The second one did not pair and had two different serial numbers, the third one had LCD issues. The fourth unit seems to be working fine, knock wood. I had to get the CEO involved to resolve the issue. He responds to email. It gives you a lot of bang for your buck but be prepared to have to deal with the possibility of receiving a unit that may need to be immediately replaced. Below is the first two hours of a recent rib cook. The orange is the smoker temp. The green is the % fan. After this the ribs were wrapped and placed in a 225 deg oven for 90 minutes.
Ribs.jpg

IMG-0432.jpg
 
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