Smoking/Cooking Schedule

[mrobisr]

mfrievalt Inkbird Temperature and Humidity Controller ITC-608T
it does both or you can get one that does one or the other. This controler is what i use to control this Inkbird Reptile Humidifier Fogger.

[mrobisr]

mfrievalt for a fan i use this AC Infinity AXIAL 9225, Muffin Fan, 120V AC 92mm by 92mm by 25mm High Speed

[mrobisr]

twilliams “As far as humidity, this group has tried everything to get there”

I made the suggestion for a reptile fogger a while back and nobody had tried it and I haven’t either, but I haven’t needed any added humidity in my smoker. I use it for my drying chamber and it really puts a nice gently fog out. It may or may not work for smokers, but since the unit is exterior and the hose can be pointed in any direction I’m thinking it just might work.

[Dblungm]

I like to think of it like this low heat 125ish For 1 -2 hours to dry the casings and prepare to take smoke
Next 130 ish to smoke and finally to that 155 degree to cook

Do yourself a big favor and do not trust the thermometer on the smoker door get a good dual probe that you can monitor the actual temp in the smoker and second probe right in the middle of a sausage which is close to the middle of your smoker. I have found that the bimetal thermometers on the smokers are very inaccurate. Last thing you want to do after all your work is overcook and dry out the product… and hey don’t forget to add some hi temp cheese for a real treat, GOOD LUCK

[Retired157]

Dblungm

Wow… never thought about that solution! I actually did purchase a dual probe monitor but was going to use both probes in my (two) sausages. That little ‘trick’ would have saved me a little $$. Rest assured, I will take advantage of your advice. Where do you ‘locate’ the probe you use to monitor the smoker’s temp… middle? Yes; I am just about ready to make my last order for some ‘spices’, etc. and hi temp cheese is on my list. My first run will be a standard SS using Walton’s H-Summer. If all works out, bring on the ‘heat’. Thanks for advice… if nothing else, my door gauge looks cool!

[processhead]

Maybe a little late for your project, but heat is what kills a hole saw when working with metals and especially SS. The heat draws the temper from the saw teeth and then they quickly dull and round off.
Something I learned that works great is to spray a stream of water on the area being drilled/ cut. Done correctly, water will keep the work piece and the saw blade cooler and cutting well.
I had to cut a hole in my SS smoker cabinet to install a pellet igniter. It worked great. Wish I had known about this trick years ago.
This works great when cutting with a saber saw too.

[Retired157]

processhead

Yeah, no doubt ‘heat’ is the enemy when drilling. I actually worked hard at preventing it. I think the ‘trick’ to maybe beating the heat issue when drilling SS, came from another post/‘Tipster’ above… don’t continue drilling. Drill a little… stop… let everything cool… drill a little more… stop for cool down… REPEAT until done. Using a quality ‘lube’ (which I did) will absolutely help but maybe ‘not rushing’ the job is the secret. One thing for sure, even those DeWalt bi-metal hole saws were no match for SS! Hey but in the end, I got the hole I wanted. Calling it a ‘win’ may be debatable.

[mrobisr]

Retired157 the machinist that gave me that hint even said no oil, push as hard as you can. My first bit didn’t even hardly scratch the surface, but when I used his technique and really pushed it and took breaks the bit went through it and didn’t dull as I still use it today.

[johnsbrewhouse]

Bi-metal bits don’t work well on S/S, I have carbide tipped bits designed to drill S/S. I bought them to drill holes in S/S kegs, they have a pilot as well.

[mrobisr]

johnsbrewhouse agreed, but if that is was you have it can work for a stainless steel pot or keg if you have the patience.

[Retired157]

mrobisr

Ok, been doing a little research on these PID units that several of you are SUGGESTING as the way to go. Now I’m not exactly sure just how they totally ‘work’, but it does seem there are a lot of you guys out there using them with your smokers. Let me know what you think. I am looking at purchasing the following items for this project…

1-a Inkbird (kit) #ITC106-VH… includes the solid state relay and the K-Type thermocouple (see below)
2-a AC Infinity AXIAL 9225 Muffin Fan - 120V
3-a 3M K-Type 100mm Thermocouple Sensor Probe (it appears to me that the thermocouple which comes with the Inkbird will be to ‘short’ to effectively pass through the door of my SmokinTex). This one will be ‘long’ enough to get the job done.

Obviously, once I have the components, I’ll have to ‘design’ a plan to incorporate their use in/with my SmokinTex smoker. If I am understanding the concept behind all of this, after plugging my smoker in/on, I would next turn its ‘factory’ heating element dial up to ‘some (?) higher’ temperature. Then, as I start my cooking schedule, I would input the various cooking (schedule) temperatures INTO the PID as I move through the various ‘stages’ of the cooking schedule. The PID would then adjust itself through the use of the fan… turning the fan on and off -moving the air through the smoker to keep the internal temperature of the smoker where I want it as per what I ‘input’.

If I have this ‘concept’ correct, I’d appreciate any input from those of you currently using a PID. It seems so ‘simple’ but maybe I am just NOT seeing the whole picture. Here’s a pic of my smoker again. What I am thinking is this, I’ll remove that thermometer and replace it with the thermocouple probe working with the PID. Then, where I have attached the vent, I’ll design a means of attaching the fan to (in front of) allow the ‘air flow’ to happen as determined by the PID.

Always happy for suggestions… cause right now I feel like I’m getting in over my head.

https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/assets/uploads/files/1639092357654-104bfd5e-7a20-4a37-aec0-1ed2d3a3593f-4e921e64-7337-4a29-a7ee-e6e55da0d2a2_1_102_o.jpeg

[processhead]

Retired157
I have never heard of using a PID to control a fan to regulate temperature in an electric smoker like yours.

I believe some guys are using them to regulate fans and temps in pellet grills by controlling the burn rate of the pellet burner .

My only experience is using the PID and an SSR to switch the electric heating element on an off and thereby control the smoker temperature that way.

[Dblungm]

Retired157
Mine has a clip that holds the probe off the rack i normally set it in the top third of the smoker

[mrobisr]

Retired157
I have zero experience with your smoker, so please check everything out before proceeding.

“1-a Inkbird (kit) #ITC106-VH… includes the solid state relay and the K-Type thermocouple
(see below)”
The only difference between your model and mine is I got the heat sink too since I enclosed it.

“3-a 3M K-Type 100mm Thermocouple Sensor Probe (it appears to me that the thermocouple
which comes with the Inkbird will be to ‘short’ to effectively pass through the door of my
SmokinTex). This one will be ‘long’ enough to get the job done.”
I extended my coupler wiring to a longer length by just splicing the wires.

“I would next turn its ‘factory’ heating element dial up to ‘some (?) higher’ temperature.”
I would suggest the highest setting it will go.

“Then, as I start my cooking schedule, I would input the various cooking (schedule)
temperatures INTO the PID as I move through the various ‘stages’ of the cooking schedule.”
I think I’m understanding but wanting to make sure that you will have to manually change the temp each time.

“The PID would then adjust itself through the use of the fan… turning the fan on and off -
moving the air through the smoker to keep the internal temperature of the smoker where I
want it as per what I ‘input’.”
I do not really understand the fan keeping the temp correct. The smoker would be plugged
into the PID and if you wanted you could also connect the fan to the PID thereby turning both
on at preset temps. You could also just directly plug the fan into a power source and keep it running continuously and use a plain timer to turn it off and on while letting the smoker keep
the temp without a PID.

“Always happy for suggestions… cause right now I feel like I’m getting in over my head.”

I did too when I first started using them, but once you set it up and use it a couple you will ask yourself how you ever lived without it.

[mrobisr]

This PID is 240v, black cords underneath, but the plug is 110v with a switch for my transfer pump. It is simply on/off, but with the PID and transfer pump in the box I can be really lazy and control my operation without getting up. If you just need the fan to come on then use this simple timer to control it and leave your smoker in control of the temp.
BN-LINK Indoor Countdown Timer with Repeat Function, Heavy Duty Accurate Compact Size for Charger Vacation Security, 3-Prong Grounded Outlet, 15A/1875W ½ HP ETL Listed

[gus4416]

mrobisr why buy a smoker and then do all this extra work by the time you get all the pics bought you could buy one that does what you want it to

[Retired157]

processhead

Thank You Paul… I appreciate you ‘setting me straight’. It appears I have misinterpreted some of the things that I have been seeing/reading. To tell you the truth, I really wasn’t sure how what I previously was thinking was ‘how’ to do this really would ‘control’ the electric element of my smoker. After reading your post, the light went on… sorta speak. So, I went back to the internet (cause everything on the internet is based in fact) and researched PID using an SSR (which was something else I had no idea what was) in a smoker application. I think I actually found two videos that help explain just how to wire this up. If I understand this correctly… if correctly done (wired), the PID is used to ‘set’ the temperature (no longer the turn knob up top). The SSR is wired through the PID so when the temperature ‘drops’ below the set temp, the SSR triggers ‘on/off’ the electric heating element… raising/maintaining the internal temperature of the smoker as ‘set’ through the PID.

First question… does this ‘now’ sound right?

Neither of the two videos actually showed with ‘clarity’ how to wire my existing electric heating element to the PID/SSR. That said, the one video did have this diagram. Does this look like what you would do?


Well, that didn’t work. I can’t seem to figure out how to ‘copy’ the pic in here now… ugh! I have no idea how I got my smoker pics to upload before or what I am doing wrong now.

Here is the specific video I was watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=2qsO83_x_7U

[Retired157]

Retired157

I have had this SmokinTex for many, many years. I bet I have NOT used it 1/2 a dozen times. I got this ‘wild hair’ to make some Summer Sausage… being a hunter and living in Montana, I seem to have plenty of deer/elk to work with.
I just thought I could break out my old smoker and ‘get it done’. As most projects seem to go… it ain’t just that ‘easy’. It’s a bit frustrating… might need a beer.

[processhead]

Retired157 said in Smoking/Cooking Schedule:

Retired157

I have had this SmokinTex for many, many years. I bet I have NOT used it 1/2 a dozen times. I got this ‘wild hair’ to make some Summer Sausage… being a hunter and living in Montana, I seem to have plenty of deer/elk to work with.
I just thought I could break out my old smoker and ‘get it done’. As most projects seem to go… it ain’t just that ‘easy’. It’s a bit frustrating… might need a beer.

Are the factory controls working correctly now?

If your smoker controls are working properly, it should maintain a reasonably constant and accurate temperature.
How to know that for sure? I would use a remote reading digital thermometer, placing the probe near the smokers internal temperature sensor.

Fire up the smoker and let the temperature stabilize at some mid-range setting. Observe the digital thermometer and note any major temperature swings or deviations from the set point.

If all looks good, adjust the internal controls to a few different temperature setting and note if the digital temp probe follows the changes.

If the existing internal controls give you a stabile temp and are adjustable, then I would just go with them. If it’s not broke, why fix it? Well, unless you are like me and are an inveterate hacker and experimenter…

Here is a thread on a smoker build I did this Summer. I try to explain how and why I did what I did with the controls. There are also some wiring diagrams at the very end of the thread. It’s long, so don’t plan on getting through it in just one session.

https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/4019/electric-smoker-or-landfill-what-say-you?_=1639258189144

[mrobisr]

gus4416 said in Smoking/Cooking Schedule:

mrobisr why buy a smoker and then do all this extra work by the time you get all the pics bought you could buy one that does what you want it to

I haven’t, but I could built one that may not be as pretty as the commercial models, but it will perform just as well for thousands less and I will have the bragging rights to it being my successful creation.

I challenge anyone to find a smoker that can keep the temp within a couple tenths of a degree, keep the whole cabin temp even from top to bottom, and very possibly control humidity for less than $220.00. The PK 100 is 2500.00 and it only maintains the temp, agreed it is stainless, but as a home smoker I do not have to pass health inspection so any cabin will work.

The box and all the components cost 102.15, exception being the wiring I used because it is 240v, but for a smoker 110v is what you would use and it be under 20.00.
PID and thermopaste 48.69
K coupler 10.98
Fan 17.99
Box 18.99
Switches 3.00
Plug 2.50
Wiring <20.00
Total 102.15 in the pics you see

Throw in a couple other items…
Fogger 49.99
Heating element 40.00
Total 192.14

You could add a cold smoker for another 160.00 or so bringing the total to 352.14 or you could use a cast iron wood box for hot smoke for under <20.00. I could build a smoker out of junk or a 55 gal drum that would control every aspect of my cooking, that is why a person might want to build a smoker for 220.00-352.14 verses >10,000.00.

I personally enjoy creating and building something better than what is commercially available. This is especially true when I can do it for thousands less and it is better suited for my needs. That is why I love home meat processing as I can create the perfect meat for us.