Extreme Temperature Differential across smoker
Posted: July 17th, 2016, 2:06 pmI purchased a YS480 a few months ago and I'm loving it. Ever since I purchased the smoker, I've suffered from quicker than expected cooking times on pretty much everything I've done. Okay, new product learning curve is expected, no biggie.
A few times now, I've used other temperate probes mounted next to the OEM one to check circuit board temp and always found it accurate, so I just dropped temps and/or learned to expect that things cook fast.
Recently I got my first wireless thermometer and hooked it up today while cooking some ribs. I quickly realized why I was having overcook / fast cook situations.
My temperatures on the grill grates next to the food is 20 - 80, yes 80, deg HOTTER than the OEM probe placement!
If you are using the top rack, its even more so, close to 100 when it makes a fresh pellet dump on the exhaust side of the grate if the temp has dropped from the door being open. I triple checked using two other digital kitchen thermometers and its consistent.
How can this be normal? For the money I paid for this Smoker, I find this, frankly, a little disappointing. Grill is set to 175 right now to get my ribs to cook at 215-225...
My heat diffusion plate (Big plate) is installed, with the door also installed.
To sum this up:
Lower grate:
Fire Side ~= to Circuit board
Exhaust side: 20 - 40 hotter.
Upper Grate:
Fire Side ~10deg hotter.
Exhaust Side: 40 - 80 Hotter.
Normal, can I do anything about it?
A few times now, I've used other temperate probes mounted next to the OEM one to check circuit board temp and always found it accurate, so I just dropped temps and/or learned to expect that things cook fast.
Recently I got my first wireless thermometer and hooked it up today while cooking some ribs. I quickly realized why I was having overcook / fast cook situations.
My temperatures on the grill grates next to the food is 20 - 80, yes 80, deg HOTTER than the OEM probe placement!
If you are using the top rack, its even more so, close to 100 when it makes a fresh pellet dump on the exhaust side of the grate if the temp has dropped from the door being open. I triple checked using two other digital kitchen thermometers and its consistent.
How can this be normal? For the money I paid for this Smoker, I find this, frankly, a little disappointing. Grill is set to 175 right now to get my ribs to cook at 215-225...
My heat diffusion plate (Big plate) is installed, with the door also installed.
To sum this up:
Lower grate:
Fire Side ~= to Circuit board
Exhaust side: 20 - 40 hotter.
Upper Grate:
Fire Side ~10deg hotter.
Exhaust Side: 40 - 80 Hotter.
Normal, can I do anything about it?