Yoder Smokers Community Forum

I've purchased my YS1500 back in March '16, so only about 4 months ago, and have cooked on it at least a dozen or more times. Most of the cooks have been long; brisket and such. From the start I had two concerns:

1) The vibration noise it makes every time the auger runs. I understand that I need to check the seal and replace it if needed, but really after spending as much money as these cost I just have a hard time believing I need to take it apart and try and fix it. It's not a major issue, but the fact is that I didn't purchase a cheap pellet grill - this just shouldn't occur. My question is whether or not this is normal?

2) Temp variation, this is the bigger concern. I understand that the lid mounted thermometers are not all that accurate and more importantly aren't to be used to determine basically anything about the unit's performance. However I used a couple of probes and measured the temp across the unit (laying them on the grill surface) and although I was able to balance it across the unit neither of them were even close to what the control unit displays. In fact they were about 30~40 deg cooler. So when I have the controlled set to 225 my grill temp is about 195 deg. The reason I ask is I find myself consistently trying to compensate for the control system and run always run it in the 255 ~ 260 range in order to ensure I'm smoking at 225.Is this normal? Am I missing something?

Auger vibration: download/Install%20and%20Repair/PROCEDURE%20FOR%20INSTALLING%20VELCRO%20TO%20INNER%20FAN.PDF

Temperature (some of this doesn't pertain to a YS1500, but will give you some things to look at): download/Best%20Practice%20and%20how%20to/Temperature%20Issues%20Check%20List.pdf

Our testing process: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=787

YS1500 temperature management: viewtopic.php?p=4035#p4035

Thank you Herb. I'll certainly read through the links and see if that helps solve my concerns. One additional question, is it normal for the lid thermometers to read in the 170 range when the controlled is at 225 deg? Of course I understand that the ambient temp / conditions will impact this.

The last link deals with this specifically.

I see that. thank you.. So from a practical perspective if I was setting the system at 225, considering the summer temps, it should easily be able to get a couple of pork butts beyond the danger zone within 4 hours. Do you agree or am I missing something?

You should be fine.

Here is the process I follow: download/Best%20Practice%20and%20how%20to/Recommend%20procedure%20for%20starting%20up%20a%20Yoder%20pellet%20cooker.pdf

Why do I do this? The Yoder cookers have a lot of metal mass, and the YS1500 has the most, weighing in at almost 700 pounds. This large metal mass in the Yoder cookers, means that the entire metal mass must get heated up to achieve proper heat distribution and grate temperatures in the cooker. By heating the cooker to 350 degrees at startup, you are allowing the entire metal mass of the cooker to exceed your cooking temperature, so that when you set the desired cooking temperature, the cooker can normalize much easier, and have proper heat distribution, without having to compensate for a cold metal mass in the process.

Thank you for the confirmation.

I do follow that exact process and allow the cooker to heat up for at least 30 min prior to adjusting the temperature down to 225. I'll try it again in the next couple of weeks and let you know how that works.

Yes that is normal. Try the bacon test on the top/bottom rack. The top is cooler. I do butts on my 640, 4 on the bottom and 3 on top. I cook them at 230. I never have issues. You'll need to rotate them after about 4 hours, the ones to the far right low will cook faster, so move them to the top left etc.

You'll figure it out, no four hour issues.

OK, I've been cooking for months now and still find that their is no way I can following the recommended process and have pork butts get outside of the temperature danger zone within 4 hours. Maybe it's or maybe its the system, but something is just not right here. I typically need to set the temperature no less than 250 or the meat needs to be tossed.
I'm quite disappointed and at this point not exactly sure what to do with my YS1500.

Not really sure what the issue is. Are you saying that the cooker is failing in some way? Have you done the temperature verification test?

I'm not saying it's necessarily failing to operate. What I am saying is that their isn't any way possible that I can cook either brisket or pulled pork when I set the system temperature 225 deg. Does this make sense? I've basically had this issue since I purchased it earlier this year.

Have you done the temperature test to verify that the cooker is working properly? Without doing this, there isn't any way of knowing what is happening.

What is the serial number and build date?

My apology, but can you remind me again about the process for the temperature test?

The serial # is 20995 and the production date is 08-24-15

Here is a temperature verification test: download/Best%20Practice%20and%20how%20to/Yoder%20Pellet%20Temperature%20Test.pdf I would request that you do this and send us the results in an email ([email protected]) for analysis. Please also send us the following pictures for review (please take all pictures before the test and again after the test):

-Inside the cooker with the grates removed and heat diffuser plate in place
-Inside the cooker with the grates and heat diffuser plate removed
-The firebox with the burn grate in place
-The firebox with the burn grate removed.