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[Bentley]

When I say load, I mean a heat sink load.  He wanted me to put a pan of water on a shelf, then put the probes on another shelf.  I can't remember exactly what, or whom it was and they have not weighed back in, so I am not sure what to try.

I don't think anyone asked you to fill up the smoker.

It goes to the back wall, but not what you might think.  I guess everyone has seen all the placements they want?  I guess I will spend tomorrow doing a video over view, some more detailed photos of the unit including things like the water pan, and we will try and do some ice & boiling water tests on the food probe.  I will also take the time to prepare the jerky and the trail bologna and we will start cooking Tuesday I guess!

does the water pan go all the way to the back wall of the smoker or is there a gap for hot air to travel up the back and make that part of the grill hotter?

It is even with the chimney, just trying to see if all 4 probes would track at the same temperature.  I have been lax with testing and corresponding photos and will try and rectify that tomorrow!

I am confused as to why you lowered the chimney cap to 0 at 200* the second hour.  Is the zero setting mean that the cap is closed or just visibly looks that way from the side view.   I noticed that the resulting temps were below 200*.   Except for back left.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I am curious to see the food cooks.  Thanks for the graphs with different probe placements.  Great information to know about the cooker.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Seems to be a lot of heat coming up the back of that cooker based on the impact it is having on "staining" the back wall near the RTD probe.  Seems to go hand in hand with the results of your tests that the back of the cooker is hotter than the front on most of the racks.

[okie smokie]

I suspect the lower temp when set to 200* with the cap down was due to lower air flow.  Manual says for low temp cooks, the cap should be open more. I guess the fire may be choked out if the cap is too low. 
As for more  heat on the back side: can the deflector be adjusted or is it fixed?
Looks like a big paint peel on the under side of the water pan or is that just ash? 
Sorry for all the questions, but this is new territory.

[Bentley]

The black heat diffuser or "flame tamer" would be fixed.  It is just a black, probably 10ga square piece of metal with vent on left and right and a 4 indentations for it to sit in.  To be honest with you, I don't know, I started my session before I saw this question.  If I had to guess from picture I would say paint flake, sooner its gone the better!  But I will have to check next time I open.

As for more  heat on the back side: can the deflector be adjusted or is it fixed?
Looks like a big paint peel on the under side of the water pan or is that just ash? 

[Bentley]

Right!  Off to make trail bologna.

[slaga]

I am just looking at the pictures and trying to figure out why the back is warmer than the front. Sometimes I overthink things.

My first thought was:
This may make no difference at all but, ... For drainage purposes, most patios are sloped away from the house. Meaning the side of the grill that is closest to the house will be slightly higher than the other.  Looking at the pictures, it appears the back of the grill is facing the house and the front is facing out, away from the house. I am wondering if the fact the heat deflector and area with the louvers around the water pan both (may?) have the back side slightly higher than the front, if that could impact the temperature gradiant front to back? I am wondering if you spun the grill 180 degrees in the same location you have it, would the front of the grill become the warmer side? On second thought I doubt this would have a significant enough of an impact on the temperature gradient front to back.

On second thought, I really think it is because the pellet bin is at the back of the unit. The pellet bin is acting like double wall construction and the pellets in the bin are acting like additional insulation between the walls. The front only has a glass door. The back is more insulated so it retains more heat and that it is why it is hotter. That is my official SWAG.

[Bentley]

It is a double walled unit!  Look at the grease hole to see what I mean...

[slaga]

It is a double walled unit!  Look at the grease hole to see what I mean...

It is not really double walled at the front. It has a huge glass door. The door is more glass than anything else. Is the glass in the door double pane or single? (Hold a lighter next to the glass and light it. You will see a reflection of the the flame at each pane. If it is single pane you will only see 1 flame. If it is double, you will see 2 flames in the glass. You can also use a flashlight like this video demonstrates. http://windowdepotusa.com/triple-pane-windows-test-is-it-really-triple-pane/)

The point I am making is the pellet bin actually adds even more insulation than the double wall construction. So at the back you have lots and lots of insulation and at the front you really only have the glass in the door. In my opinion, that is why it is hotter at the back.

[Bentley]

Turned to 150° @ 1:55pm.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Seems to run great at low temps.  I would only bump it up to crisp up the chicken wings so the swings in temps wouldn't be an issue for me.

[Bentley]

It appears the 1st cook is Kristin's $5.79 turkey, 18.5lbs...  The Probes!  I have no clue where to put them.  1 & 2 hanging underneath shelf 1, probe 3 hanging underneath bird and 4 on grate below bird.  Pit set @ 300°. 

Happy to move the probes anywhere someone wants them!

[reubenray]

Is there a reason for the turkey to be on a pan instead of directly on the rack?

[Kristin Meredith]

Is there a reason for the turkey to be on a pan instead of directly on the rack?

I would like to get the bird off clean and not worry about it sticking to the rack or getting the pit too dirty.

[TechMOGogy]

Is there a reason for the turkey to be on a pan instead of directly on the rack?

I would like to get the bird off clean and not worry about it sticking to the rack or getting the pit too dirty.

I cook almost everything in pans now - cleanup is so simple and fast (esp with disposable 1/2 pans )