Pellet Fan
Pit Talk -- Comments and Questions Regarding These Pellet Pits => recteq => Topic started by: okie smokie on August 10, 2022, 09:52:12 PM
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Ordered Friday at 4 PM. Shipped on Monday and received on Wednesday (1000 miles!), and assembled same day. Easy assembly, and a structurally sound pit. My son had told me that the new recteq wifi app was a great improvement. It was a no brainer to download and install. Just a few clicks and it did all the previously required entry of data. I then did the 400* 1 hour burn in, and was a perfect performance. The "actual" overshot 17* in the first 12 minute and then settled back to 400 at 16 minutes. From then on the "actual" drifted down 1* and up 1* once for the whole hour. Shutdown without a hitch. I may test with my personal probes tomorrow, but if it is like the 590, the temps will be close enough not to require adjustment. But with the RT you can adjust so that it reads out accurately +- 25*. I like the new cast iron heat diffuser and the second shelf will be handy as well. The SS lid fits better than the lid on my 590. RT goes out of the way to advise not using any lid insulation, and confirms that the leaking lids do not affect cooking results. Really stout cover that fits well. Will see how well it works for me. The upper grate, stores as a shelf in the cabinet, but prevents me from storing my spare pellet box below but lots of other junk will go there.
(https://i.imgur.com/mXCPfusl.jpg)
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Nice looking grill and a great price. Anxious to hear more about it.
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Had some concern about the heat loss thru the bottom, but when I pulled the grease drawer out and looked inside, the bottom of the barrel is heavily insulated with a thick foil lined insulation pad. Also, access to the control, auger motor and fan looks to be similar to the the Beale Street but I won't open it unless a need arrises. I suspect that the whole front panel either comes off or swings down. For sure the sheet metal at 16 gauge is much more rigid than the 18 gauge on the BS was. Even without the side shelves, the pit is heavier than the BS also. The top of the hopper makes a nice work shelf, and has a cute way of opening to load 30 lbs of pellets (as compared with 12lbs). I think the wheels are a bit bigger also and all four can be locked so if one lock is not protruding on one side, you can use the one on the other side. Surely can't reach all four at the same position.? Standard 4 inch bread pan, disposable fits right into the grease drawer, so no mess to empty. In the past I have been a drip tray foil guy, but I think leaving the drip pan naked, and using a large putty knife to scrape it down after drippy cooks will be easier. The cabinet seems stout enough to me, but the magnets that keep the doors closed are too weak. Will see if I can correct that. I like the narrower appearance and space requirements. The front shelf is more than adequate. There are no tool hooks, but will find some elsewhere.
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Very nice! I love my RT-1250, they are great, well built pits with an excellent controller.
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Nice looking grill. Congrats!!!
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From your description and the photographs, it looks as though it belongs on anyone's short list.
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Ran the 225* test today with 3 personal probes. My favorite smoking temp. I know that 3 probes left, center, right are not technically enough samples but should be reasonably accurate. At 0 offset (factory preset), and after an hour, at set temperature, all the probes were about 12* to 16* hotter, with swings above and below. So I reset the offset to +10, and also changed the square D (in the center) to "average" which is a continuing 15 minute average. After about another hour, the square D was averaging 225* plus or minus 1*. and both sides were mostly in the 217-235* range (up and down). I had just picked +10 as a guess, since the numbers are not exact degrees. Lucky! I'm sure on different days it might vary, today its 88*ambient. Not sure how the adjustment will effect high temps but plan to do a steak tonight on High, with GrillGrates installed and will see how it goes. My 590 was adjusted +7 on Offset as I recall and was always very accurate after. RT says changing the offset is not nec, as they claim that all controls are accurately set at factory. To do that with my pit they would have to have burned some pellets and taken some temps. Hard to do with an unused and unassembled pit. And in fairness, the error was not much. More importantly, the temp swings were much less than on the Memphis BS and less frequent. I think I'm good to go and happy to be here.
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Be curious to see if you taste a difference in smoke flavors. If the BS had bigger temp swing it probably produced a better smoke profile.
I liked my RT even with the issues it was built nice, but for smoke flavor, liquid smoke and the oven could have beat it. When I bought my GMG is when I really noticed the lack of smoke.
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Be curious to see if you taste a difference in smoke flavors. If the BS had bigger temp swing it probably produced a better smoke profile.
I liked my RT even with the issues it was built nice, but for smoke flavor, liquid smoke and the oven could have beat it. When I bought my GMG is when I really noticed the lack of smoke.
Did not really notice much difference, but I did notice a significant amount of soot deposited everywhere on the Beale Street after all cooks, even after testing with no food inside. Had to wipe the soot off the grates, every time. Eventually soot will gather on all pits, but this was a bit surprising. After my burn in yesterday on 1070 for an hour at 400 and then 2 hrs today at 225*, almost no soot anywhere. Just a trace around the exhaust vents. Just ran that down on the web and it is the result of incomplete combustion or so called black smoke. I wonder if the other models of Memphis do this? or was it unique to mine. Yuck! Not good for you.
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Yes soot would come from not enough air usually.
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Can't get much air when the fan is off almost all the time below 300*. Anyhow its history. Did ribeye tonight. Turned it up to High and when it hit 650* did the steak on the 1070 grates until steak temp was 120* then onto the upside down GrillGrate for almost 2 minutes each side. Temp was 138* so off, buttered and rested 5 minutes or more. No pics, looked great and ate even better. Lowered temp to 300* and when it got there turned it off. Shutdown was normal. Cleaned and ready to go. No avoiding discoloration of the barrel from the high heat. Now its officially broken in!
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Ca. Turned it up to High and when it hit 650* did the steak on the 1070 grates until steak temp was 220*
I'm sure that you meant 120°.
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Ca. Turned it up to High and when it hit 650* did the steak on the 1070 grates until steak temp was 220*
I'm sure that you meant 120°.
You are correct! Will correct it.
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Looks like an awesome cooker!
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Did a 350* test today and found the readout to be accurate so the +10 added to the OFS is correct for low/slow and mid/heat temps. And once stabilized, it stayed there +- 4-5*. Please note that it takes about 30 minutes for the temps to stabilize, and the center takes the longest to get there using real temps. I think the cast iron diffuser is a big heat sink and takes a while to build up and radiate. Once it arrives to the set temp it stays very close. So for those who own them I would suggest to start it up 30 minutes before you plan to cook if you are picky. If not picky, probably ok to start sooner, as it will even out on long cooks. Main thing is that there are no wild swings! Time to get down to some real Q! Probably ribs tomorrow. :bbq:
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Nice and shiny, congrats!
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Glad to hear you're happy with the 1070 okie. On with cooking.
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keep us posted looks like a great smoker
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Thanks. Setting up for BB ribs today. Churches Gospel. Plan: 2 hrs naked, 2 hrs foiled, painted and back on naked for 30 min -----? to finish. All at 225*. We've all seen enough pics but just for grins will do pics this time. No peek for first 2 hrs.
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WHOOPS! had to abort the plan for today. Reschedule.
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Just for enlightenment, I asked RT tech about adjusting the temp offset (OFS) to get closer to the real temps measured across the grates. Got a nice quick reply. RT has set the RTD to measure the total cubic space of the cooking areas and that the temps taken at 1 " above the lower grates does not produce the overall temp in the pit. He said that +- 25* was the acceptable standard in any one spot. While he said it was ok to adjust, he assured me that the settings that were made at manufacture, will give the best expected results and do really represent extensive testing. So--I have moved the OFS back to the factory setting of 0 and will see how that affects traditional expected cooking times. i.e. leave it alone and get to cooking!
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It will likely change some after it gets broken in/seasoned too. You seal up some gaps, get a less reflective coating on everything inside, etc. I’d say though if after 10-12 cooks you still see a difference maybe adjust it then. My MAK has a roaming thermocouple and I never move it or mess with offset. My Fireboard is almost always hooked up and I just adjust the grill temp to get what I want at near the food. Though after having a few Traegers 10° off might as well be dead on.
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It will likely change some after it gets broken in/seasoned too. You seal up some gaps, get a less reflective coating on everything inside, etc. I’d say though if after 10-12 cooks you still see a difference maybe adjust it then. My MAK has a roaming thermocouple and I never move it or mess with offset. My Fireboard is almost always hooked up and I just adjust the grill temp to get what I want at near the food. Though after having a few Traegers 10° off might as well be dead on.
Good info. Agree.
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Interim progress report: I would recommend the 1070 as a great bang for the buck now. It has broken in well, performs well. Temps are accurate now (adjusted) and stable. And the small nitty picky things have been resolved IMO. Forget about keeping it stain free on the outside, but who cares? I also know how to avoid auger burn back on shutdown. No oil leaks. Very efficient burn with little soot production.
;D :)
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I was curious as to why the burn back and hopper smoke during shut down was so common on the 1070 (and I am told the 1250 as well). While I was able to reduce the occurrence on the 1070 by first lowering to a lower temp (250 +-), I was more interested in the "why" this problem seems to occur in the 1070, when it did not happen often in the older 590. Looking at the two pits for differences:
1. old 590 has four large slots on top for discharge, while the new 590 and 1070 have multiple slots on top but they are narrow. I think the total exhaust opening on the newer machines is larger.
2. Fire pot and auger assemblies on both old and new 590s are inside the chamber, while the whole assembly is below the floor of the 1070 with the top of fire pot flush with the floor.
3. The 1070 has a front loading hopper with a very short auger tube, compared to the 590's which have long auger/pot assembly.
4. The new 590 and 1070 both have 3rpm auger motor while old 590 had I think a 1.5rpm motor
5. The 1070 has a large opening at the top of the hopper and the cover seems to just rest on it when in place, I'm not sure it touches it even. The 590 has a smaller lid and is held more snugly in place with a clasp. More on this later
#1 I think small narrow slots create more friction and thus resistance to exhaust and thus reduce the volume allowed to pass. (and clog up easier). Flow is always faster the farther it is from the edges of exhaust surface, so there is little room for increase with the slotted exhaust. The old chimney exhaust follows the law of laminar flow with highest friction on the surface of interior with markedly reduced friction in the center, so the old chimney exhaust would allow less resistance to flow, and thus permit exit of more volume depending on its diameter. BOTTOM LINE: SLOTS ARE LESS EFFICIENT, SO YOU NEED A LARGER TOTAL AREA FOR THE SAME FLOW.
#2 I don't think the position of the assemblies matters as far as contributing to exhaust or pressure changes.
#3 I think the shorter auger assembly contributes to the ease of back flow of fire and exhaust into the hopper for obvious reasons.
#4 The new 3rpm motor propels twice the volume of pellets for combustion at the "high" end and thus twice?(theoretical, perhaps the auger blade is adjusted) the volume of exhaust gases is formed at the high end. And because there is less resistance to pressure in the hopper auger assembly, you are more likely to get backburn and smoke in hopper???
#5 I think this is the main reason for easy back flow of smoke. #1 may be a contributing factor, but I do not know the total area of the new exhaust. But I do know that if there was no leak in the hopper lid, there would be no flow, and no oxygen for combustion in the tube (or less of it).
REC: SEAL THE HOPPER LID! There should be no risk since the there are no alterations of the cooking chamber or exhaust system.
I had several burn backs at shutdown recently, and the pit was clean and no obstructions found.
Here is what I did and it was easy. Using Lava Loc 1/8" thick. This thickness does not interfere with opening or closing the lid.I have made 4 500* plus cooks since with all kinds of variations and had NO shutdown hopper smoke or even post shutoff smolders in pit. I am cautiously optimistic. Comments appreciated.
(https://i.imgur.com/srmIBtvl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XQRJqGDl.jpg)
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6 hot cooks with hopper seal in place. First 5 shutdowns I lowered temp to 250+- and had no problem. Last hot cook 485* for burgers had post shut down auger smolder. But no smoke from hopper. The first 5 I turned temp down to 250+- and let stabilize, then off. The 6th cook I tried turning off without waiting and thus the burn back. I went to Test Mode and purged the auger tube to close it down.
Lesson: Will always do a cool down and stabilize before shutdown.
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Back when I had the Blazin' GridIron, I had several auger fires.
There were a real pain to clear up.
I complained to Tim about it, but he had no idea.
Even sent me a new auger, but that didn't solve it.
I told him I thought it was the shutdown code.
The fan would remain on full while the auger turning was reduced to 0 for most of the shutdown time.
As a result with the flame still roaring and auger not turning, the pellets in the end of the auger would catch fire.
They eventually changed the shutdown code, but unfortunately for me it was after I sold it.
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Good info, perhaps if the auger were turning just a little during the shutdown, that would help, although adding pellets while trying to burn them out seems counterproductive also. I think that lowering the temp to below 250* and then letting it stabilize seems to work best. Perhaps even lowering to "low" might be better. In truth I have sent all this info to RT and the tech has passed it on to the VP of R&D (because he thinks it has some merit). I'm gonna do another hot cook test today and lower to "low" and see how it shuts down. Meanwhile, the 1070 cooks like a champ and I can live with an occ. burn back at shutdown, hoping RT will figure it out. But your suggestion that the shutdown algorithm may need alteration makes sense. I had a Blaz'n when they made the change in shutdown and it worked for me. Stay tuned.
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Hot cook test today. Took it up to 500+ for about 1/2 hr or more. Then turned it down to 220 (decided that was as good as "low", for testing). This time I waited until it reached 220* and let it set there for 10-12 minutes before turning off. Perfect shutdown. No smolder smoke or hopper smoke etc. Lesson learned. Anxious to hear if RT has any comments or new suggestions. Since I don't see another with a 1070 on PF's list, I have looked around for other owners experiences.
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I do the same procedure with my RT-1250 when cooking above 400 - at the end of the cook I drop the set point to 200, but I don't wait for the temp to drop completely as 5 to 10 minutes has been sufficient, though I'd probably wait a bit longer if running above 500.
Although the RT-1250 has no trouble getting up to 600, I usually use my gas Weber for searing anyway.
I've had one auger burn back while low temp smoking, but I'm certain it was because of damp pellets so I'm not blaming that one on the RT - while it was covered, the hopper was full with 40# of pellets, it was monsoon season, and I hadn't used it for a few weeks. When I scooped out the hopper there were clearly pellets that had gotten wet. So now I only fill the hopper with as many pellets as I need for the cook, and scoop anything left back out if I'm not going to cook for a bit.
I agree the shutdown burn back can be solved pretty easily with a software change.
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I asked my browser about pellet smoker burn back on shutdown and found a lot of comments about the same problems with Traeger, Pitt Boss and others. And the causes and corrections to prevent were all similar. There are several articles that explain the cause and suggest the best cure. Nothing new found there. One prominent cause was thought to be damp or previously wet pellets or poor grade pellets and pellet dust. As a result some suggest only using enough pellets for the cook and removing the left over pellets after the cook. Not my problem here, as the climate is drier, my grill is stored on a covered porch, and is covered with a good cover. Most common suggestion in a hot cook is to lower temp setting to the 200-250* range and then shutdown; which is what we are doing, and successfully. Also avoid ash buildup in the fire pot. Clean it out before hot cooks or after long low/slow cooks.
Also of note is that on a hot cook, opening and closing lid frequently or for prolonged time causes the temp to go down and the PID to dump more pellets and then if you turn off then, there is a big bonfire in progress in your fire pot and with the auger not moving, it is easy for this fire to ignite auger pellets in the adjacent tube. The fan then "fans" the fire in the tube during the shutdown. Makes sense to me. So I came away with the following suggestion.
If you make a hot cook; after you remove the cook, allow the pit to stabilize at the high temp for enough time to burn the extra pellets. ( i.e. 10 or so minutes? the time will help burn up drippings also)
Then turn down to the 200-250* and shut off at that temp. That is what I did with the test yesterday. Worked for me.
I will not comment on how to treat a hopper fire as I don't have that experience. I do have a fire extinguisher that will put out grease fires and does not harm the smoker. Perhaps others will advise on this.
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MAK advises to leave the lid open during shutdown. I’ve gone from grill mode (500-600°) to immediate shutdown mode with no burn back issues following that advice.
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MAK advises to leave the lid open during shutdown. I’ve gone from grill mode (500-600°) to immediate shutdown mode with no burn back issues following that advice.
That works well for burnback prone pits. The smoldering fire @ shutdown seeking oxygen can burn its way out by not drawing air thru the auger/hopper as there is plenty of more easily accessed air with the
lid open. This shutdown method goes back to the early days. BTW: The lid doesn't have to be wide open to function if inclement weather is a concern. Propped open ~ 1" works.
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I can see where opening the lid might might help the fire pot burn out faster. But if you open the lid before pushing the off button, you will get loading of the fire pot to compensate for the lost temp and "that" plus then stopping the auger will leave you with the bonfire I mentioned above. I really believe that is the biggest contributor to auger ignition. Scenario, has been: Open lid, check steak/chop and if done remove steak/chop, then hit the off button. Or, if not done to close and open again in a few minutes, then remove steak/chop and hit "off". Bonfire, fan on, and auger off = auger pellet ignition IMO.(that is why the auger fire and/or hopper smoke mostly occurs during shutdown). If you are going to try that, I would be sure and keep the lid closed for a while after removing your cook, then when temp is stable again, shut it off. Personally, I am happy to reduce the set temp first and then the off button, as this allows the fire pot to burn down, as the auger slows delivery, and allows you to turn off with minimal stimulus for bonfire. On the RT's I am not sure whether the pellet dump at the end of shutdown, would hinder or help this quick shutdown process. "Shutting down my smoker is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get."
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Long term follow up on 1070 mod and shutdown adjustments.
1. Sealing hopper lid--no episodes of smoke from hopper either during cook or shutdown. Problem assume solved.
2. Leaving high temp setting after cook removed until PID equilibrates to the set temp and then lowering temp to 225-250 range before shutoff. --No episodes of auger smolder or burn, except the one time I did not leave high temp stabilize before lowering temp. Problem assumed solved.
:clap: :clap:
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4 months later. 1070 well used, and no burn backs since last note. Grill very reliable, and I would recommend it.
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Glad it's working well for you. :bbq:
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Glad it's working well for you. :bbq:
Thanks!
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Since my DC went txx,s up (headed to grave yard) and my Traeger has been marginal, I'll give it a look.
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Since my DC went txx,s up (headed to grave yard) and my Traeger has been marginal, I'll give it a look.
Let me know if I can help or with any questions. :clap: