Pellet Fan
Pit Talk -- Comments and Questions Regarding These Pellet Pits => All Other Pellet Manufactures. => Topic started by: GatorDave on June 26, 2018, 12:33:12 PM
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Well, the adventure begins. I just placed my order for this grill on Amazon. I will keep you guys updated on my experience from beginning to end. I feel a little better about it after speaking with the manufacturer, but time will tell. Delivery estimate is from July 3rd to the 13th.
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Hope you get it the 3rd if you were planning on being home and using a pit this July 4th!
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Hope you get it the 3rd if you were planning on being home and using a pit this July 4th!
I hope you are right, because if I don't get it by the 3rd, I'm unlikely to get it that week. My company is giving us Friday off instead of the 4th, so that we get a long weekend. If it doesn't come in by the 3rd, the 4th is a holiday, and I won't be working Friday (I get stuff delivered to work), so Thursday would be my only shot the rest of that week.
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Never heard of this brand, what an interesting machine. I am interested in your take on it. I like that it is all stainless and seems to have a decent capacity.
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Never heard of this brand, what an interesting machine. I am interested in your take on it. I like that it is all stainless and seems to have a decent capacity.
I hadn't heard of them until last week, and I have been pellet grill shopping for a looooong time. This one had everything I was looking for in the one pit. This site has some more pictures you don't see on the manufacturers website.
It really is a pretty unit. As long as it works as well as it should, I'm going to be very happy.
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It looks like a nice unit. Congratulations! Awaiting your evaluation.
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Nice looking. I hope you have something to wear on your arms when you are pulling food out. That door should be pretty hot.
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Well, the adventure begins. I just placed my order for this grill on Amazon. I will keep you guys updated on my experience from beginning to end. I feel a little better about it after speaking with the manufacturer, but time will tell. Delivery estimate is from July 3rd to the 13th.
What was it the dealer said that made you feel better about buying it?
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Bentley, didn't you do a review of that pit a few years ago, or did it never materialize? I remember talk about it.
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I think we asked them and they were interested, but that was about the time everything went to...
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It's too bad that it wasn't reviewed here. GatorDave would have heard about it sooner and it would have gotten a great deal of additional exposure.
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With the exception of Camp Chef, I guess it is one of 2 things, most of the manufactures don't feel it is worthwhile, or they don't feel they need the exposure. Or they just feel this site is way to small and that there are not enough eyes to make it effective.
It's too bad that it wasn't reviewed here. GatorDave would have heard about it sooner and it would have gotten a great deal of additional exposure.
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With the exception of Camp Chef, I guess it is one of 2 things, most of the manufactures don't feel it is worthwhile, or they don't feel they need the exposure. Or they just feel this site is way to small and that there are not enough eyes to make it effective.
It's too bad that it wasn't reviewed here. GatorDave would have heard about it sooner and it would have gotten a great deal of additional exposure.
Or they want to make up their own story about what their grill can do without having someone challenge whether it can or can't. I'm reading a lot of marketing speak on this sight that seems to be coming from manufacturer information where they seem to be pushing the boundaries of reality on some things to a pretty uninformed prospective buyer. Like most things in life, I wish I knew then what I do now when I made my first pellet grill purchase. Pellet grills seem to have become the next patio gadget after the infrared gas grill.
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So you have to pull out a shelf to have access to your food?
Not sure I would like that.
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So you have to pull out a shelf to have access to your food?
Not sure I would like that.
You don't have to put all of the shelves in. If you do put food on all four racks, it would definitely be easier to pull them out to get to your food, but for most cooks I will probably only keep 2 shelves in there. I doubt I will ever use all 1400 sq inches at one time, but it will be nice to have it.
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Well, the adventure begins. I just placed my order for this grill on Amazon. I will keep you guys updated on my experience from beginning to end. I feel a little better about it after speaking with the manufacturer, but time will tell. Delivery estimate is from July 3rd to the 13th.
What was it the dealer said that made you feel better about buying it?
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It was more an overall vibe. He didn't try to oversell me on it. He answered the questions I had, and when I told him I was thinking about ordering a set of spare parts for it, he said that really all I might need is a spare igniter. He could have sold me all the spare parts, but the fact that he didn't jump at the easy money made me feel a bit better about it. The jury is still out though. I won't know anything until I get the unit and can put it through it's paces. I'll definitely will be sharing how it goes here though.
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My pit has shipped. :)
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Exciting! Looking forward to your impressions.
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My pit has shipped. :)
Is the expected delivery date in time for the July 4th cook? Congrats by the way!
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My pit has shipped. :)
Is the expected delivery date in time for the July 4th cook? Congrats by the way!
It's still listed as the 3rd to the 13th. It hasn't reached the carrier facility yet, so I still don't know exactly where it's coming from. Once it gets there, the tracking number will give me more info.
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It looks like I should have it by Monday. It's in Mississippi right now. :cool:
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They have closed up the trailer, and it is getting ready to depart Jackson Mississippi.
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They have closed up the trailer, and it is getting ready to depart Jackson Mississippi.
I’m excited for you!!!
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It is now in Orlando, loaded on a truck, ready to go out for delivery Monday. :clap: :cool:
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Good to hear.
Do you have pellets and food lined up for the 4th?
:cool: :cool:
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Good to hear.
Do you have pellets and food lined up for the 4th?
:cool: :cool:
Yep, have pellets. My company doesn't have the 4th off. They decided to give us friday off so we have a long weekend. I prefer that. Not sure what I'm going to cook yet. I did a couple chickens on the Bullseye today, and am going to do a couple of meatloafs tomorrow. I'm definitely going to have to figure out something good for next weekend.
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Exciting times. Congrats. Keep us all posted.
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My pit arrived, and I got it set up and did the initial burn in. My initial thought when I opened the package was man is she pretty. As I feared, she is prettier from a distance. This was one of my worries, but one I was willing to live with. The workmanship looks shoddy in places up close. It won't affect the cooking of the pit, it's just that it is less pretty up close. Most of the areas that aren't pretty are inside. On the outside, for the most part it looks like a good pit, but you can tell corners were cut.
Things I didn't expect that aren't great about it is that things like the auger motor and some of the wiring aren't enclosed. Which means if this is left out in the rain, water will pour down directly on these things. This is something that I can fix, so while it is a negative, it's not a deal breaker. Overall, I think I'm going to be very happy with this unit. The ash cleanout is spectacular. open a door, pull out the burn pot and dump it. Vacuum out the ashes in the box, slide the burn pot back in, close the door.
I love the side shelves, although they actually get a bit warm as they are mounted directly to the cook box. It seems like it's pretty stingy with the pellets, so that will be nice. I won't know how stingy until I do a full cook. I just did an hour at 400 and there was barely any movement in the pellet feed.
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Where are the pictures??
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Where are the pictures??
I'm going to post them tomorrow. I don't have the "want to" right now to do it. It is a humid day out here today.
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I think that most importantly will be performance, usability and food quality. The looks aren’t important unless they impact these elements, imho. Thanks for keeping us updated and I’m looking forward to those pics too!
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Congrats on the new grill! If it's the one I'm thinking it is, it's very nice looking. I wouldn't get too caught up on the shiny to long because once it is broken in it won't quite look the same. My RT was like a mirror inside when it arrived. Now it's just a grill. I do keep the outside looking good on occasion.
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I'm going to do a cook wednesday, so I'll get a chance to put it through it's paces. I'm going to see how the temps are throughout the grill. I'm guessing they are going to be pretty even.
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Here are some pics.
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Here are some more.
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and still more.
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Did they deliver right to your home? Did you have to help or did the delivery person do everything as far as getting it out of the truck and moving it to your garage?
From the pics it looks really nice to me. What don’t you like about it (I think you mentioned it wasn’t as pretty or was their something about the workmanship)?
Thanks for posting pics.
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Did they deliver right to your home? Did you have to help or did the delivery person do everything as far as getting it out of the truck and moving it to your garage?
From the pics it looks really nice to me. What don’t you like about it (I think you mentioned it wasn’t as pretty or was their something about the workmanship)?
Thanks for posting pics.
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I had it delivered to work. I didn't want to take a day off to sit home waiting for delivery. I'm going to use it to cook some butts for the guys at work before I take it home this weekend.
It is a good looking unit, but when you look inside you can see short cuts were taken in manufacturing. Things like spot welds instead of full welds and lots of places with unfinished metal. The outside is very pretty though. The racks, while I like the overall design, may become an issue. They are stainless steel tubes put into a frame. The issue is likely to come from the fact that they aren't welded around the tubes where they enter the frame. I'm thinking that grease is going to get in there. If this becomes an issue, I'm just going to make some regular stainless racks to put in there. Overall though, I think I'm going to like it. The clean out is beyond easy. I don't hove to remove anything out of the pit to get to the firepot, and most of the ash drops into a box below the firepot. I really won't know how much I like it until I get an actual cook done.
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Congrats on your new pit and I am glad you are pleased with it!!
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Thanks for the pics and commentary. Nice job indeed. Next will be how it works..All the best!
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Looks good! Thanks for the pictures.
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Similar to the Memphis grills, clean out that grease tray before you go to a high temp cook or you will have a nice fire.
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That's pretty neat. Kinda reminds me of Snoopy's house. Heck of an investment for sure.
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Yes, that looks like a really nice grill for sure. I see they included a rack pullout tool and a holder for it. Be careful of burns from touching it while cooking.
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The first cook is in, and I checked grate temps all over, and sadly they differ from front to back and side to side, which is definitely not what I expected from this pit. It looks like I'm going to have to get some work done on it. The first thing I'm going to do is move the pit probe. It is right below the chimney. I don't think this is the best spot for it since it is also the hottest spot in the grill. I'm also going to have to figure out a down draft mod for it to try to even those temps out. That is going to be a little more problematic since the grates are going to have to be modified. The food came out great though, so that's a plus.
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
The problem is going to be when I want to cook several butts or racks or ribs at once or even a whole brisket. I will constantly have to rotate things around the pit so they cook evenly. Complicating my cooking is not the reason I got a pellet grill...lol.
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
The problem is going to be when I want to cook several butts or racks or ribs at once or even a whole brisket. I will constantly have to rotate things around the pit so they cook evenly. Complicating my cooking is not the reason I got a pellet grill...lol.
So, not something a little foil could fix? Like using foil to protect edges of food from the higher heat wherever the hot spots are?
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
The problem is going to be when I want to cook several butts or racks or ribs at once or even a whole brisket. I will constantly have to rotate things around the pit so they cook evenly. Complicating my cooking is not the reason I got a pellet grill...lol.
So, not something a little foil could fix? Like using foil to protect edges of food from the higher heat wherever the hot spots are?
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Unfortunately no on the foil. Fortunately I have a machine shop at my beck and call, so I'm going to manufacture a second heat diffuser that is going to vent the heat towards the front of the pit so then it can travel back to the chimney. I'm hoping this evens it out enough to make me happy. I'll have pics when I finish it. Below is a pic of the current heat diffuser/drip pan, and my first mod, new wheels.
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
The problem is going to be when I want to cook several butts or racks or ribs at once or even a whole brisket. I will constantly have to rotate things around the pit so they cook evenly. Complicating my cooking is not the reason I got a pellet grill...lol.
How big of a difference in temp are you seeing? I would also do a biscuit test to see the real impact the variation in temp will have on food.
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What did I miss there, I need to move this and change that, temps were different, but wait the food came out great, Sounds like you don't need to do anything but cook and learn how it cooks. Just my thinking.
The problem is going to be when I want to cook several butts or racks or ribs at once or even a whole brisket. I will constantly have to rotate things around the pit so they cook evenly. Complicating my cooking is not the reason I got a pellet grill...lol.
How big of a difference in temp are you seeing? I would also do a biscuit test to see the real impact the variation in temp will have on food.
50 to 60 degrees in places. From middle front to middle back it's not to bad (15 to 20 degrees), but from side to side, it's awful. If the back is at 250 the front corners are in the 190 degree range.
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I miss Bentley's Performance Tests more and more. Now, it's a c_r_a_p shoot. A carnival worker once told me, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."
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I miss Bentley's Performance Tests more and more. Now, it's a c_r_a_p shoot. A carnival worker once told me, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."
I knew this pit was going to be a gamble. I just didn't think even temperatures were going to be the problem with it. With the firepot in the middle and everything symmetrical, I thought for sure they would be even. I've got the one fix in the works, if that doesn't work I have a more radical idea. I'm going to create a downdraft mod by cutting into the dual walls at the bottom grate level, and then venting up to the chimney in the air gap area. That way I won't have to cut down the grates to put one in.
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I miss Bentley's Performance Tests more and more. Now, it's a c_r_a_p shoot. A carnival worker once told me, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."
I knew this pit was going to be a gamble. I just didn't think even temperatures were going to be the problem with it. With the firepot in the middle and everything symmetrical, I thought for sure they would be even. I've got the one fix in the works, if that doesn't work I have a more radical idea. I'm going to create a downdraft mod by cutting into the dual walls at the bottom grate level, and then venting up to the chimney in the air gap area. That way I won't have to cut down the grates to put one in.
It is not symmetrical. The chimney is at the back, not top center. The heated air is going to try to take the path of least resistance from the fire pot to the chimney inlet. That is why it is warmer at the back. If you are willing to start cutting on a brand new grill, I'd suggest relocating the chimney to the top center of the cooking chamber and see what you get. I bet it will be a lot more even then.
I converted a Yoder YS640 to top down cooking so I ran into the issues I am pointing out below. Top down cooking is great but, you are going to run into a couple issues in doing so.
1) The heated air is going to take the path of least resistance from the fire pot to the hole you cut out of the inner wall. For top down to work really well, something has to force all of the air up above the food and then let it get pushed down over the food at the grates, and then to the hole you put in the inner wall. If you do not force the heated, smoky air up above the grate, I doubt you will get the results you are hoping for, and you will not really be cooking "top down".
2) Top down cooking requires a smaller fire to maintain the same temperature. What ever temperature is the lowest you can cook at now, expect that temperature to be higher after your top down mods.
Edit below:
Actually there is a 3rd thing to consider. I have toyed with the idea of using the space between the walls (double wall construction) to vent my grill (not a Smok-N-Hot grill) too. One thing that bugs me about it is that space is going to get greasy and there is no way to get inside and really clean it all out. I am scared one day down the road I might end up with a grease fire inside the double wall construction. That has prevented me from acting on using the space between the walls to vent my grill.
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Before I cut anything though, I really suggest using a piece of vent pipe just smaller than the chimney inlet and cap one end. The open end goes into the chimney, inside the cooking chamber, and the capped end towards the front door. Then cut a hole the same diameter as the vent pipe on one side and have that hole point straight down in the center of your cooking area. That would be a cheap and easy way to see if the relocated chimney would accomplish the results you are looking for without actually voiding your warranty. You could even play with cheating that hole a little bit closer to the front or back to find the spot that would get you the best results.
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Before I cut anything though, I really suggest using a piece of vent pipe just smaller than the chimney inlet and cap one end. The open end goes into the chimney, inside the cooking chamber, and the capped end towards the front door. Then cut a hole the same diameter as the vent pipe on one side and have that hole point straight down in the center of your cooking area. That would be a cheap and easy way to see if the relocated chimney would accomplish the results you are looking for without actually voiding your warranty. You could even play with cheating that hole a little bit closer to the front or back to find the spot that would get you the best results.
I like this idea.
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I miss Bentley's Performance Tests more and more. Now, it's a c_r_a_p shoot. A carnival worker once told me, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."
I knew this pit was going to be a gamble. I just didn't think even temperatures were going to be the problem with it. With the firepot in the middle and everything symmetrical, I thought for sure they would be even. I've got the one fix in the works, if that doesn't work I have a more radical idea. I'm going to create a downdraft mod by cutting into the dual walls at the bottom grate level, and then venting up to the chimney in the air gap area. That way I won't have to cut down the grates to put one in.
It is not symmetrical. The chimney is at the back, not top center. The heated air is going to try to take the path of least resistance from the fire pot to the chimney inlet. That is why it is warmer at the back. If you are willing to start cutting on a brand new grill, I'd suggest relocating the chimney to the top center of the cooking chamber and see what you get. I bet it will be a lot more even then.
I converted a Yoder YS640 to top down cooking so I ran into the issues I am pointing out below. Top down cooking is great but, you are going to run into a couple issues in doing so.
1) The heated air is going to take the path of least resistance from the fire pot to the hole you cut out of the inner wall. For top down to work really well, something has to force all of the air up above the food and then let it get pushed down over the food at the grates, and then to the hole you put in the inner wall. If you do not force the heated, smoky air up above the grate, I doubt you will get the results you are hoping for, and you will not really be cooking "top down".
2) Top down cooking requires a smaller fire to maintain the same temperature. What ever temperature is the lowest you can cook at now, expect that temperature to be higher after your top down mods.
Edit below:
Actually there is a 3rd thing to consider. I have toyed with the idea of using the space between the walls (double wall construction) to vent my grill (not a Smok-N-Hot grill) too. One thing that bugs me about it is that space is going to get greasy and there is no way to get inside and really clean it all out. I am scared one day down the road I might end up with a grease fire inside the double wall construction. That has prevented me from acting on using the space between the walls to vent my grill.
I didn't realize most of that, so thanks for the info. I did realize the third thing though, which is why this was a last resort. I do have the capability to mitigate that issue as I have access to a full machine shop. I had a plan. With the other issues you pointed out though, this is probably not the way to go.
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Before I cut anything though, I really suggest using a piece of vent pipe just smaller than the chimney inlet and cap one end. The open end goes into the chimney, inside the cooking chamber, and the capped end towards the front door. Then cut a hole the same diameter as the vent pipe on one side and have that hole point straight down in the center of your cooking area. That would be a cheap and easy way to see if the relocated chimney would accomplish the results you are looking for without actually voiding your warranty. You could even play with cheating that hole a little bit closer to the front or back to find the spot that would get you the best results.
This was my second thought for a fix, but I would lose the whole upper half of the unit for cooking. The chimney exits at the 3rd shelf from the bottom, so I would lose the upper two shelves. Hopefully my new heat deflector is going to do the trick. I'm going to push the heat to the front of the unit so that it then has to exit to the back. It probably wont' be perfect, but I imagine it will be much better. If that doesn't work, it's going to be time to move the chimney to top center.
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Before I cut anything though, I really suggest using a piece of vent pipe just smaller than the chimney inlet and cap one end. The open end goes into the chimney, inside the cooking chamber, and the capped end towards the front door. Then cut a hole the same diameter as the vent pipe on one side and have that hole point straight down in the center of your cooking area. That would be a cheap and easy way to see if the relocated chimney would accomplish the results you are looking for without actually voiding your warranty. You could even play with cheating that hole a little bit closer to the front or back to find the spot that would get you the best results.
This was my second thought for a fix, but I would lose the whole upper half of the unit for cooking. The chimney exits at the 3rd shelf from the bottom, so I would lose the upper two shelves. Hopefully my new heat deflector is going to do the trick. I'm going to push the heat to the front of the unit so that it then has to exit to the back. It probably wont' be perfect, but I imagine it will be much better. If that doesn't work, it's going to be time to move the chimney to top center.
The vent pipe thing I was talking about is a temporary option just to see if relocating the chimney will get you the results you are looking for, without voiding your warranty. You could also see if cheating the chimney slightly to the front or back gets better results than in the center before you make your 1st cut. If it does fix your woes, then you relocate the chimney accordingly and have use of all of your shelves. If it does not get you the results you are looking for, you did not make an extra hole in your grill and void your warranty for nothing. I did not mean for it to be a "permanent" solution.
Good luck on the heat deflector. I have a feeling what you find works best at 250 won't be optimal at higher temperatures and vice versa. I hope I am wrong but that kind of seems to be the case when deflectors are used to move heat from one place in a grill to another. I have my fingers crossed for you!
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Before I cut anything though, I really suggest using a piece of vent pipe just smaller than the chimney inlet and cap one end. The open end goes into the chimney, inside the cooking chamber, and the capped end towards the front door. Then cut a hole the same diameter as the vent pipe on one side and have that hole point straight down in the center of your cooking area. That would be a cheap and easy way to see if the relocated chimney would accomplish the results you are looking for without actually voiding your warranty. You could even play with cheating that hole a little bit closer to the front or back to find the spot that would get you the best results.
This was my second thought for a fix, but I would lose the whole upper half of the unit for cooking. The chimney exits at the 3rd shelf from the bottom, so I would lose the upper two shelves. Hopefully my new heat deflector is going to do the trick. I'm going to push the heat to the front of the unit so that it then has to exit to the back. It probably wont' be perfect, but I imagine it will be much better. If that doesn't work, it's going to be time to move the chimney to top center.
The vent pipe thing I was talking about is a temporary option just to see if relocating the chimney will get you the results you are looking for, without voiding your warranty. You could also see if cheating the chimney slightly to the front or back gets better results than in the center before you make your 1st cut. If it does fix your woes, then you relocate the chimney accordingly and have use of all of your shelves. If it does not get you the results you are looking for, you did not make an extra hole in your grill and void your warranty for nothing. I did not mean for it to be a "permanent" solution.
Good luck on the heat deflector. I have a feeling what you find works best at 250 won't be optimal at higher temperatures and vice versa. I hope I am wrong but that kind of seems to be the case when deflectors are used to move heat from one place in a grill to another. I have my fingers crossed for you!
This is my low and slow unit. I have the bullseye for hot and fast and cooking things at higher temps. I don't see using this unit much beyond 275. I may try it at 350 for meatloaf, but really not for much else.
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You say this is your Low n Slow pit. I am going to assume that is under 250°. How much is it off? I cant imagine 30° makes a difference of 15 minutes cook time on Anything! Rotating or not! We are not talking a loaf of bread, or a cake or even a salmon filet....ribs, chicken, butts, brisket, just cant see where it is going to matter! These will be 4, 7, 12, 15 hours cooks!
The first cook is in, and I checked grate temps all over, and sadly they differ from front to back and side to side, which is definitely not what I expected from this pit.
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>>We are not talking a loaf of bread,
Only low and slow? That pit looks too much like a bread oven not to do bread :)
Pizza too.
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You say this is your Low n Slow pit. I am going to assume that is under 250°. How much is it off? I cant imagine 30° makes a difference of 15 minutes cook time on Anything! Rotating or not! We are not talking a loaf of bread, or a cake or even a salmon filet....ribs, chicken, butts, brisket, just cant see where it is going to matter! These will be 4, 7, 12, 15 hours cooks!
The first cook is in, and I checked grate temps all over, and sadly they differ from front to back and side to side, which is definitely not what I expected from this pit.
When the rear center is at 250, the left and right front are at 195. Now that I have the pit home, I'm going to add probes to many locations at once to get the full picture. I only had the one probe with me at work the day I was running tests, so I had to keep moving it around. These temps are just to far off for me to be cooking several things at once. I'm pretty sure my fix is going to get it close enough for me though. Time will tell.
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Why just not cook on it for several weeks to get a feel for it before starting mods? If you have just been moving a probe around, it means opening the door and letting heat out in the front. Why not put some food on it, leave it closed up for several hours, numerous times, and see how things work out over a period of a few weeks?
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Why just not cook on it for several weeks to get a feel for it before starting mods?
As a new pit owner, I've been quietly watching this thread. Take a deep breath measure twice, cut once. And frankly get two dozen cooks under your belt before even measuring.
DK
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Almost added this one to my list. I had the same pits I was looking at as you were. You went way off tangent. I don't have a Fab shop to do any work. I do have access to a pharmacy so I can take care of any headaches. Haha.
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GatorDave, any updates this week? Did you make the heat deflector mod? Any additional cooks and how it performed?
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GatorDave, any updates this week? Did you make the heat deflector mod? Any additional cooks and how it performed?
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I've got it made, but not tested yet. I was out of town last weekend. I'm going to run it this weekend and see how she goes.
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GatorDave, any updates this week? Did you make the heat deflector mod? Any additional cooks and how it performed?
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I've got it made, but not tested yet. I was out of town last weekend. I'm going to run it this weekend and see how she goes.
Hope it works! Good luck and remember to upload pics for us please!
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Well, my new diffuser plate add on seems to have done the trick. The front to back temps were within 5 degrees of each other and the pit probe. I did't do a side to side test, but I'm fairly certain those temps are much closer as well. Probably not perfect, but close enough for government work. Luckily now I don't have to mess with the chimney. I didn't get any pics this weekend, but I'll try to get them next weekend.
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Well, my new diffuser plate add on seems to have done the trick. The front to back temps were within 5 degrees of each other and the pit probe. I did't do a side to side test, but I'm fairly certain those temps are much closer as well. Probably not perfect, but close enough for government work. Luckily now I don't have to mess with the chimney. I didn't get any pics this weekend, but I'll try to get them next weekend.
Great update and glad to hear it went well for you.
I just saw on their online retail site that the new Kansas City Grill is being sold, about $200 cheaper. It has an option for rotisserie equipment. Same 304 SS and same Roanoke controller but totally different body style. Please keep us in the loop on how you like your unit and how you like the customer service. I’m still on the market for a grill but that’s a lot of $$$ for a relatively unknown company. I appreciate you sharing your experience.
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Well, my new diffuser plate add on seems to have done the trick. The front to back temps were within 5 degrees of each other and the pit probe. I did't do a side to side test, but I'm fairly certain those temps are much closer as well. Probably not perfect, but close enough for government work. Luckily now I don't have to mess with the chimney. I didn't get any pics this weekend, but I'll try to get them next weekend.
Great update and glad to hear it went well for you.
I just saw on their online retail site that the new Kansas City Grill is being sold, about $200 cheaper. It has an option for rotisserie equipment. Same 304 SS and same Roanoke controller but totally different body style. Please keep us in the loop on how you like your unit and how you like the customer service. I’m still on the market for a grill but that’s a lot of $$$ for a relatively unknown company. I appreciate you sharing your experience.
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I haven't even tried the customer service at this point. I kind of went into to this with the thought that it would be xxxx, so I didn't bother when I had this issue. I just designed a new diffuser plate and manufactured it. Up until I put the new plate in, I wouldn't have recommended the pit. The temperatures were all over the place. I was one weekend away from writing this one off, and purchasing a different one, but the new plate seems to work really really well.
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Well, my new diffuser plate add on seems to have done the trick. The front to back temps were within 5 degrees of each other and the pit probe. I did't do a side to side test, but I'm fairly certain those temps are much closer as well. Probably not perfect, but close enough for government work. Luckily now I don't have to mess with the chimney. I didn't get any pics this weekend, but I'll try to get them next weekend.
Great update and glad to hear it went well for you.
I just saw on their online retail site that the new Kansas City Grill is being sold, about $200 cheaper. It has an option for rotisserie equipment. Same 304 SS and same Roanoke controller but totally different body style. Please keep us in the loop on how you like your unit and how you like the customer service. I’m still on the market for a grill but that’s a lot of $$$ for a relatively unknown company. I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I haven't even tried the customer service at this point. I kind of went into to this with the thought that it would be xxxx, so I didn't bother when I had this issue. I just designed a new diffuser plate and manufactured it. Up until I put the new plate in, I wouldn't have recommended the pit. The temperatures were all over the place. I was one weekend away from writing this one off, and purchasing a different one, but the new plate seems to work really really well.
:clap: Glad to hear it. Let's see some cooks!
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Well, my new diffuser plate add on seems to have done the trick. The front to back temps were within 5 degrees of each other and the pit probe. I did't do a side to side test, but I'm fairly certain those temps are much closer as well. Probably not perfect, but close enough for government work. Luckily now I don't have to mess with the chimney. I didn't get any pics this weekend, but I'll try to get them next weekend.
Great update and glad to hear it went well for you.
I just saw on their online retail site that the new Kansas City Grill is being sold, about $200 cheaper. It has an option for rotisserie equipment. Same 304 SS and same Roanoke controller but totally different body style. Please keep us in the loop on how you like your unit and how you like the customer service. I’m still on the market for a grill but that’s a lot of $$$ for a relatively unknown company. I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I haven't even tried the customer service at this point. I kind of went into to this with the thought that it would be xxxx, so I didn't bother when I had this issue. I just designed a new diffuser plate and manufactured it. Up until I put the new plate in, I wouldn't have recommended the pit. The temperatures were all over the place. I was one weekend away from writing this one off, and purchasing a different one, but the new plate seems to work really really well.
:clap: Glad to hear it. Let's see some cooks!
I was all ready to show off my first brisket, but I ruined it. I foiled it way to soon, so, while it is juicy and tender as xxxx, it had no smoke flavor, and no bark. It's almost like I cooked it in the oven rather than on a grill. Don't get me wrong, while brisket with no smoke flavor is still pretty tasty, it just isn't the same.
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When I nail a brisket, I just slice it and eat it straight. When I "screw it up" similar to how you described, I just chop it with bbq sauce and throw it in a hoagie roll with melted cheddar. Not what I wanted but still a treat nonetheless.
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When I nail a brisket, I just slice it and eat it straight. When I "screw it up" similar to how you described, I just chop it with bbq sauce and throw it in a hoagie roll with melted cheddar. Not what I wanted but still a treat nonetheless.
I just sliced it and we had it on kaiser rolls with slaw and bbq sauce. It was really good, just not what I was looking for when I cooked it on the grill..lol. Note to self; foil it after the stall, or at the very least during the stall, not way before the stall.
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Just curious to see how things are going with this pit.
Build quality holding up?
Rust?
Controller still responding?
Food quality?
Any problems or recommendations on this brand?
I just saw they have a new “Eco†grill, less frills regarding design but it’s all 304 stainless steel for under $1000! Reminds me of the Firecraft but this is double walled and looks a little more like a Memphis grill. Also has a rotisserie option (like the new Broil Kings).
I’m still searching for a grill but I’m glad to see companies are putting out different and more affordable stainless steel options. Thanks for sharing any helpful info.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Just curious to see how things are going with this pit.
Build quality holding up?
Rust?
Controller still responding?
Food quality?
Any problems or recommendations on this brand?
I just saw they have a new “Eco†grill, less frills regarding design but it’s all 304 stainless steel for under $1000! Reminds me of the Firecraft but this is double walled and looks a little more like a Memphis grill. Also has a rotisserie option (like the new Broil Kings).
I’m still searching for a grill but I’m glad to see companies are putting out different and more affordable stainless steel options. Thanks for sharing any helpful info.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There are things I really really like about it, but overall, I wouldn't purchase it again. The burn pot clean out is second to none, and has a definite pro I hadn't thought of before. I keep my pit in the garage, and with my Rec Tec Bullseye, I have to leave it outside until it fully burns out. With the hot and fast, I just pull out the burn pot, dump pellets on the drive and put the hose on them. Then the pit is ready to go in the garage a minute after I'm done cooking, no waiting.
The cons though, outweigh the pros. While it seems like a big pit, it's not all usable space. That, along with the temps being all over the place make it hard to recommend. I have to constantly move food around to get them to cook evenly, which is totally against the whole point of me getting a pellet grill, smoking meat for the lazy.
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Just curious to see how things are going with this pit.
Build quality holding up?
Rust?
Controller still responding?
Food quality?
Any problems or recommendations on this brand?
I just saw they have a new “Eco†grill, less frills regarding design but it’s all 304 stainless steel for under $1000! Reminds me of the Firecraft but this is double walled and looks a little more like a Memphis grill. Also has a rotisserie option (like the new Broil Kings).
I’m still searching for a grill but I’m glad to see companies are putting out different and more affordable stainless steel options. Thanks for sharing any helpful info.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There are things I really really like about it, but overall, I wouldn't purchase it again. The burn pot clean out is second to none, and has a definite pro I hadn't thought of before. I keep my pit in the garage, and with my Rec Tec Bullseye, I have to leave it outside until it fully burns out. With the hot and fast, I just pull out the burn pot, dump pellets on the drive and put the hose on them. Then the pit is ready to go in the garage a minute after I'm done cooking, no waiting.
The cons though, outweigh the pros. While it seems like a big pit, it's not all usable space. That, along with the temps being all over the place make it hard to recommend. I have to constantly move food around to get them to cook evenly, which is totally against the whole point of me getting a pellet grill, smoking meat for the lazy.
So even with your mods the temp didn’t stabilize, huh? That’s disappointing but by you sharing info here probably saved some people, including me, a lot of money!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Just curious to see how things are going with this pit.
Build quality holding up?
Rust?
Controller still responding?
Food quality?
Any problems or recommendations on this brand?
I just saw they have a new “Eco†grill, less frills regarding design but it’s all 304 stainless steel for under $1000! Reminds me of the Firecraft but this is double walled and looks a little more like a Memphis grill. Also has a rotisserie option (like the new Broil Kings).
I’m still searching for a grill but I’m glad to see companies are putting out different and more affordable stainless steel options. Thanks for sharing any helpful info.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There are things I really really like about it, but overall, I wouldn't purchase it again. The burn pot clean out is second to none, and has a definite pro I hadn't thought of before. I keep my pit in the garage, and with my Rec Tec Bullseye, I have to leave it outside until it fully burns out. With the hot and fast, I just pull out the burn pot, dump pellets on the drive and put the hose on them. Then the pit is ready to go in the garage a minute after I'm done cooking, no waiting.
The cons though, outweigh the pros. While it seems like a big pit, it's not all usable space. That, along with the temps being all over the place make it hard to recommend. I have to constantly move food around to get them to cook evenly, which is totally against the whole point of me getting a pellet grill, smoking meat for the lazy.
So even with your mods the temp didn’t stabilize, huh? That’s disappointing but by you sharing info here probably saved some people, including me, a lot of money!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They helped, which makes the pit usable, but they didn't completely solve it. Instead of temps that were only reliable in one small spot on the pit, I get hotter temps towards the front now than at the back, but at least they are consistent, so I rotate the meat during my cooks.
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Thank you for your honest input!
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Well, one of my biggest fears about this purchase has been somewhat allayed. I had a probe go out the weekend before last. I got around to calling customer service last Friday. I sort of expected a bunch of run-around, but they just asked for my name, email address, and phone number, and sent the part out. I just received it today. So, so far, their customer service seems pretty legit, which, as you guys know, was a definite worry when I pulled the trigger on this. Now comes the fun of installation, and then a brisket cook for celebration. :lick:
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Thanks for sharing this! Info about things like how customer service responds is extremely important to share especially for small unknown companies like this.
I asked their customer service about Wi-Fi and the response I got was that they are getting ready to test. So, they are still on my short list for now, especially since it sounds like they didn’t give you any hassle on replacement parts. I may not get the outdoor cooking center, but maybe the Eco grill. Still undecided.
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Thanks for sharing this! Info about things like how customer service responds is extremely important to share especially for small unknown companies like this.
I asked their customer service about Wi-Fi and the response I got was that they are getting ready to test. So, they are still on my short list for now, especially since it sounds like they didn’t give you any hassle on replacement parts. I may not get the outdoor cooking center, but maybe the Eco grill. Still undecided.
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If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't get the Outdoor cooking center. I would however consider one of their other grills. I don't think they will have the same issues with uneven temps that the OCC has.
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You did not show any pics of the mods you made to the deflector. Do you have some?