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[okie smokie]

Have been following comments of temp instability at low temps for the 380. While most of the problem has been with temps that are higher than set, mostly solved by adjusting the "Offset", there is still a lot of fluctuation up and down at or near the selected endpoint. I have wondered if the reason is that the unit is small, lightweight, which allows for more rapid heat gain and loss as the control tries to adjust. If so would placing a layer of fire brick, or ceramic briquets in the bottom to absorb and hold the heat better, stabilize the temp swings? Perhaps not necessary to get the job done, but would be more comforting. And would result is less watching and testing while cooking?  Would be an economical experiment.  While I am using my 380 mostly for hot and sear cooks, I would be willing to try it out and report.  Perhaps when we get more stable weather (This spring or summer). Any comments?

[BigDave83]

No experience with fire brick for the  most part but to me what you are going to do is going to take away from the whole point of this cooker. I say that from researching some pizza ovens for a friend that wants to start a pizza shop. A lot of them take 30 minutes to an hour of heating up to get the stones hot to bake on. Now you are not cooking on the stones but they are going to need to be up to the temp you are wanting to cook at before your cooker gets to temp in my thinking. So if you want to cook at 500 I am thinking the stones are going to soak up the heat until they get to 500 or close to it, but then it should hold more stable.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I think the fire bricks are something that folks trying to figure out how to stabilize temps in older model Traegers invented.  I have some 1/4 steel plates to place on top of the heat deflector for the same reason.  You know what.  I never used them.  I found out that temp fluctuation didn't matter.

[okie smokie]

No experience with fire brick for the  most part but to me what you are going to do is going to take away from the whole point of this cooker. I say that from researching some pizza ovens for a friend that wants to start a pizza shop. A lot of them take 30 minutes to an hour of heating up to get the stones hot to bake on. Now you are not cooking on the stones but they are going to need to be up to the temp you are wanting to cook at before your cooker gets to temp in my thinking. So if you want to cook at 500 I am thinking the stones are going to soak up the heat until they get to 500 or close to it, but then it should hold more stable.

I am accepting that it will take longer to heat up with the briquets added.  That is a given, but how much longer is not known and is of interest.

[okie smokie]

I think the fire bricks are something that folks trying to figure out how to stabilize temps in older model Traegers invented.  I have some 1/4 steel plates to place on top of the heat deflector for the same reason.  You know what.  I never used them.  I found out that temp fluctuation didn't matter.

Also I agree that the fluctuations don't matter (if they average out==which means after adjustment with Offset) BUT it might make it easier to monitor your cooks with less attention, less opening to test the target, because you are more confident with the control. And if that is your desire.  I can tell you are more laid back than I, BBL.(I mean that as a compliment) Unfortunately, I am a bit OCD, which keeps me busy on these boring winter days. And without these issues, some real and some imagined, who would need PF? So I am gonna do it anyhow. 

[okie smokie]

Got the briquets today. First I fired up the 380 set at 225* and spent an hour observing the following with my ThermoPro in the center of the grate.
1. 20 minutes the Actual temp was 230* and ThermoPro was 308*.  Then it slowly settled down to Actual temp of around 224-230, with ThermoPro temps from 217 to 250* plus/minus.  No real stabilization at any time.  I waited another 20 minutes (total time  80 minutes) and called it quits.
2. Then I let it cool completely until it was same as outside temp (around 56*)
3. Made a circle of briquets around the bottom as far away from fire pot as possible. And in addition placed a circle of bricks on the center of the diffuser plate where it is not perforated. So there was no impairment of air flow.
4. Turned on and set to 225* again.  After 20 minutes the temps equalled each other for a while. Then came a pattern of ups and downs with the ThermoPro being as high as 50* above or 20* below the Actual measured temp, which varied from 218* to 235.  Then I had a wide fluctuation of the Actual to as high as 280. While the ThermoPro got to 300* before I shut it down after 45 minutes.
5.  Bottom Line:  A waste of time. Briquets added no evidence of improved control or accuracy.
Conclusion: The unit is not capable of accurate low slow cooks on a consistent basis.  I've seen nice results on a few items on You Tube, but have no info on what the true actual temps were.  I credit those results to good chefs, who kept an eye on the process and adjusted as necessary.
I suspect as before that the problem resides with the controller, which suggests it is less sensitive to temp variations and is slower to respond than required. Thus it over and under shoots the mark most of the time. Also to some extent it is erratic all together in its response to low temps settings.
For myself I am satisfied that hot and sear is the best use for my 380. I also accept that the control problem may be unique to my unit, but do not wish to pursue this with RT. At high temps it is just fine and that was my original plan of use.

[Bar-B-Lew]

There will come a time when I have free time like you.  I just hope I have the desire to do some of the things you show us here.  Thanks for always sharing the good and the bad of the experiment.

[okie smokie]

There will come a time when I have free time like you.  I just hope I have the desire to do some of the things you show us here.  Thanks for always sharing the good and the bad of the experiment.

Thanks. I think when that time comes for you, you will find that doing such things is more rewarding than being immobile. I am 85, played golf twice this week. On the days I do nothing physical or mental, I feel old and cranky.  And I am!