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[RoadRunner18]

I have a question for anyone who has a Pitts and Spitts Pellet Grill.

I recently purchased a Pitts and Spitts Maverick 2000 Pellet grill.  After setting the target temperature on the controller and allowing the grill to pre-heat to the desired temperature, I double check the set temperature against the Pitts and Spitts Ambient probe and they are dead on.  However, when I check the set temp against my FireBoard, I am anywhere  between 10 to 18 degrees difference (depending on the temperature setting).  My question is this:  How do I calibrate the grill temperature to reflect what i am reading as an actual temperature on the Fireboard?

Others who have a Roanoke Controller go into the C-13 setting to calibrate grills of other brands.  Has anyone done a calibration on a Pitts and Spitts Pellet Grill?  If so, can you explain what you did and your outcome.

Thank You! 

[Bar-B-Lew]

I don't have one, but my question would be why do you think you need to recalibrate it?

[RoadRunner18]

Because the ambient temperature recorded on my FireBoard is 10-18 degrees higher than the ambient temperature shown on the grill's controller.

[Bar-B-Lew]

IMO, I wouldn't mess with it.  If you are already intending to use the Fireboard or know that the grill grate temp consistently is different than the controller temp, set the controller temp to hit the temp you desire on the Fireboard at grate level or drop the controller temp by 15 degrees so it achieves the grate temp you want.  I also don't think 15 degree temp difference at a 250° controller setting is going to make much of a difference one way or another.  This coming from a guy that bought a Memphis Elite many years ago because this Traeger XL had temp swings and grate temp was different than controller temps.

I think once you start messing with the controller algorithms to make them different than what the factory set them to you begin to open yourself up to other unknown issues that may impact the performance of the unit worse than you think you may have it now.

There is an old adage "know your pit".  I think you know your pit.

[Canadian John]

 +1

[Brushpopper]

I've never had to calibrate mine.  The grate temp according to my Maverick thermometer and the actual temp of the pit are always spot on or within a degree or two.  Close enough for me at least.  I messed with the heat diffuser to the left and right and found the sweet spot where the temps are balanced on both sides.  I mark it with soap stone every time I clean it to make sure it goes back in the same place.  Soap stone is what welders mark metal with to see where to cut with a cutting torch in case you're not sure what it is.  It doesn't easily burn off with high heat but will eventually. 

And you can do as Lew suggested and set it 10 or 15 degrees lower if you think it's running hot.  That's easier and safer than messing with the controller IMO. 

It also may have something to do with the ambient air temp around the pit.  We are much warmer here than y'all are usually.  As GatorDave mentioned in another post about the nor'easter, it was in the mid 60s here yesterday.  Brrr.

[RoadRunner18]

All Good Information!

[okie smokie]

I have a question for anyone who has a Pitts and Spitts Pellet Grill.

I recently purchased a Pitts and Spitts Maverick 2000 Pellet grill.  After setting the target temperature on the controller and allowing the grill to pre-heat to the desired temperature, I double check the set temperature against the Pitts and Spitts Ambient probe and they are dead on.  However, when I check the set temp against my FireBoard, I am anywhere  between 10 to 18 degrees difference (depending on the temperature setting).  My question is this:  How do I calibrate the grill temperature to reflect what i am reading as an actual temperature on the Fireboard?

Others who have a Roanoke Controller go into the C-13 setting to calibrate grills of other brands.  Has anyone done a calibration on a Pitts and Spitts Pellet Grill?  If so, can you explain what you did and your outcome.

Thank You! 

Ten to 18 degrees is very good. If it is sometimes higher and sometimes lower, then I would quit there. Use it for a while and if you are getting proper cooking times, do nothing.  Rule of thumb, when in doubt, do nothing. Also check again as the seasons change just for follow up. You can always fiddle with adjustment later if nec. Suggestion, use the same brand and type pellets when testing because they do vary in BTU output. I agree with BBL on the treachery of messing with PID controllers when the variations are small to begin with.

[Canadian John]

 Old and slow here. This came to mind. There is a discrepancy between your pit + Fireboard.   Have you verified that the Fireboard is accurate or used another device to double check the pits temps?

[BigDave83]

If you are checking temps when it is empty for cooker temps, you won't want to check them with a bunch of food in it. Toss a few pork butts in or briskets and change/disrupt the air flow and you will have hotter and cooler spots. When i first started with pellet cookers I was concerned  but soon just figured out if i had a hotter part and used it to my advantage. I couldn't tell you if the temps  in my last 2 cookers are accurate with the controller or not. I monitor the food temp and adjust the cooker temp if it need to speed up or is to fast.

[RoadRunner18]

No food was on the racks when I recorded temperatures.  I brought the grill up to set temp, let it run another 30 minutes or so, and then compared controller temp vs Fireboard temp

[Bar-B-Lew]

Big Dave does make a good point.  Do the same thing when you have food in the grill.  It disturbs the air flow.  It may be programmed into the algorithms to compensate.  Worst case, you will know what the difference is when you have food on the grill and can adjust your controller appropriately to get to the grate level temp you desire.

Another test you can do is test your oven with your Fireboard.  It may be worse than your grill with temp swings from what others on here have tested previously with their ovens.  It may help you get more comfortable that a 15° difference may not be such a big deal.

[RoadRunner18]

After talking with Coy at Pitts and Spitts (he also has the Maverick 2000), he advised me to experiment with moving the deflector plate to the left and right of dead center on the grill.  The controller ambient temp probe is along the left side of the grill.  I set my FireBoard2 ambient probe along the right side of the grill.  After marking dead center on the grill and deflector plate with soapstone, I settled with 1/2 inch to the right of dead center, and now my temperatures from side to side fluctuate only a few (2 to 3) degrees from that listed on the controller, and and stay at that temperature.  Like some have said - you have to know your grill!

[Bar-B-Lew]

glad you got it to meet your expectations

[Brushpopper]

Glad you have it figured out.  That's what the temp difference is in my 850 at the temps I cook at.  I cleaned it out yesterday and noticed it was about a half inch to the right also.  It's amazing that such a small difference left to right can make with the side to side temps.