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I have a model 20 with 750 watt element.
well last night I did a preseason at 200.. perfect never went over that.. Put unit outside to do a first smoke...set unit at 225 the temp kept going up until it was 270.. un pluged the unit let cool down.. started all over with meat now on. set it at 140 just to see whats going on.. its at 175 and climbing.. its on a GFI that shouldnt make any differenct should it?
When you say "meat on,what are we talking?

35 lbs of butts,or a couple chicken thighs?

Like wheelz said,empty units,new unseasoned units swing a lot.

I assume you checked/calibrated an independent therm?

I assume you are checking temp at the spot on the cooking rack?

I assume you open the door and dump some heat,if it is spiking?

I assume nothing is touching the temp probe?
quote:
Originally posted by cowbungus:
I have a model 20 with 750 watt element.
well last night I did a preseason at 200.. perfect never went over that.. Put unit outside to do a first smoke...set unit at 225 the temp kept going up until it was 270.. un pluged the unit let cool down.. started all over with meat now on. set it at 140 just to see whats going on.. its at 175 and climbing.. its on a GFI that shouldnt make any differenct should it?


I'm just getting used to my new 025.

My seasoning went fine. My first smoke (@225), went fine too. My second real smoke, the wood wouldn't smoke (even though it was again at 225).

I called cookshack, and and talked to service. I was told me to bend up the element so that it was touching the bottom of the smoke box, and to keep the wood chunks towards the front (The heat generated discolouration now tells me where the hot spots are, and it's been perfect ever since). Anyways, during the conversation, I mentioned how on one smoke, the temperature skyrocketed. I was concerned, but read on these forums that it can happen. Bill explained that with the electronic controls on the new SM020/025 models, they are actually set to go to 270 for the first 20 minutes (no matter what) to get the smoke going. I have a feeling that this wasn't what mine was doing, since mine went way higher well into the event.

It WOULD explain what you were seeing,(although I haven't seen mine go initially to 270).
You need to turn it on and let it go, do NOT try to chase the exact temp. We needed to know how high it went. If it went to 270 and dropped, that would be one thing (normal).

If it went to 350 and kept climbing, that would be another.

Give it time to stablize and see what that temp is. As has been said, there will be overshoot.

If you're really concerned, just call CS today and they'll walk you through it.
After Talking to CS.. It was explained this way. the program is designed to heat up the element for 20 minutes regardless of the temp setting. This way the element will heat up the wood house to start the wood smoking etc. After the 20 min run time the temp should settle down to the present temp. They get a lot of call regarding the same thing for a new customer expecting the unit to hold a present temp right off. I believe its working fine.. Thanks everyone for your help!
I got my 020 today. Started the seasoning and noticed a little smoke so I was happy. Checked back in about an hour or two and there was no smoke. KNEW it couldn't have cooked through the wood that fast. Popped the door open, pulled the woodbox and adjusted the element per the forums. Put the woodbox back in, closed the door (which is really a PITA with the wheels on!). Just checked on it again and it's pumping out a healthy smoke. Now... for some "cheap meat" per the instructions for some more seasoning, etc.

Not crazy about the hickory smell. Can't wait to see what it smells like with the mix of the hickory, rub and meat together.
NOTE: I did notice that during my seasoning with the unit set at 200, the temp guage did climb to 239 at one point, but that's as high as it went.

The wood chunks didn't char all the way through but the walls and door of the smoker are lightly colored from the smoke. Haven't done the cheap meat part yet. need to pick up a temp probe today.

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