Amerique click?

Joe,

My AmeriQue clicks just like yours does. One thing I have noticed is that when I first plug it in and turn on the power switch, nothing happens until I turn it off and back on. Then it goes through startup clicks. It happens everytime I unplug the AQ. Works fine other than that.

Kevin

Yes the AQ clicks on start (rapid sequence) up and during cook/smoke after reaching a temperature within approximately 15˚ of desired set temperature (5-10 second cycles, continuously thereafter during cook/smoke), just the design of the unit I am told and the programing of the firmware on the control board. CS does not want to overshoot the set temperature too much (search for comments on the 50/55's about temperature swings).

As for the clicking during the cook/smoke, it is a relay on the control board. Don't know the duty cycle of the relay, but in my experience, a mechanical switch/relay/contactor does and will fail after the contacts burn and the AQ relay is on/off every 5-10 seconds throughout the cook/smoke. Hopefully they have used an aviation grade contactor or better in the design.
Personally I wish the designers of the onboard chip program had programed it to "overshoot/undershoot" set temperature by say 10˚-15˚ ±, instead of the constant on/off of the heat element, which does not allow it to come up to full heat/temp. and may have avoided my fix of the wood box (the holes).

A big however, though, and with kudos to CS...we now can use the bottom shelf without having to rotate shelves/product during a cook/smoke, because the element does not reach a scorching temperature after the cooking starts and the smoking is reaching its peak.
Good people at Cookshack...they just keep improving an already great product.
Rob

Rob...I'm right with you on the smoke box problem. I tought it was the close on/off control that caused the wood not to burn properly (as compared to other models without the digital control). The element needs to be on more consistently or the wood needs more oxygen to continue to burn/smolder. Of course, there are always othe factors that play in...as you and Cookshack figuered out. Glad to see someone else thinks the same. BTW...the new smokebox works great! I believe that now I am getting a slow and more complete burn of the wood. Now I have the best of both worlds...great temp control and well burnt wood.

Thankfully the CookShack techs modified the woodbox design.

Sounds like the AQ does a much better job of temp control. As a new 055 owner (ex-008 owner) I fired up mine for the first time on Friday with dual probes 'just to check'. The first high reached was 270 and the first low reached was 180. Yup, 45 degrees above and below the set 225. Seems like it did much better after that during the cook except when I opened the door once and then it did the wild swings. But I am sure it is working properly.

Those temp swings in the 50/55 will get narrower as you use it more and the seasoning on the inside gets better. Do a nice pork butt and that will help a lot.

They should also get narrower when you load it full.

quote:

Originally posted by Qnorth:
Sounds like the AQ does a much better job of temp control.

The temp swings are different in the AQ because it uses a electronic controller. They could probably put it in the smaller units, but then the price would go up so much that no one would buy them and they'd be up near the AQ in price.

Love the sound of the electronics clicking, sign of a strong commercial thermostat. As for the swing of temperature, I pay very little attention. Using the new AmeriQue firebox I only look for the reading from the thermometer probe which alerts me when the food has reached the desired internal temperature - then I know it is done.

The only difference from my learning smoker, a CS55, is the use of a Polder thermometer and probe instead of a built in one. The box temperature swing didn't make any difference in the CS55 and it was done when the Polder said it was.

smokemullet