How does the fuel cycle work?

My understanding is that on the Smoke and 180 settings, the cycle is based solely on time. For example, on Smoke, pellets are fed in for 15 seconds and then nothing for 45 seconds. It is purely based on time.

For the rest of the settings, it is based on temps alone. The augur will continue to feed pellets until such time as the temp is reached. This is one of the reasons that I turn the temp down to 180 whenever I am opening the FEC since I don't want the FEC to start feeding pellets in while the door is open.

I am sure someone else will chime in to either correct or supplement what I understand.

John

It is my understanding that at all settings the auger runs continuously until the temperature is reached. It then goes into the run-delay mode to keep the fire from going out. When the the controller senses the temp fall below the temp setting, the auger runs until the temp is regained. The old three position controllers (smoke, medium, high)were simply run delay based with high being continuous run. A lot of Traeger grills with the old controller have an oven thermostat installed to control the temp while the controller severs as the run-delay timer. That is pretty much what we have without the LED read out.

Mine works on time alone on smoke and the 180 setting. About 15 seconds on and 45 off, like RibDog said..

Not to argue, but if that is true, you would get the same temp in both settings.

I said about, I'm not really sure, but it's not very long. This is also what Fast Eddy told me before I bought the smoker..

There is a slight difference between the smoke and 180 settings between time on and time off. There has to be for a difference in temp.

John

Just to be sure that I wasn't passing on bad info, I just went and check it out on the FE. Set at smoke, the auger ran continuously until 110 degress and them went into the delay mode. Temp stablized at 120. Moved the knob to 180. The auger ran continuously until 180 and went into the delay mode. Temp stabilized at 190. Repeated by opening the door to dump heat. Result was the same.

I have fought the high temps on my smoke and 180� settings.

The timer on the controller was set at #1,Eddy recommended # 2,Tony at Cookshack ,recommended # 3,and watch to be sure it didn't blow out.

It has not blown out in six months of heavy cooking,but I watch it.

I now run it on number three,and believe each number increase , adds 10 sec to the off time on the timer only settings.

Don't know the answer,but that is my experience .

It has decreased the temps at smoke ,about 30�.

Tom-Fl

Tom,
What does your's run on smoke?

Running off house current,and mine runs up around 125�,it runs 172� ,on the rack just above the therm probe,remote therm at the meat,above the probe.

I checked with 65 lbs butts & packers,on second and third racks down from the top,and it runs about 168�-172� ave.

180� setting runs above 205�.

All my other settings,run less than 10� off.

now we know it will fluctuate 20� each way,but less,with a large load.

Smokin' says it drops 30� on invertors,so that is the next trial.

My team mate, John's, runs down around 140� on house current.

I'm still adjusting,cause it cooks great.

Tom-Fl

Had to run an little test to see if there is a difference on inverter vs. house current. In a quick, unscientific test, there was no difference. A difference in temp with an inverter would indicate low voltage from the inverter.

Mine runs in the 120-150 range on smoke. Each of these controllers seems to have its own personality.

Yep.

When we were at the FEC class in Ponca City,Stuart had a Cookshack developed controller in testing.

Hopefully that will give us all the consistentcy we are seeking.

Tom-Fl

The Cookshack controller will be great. This is too good a cooker to be saddled with these "lowest bidder" Traeger controllers. My current controller works as advertised, but experience tells me it is probably just a matter of time. watch that #3 setting. My first one came with it set on 3, It went out almost every time.