Temp read out%$^&&***(

You can always put a Taylor probe in there too see what the temp really is, if you think the digital is off.
Your temp is going to spike up and down as the pellets are burning. 180 will never be a constant 180.
There is also a correlation between how long you let pellets drop in the pot when you are turning it on and what initial temps you will run.

Last weekend, I got distracted when turning on the FE, and a whole crapload of pellets dropped in the hopper. Was running 275 on "smoke" right out of the gate. I don't recommend this for others, but I got a long handled, metal spon, fished some pellets out of the hopper, kept the door open till the digital showed 200. Was smooth sailing through the rest of the cook.

I, initially went to Tony with similar problem. Turned out in my case the problem wasn't the FE it was what I was doing when turning it on.

My experience is the digital readout does not mean a thing. I got some commercial smokehouse probes from the good folks at Thermapen and use these. I run the armoured cable through the smoke stack and leave in the middle of the FE. I then use a couple more in brisket, butts or whatever. Nice to know exactly what is going on inside the pit.

I agree with everything you both said,and i realize each unit will run diferent when set at the same temp. But the problem is it will be running fine for along time, then the dig. read out suddenly changes to 5, and stays there for up to 15 min. then goes back to norm. I and another new FEC owner have the same problem, Tony has been contacted. And I will post the solution to this problem

DAVE

I actually have switched out my controllers to the old model with the green led. The digital one was not as happy with my inverter and the temps didn't mean anything anyway. Have the old models modified to have a 225 degree setting. Much more pleased with what I have now.

Well once we get this solved, and i cook more with this, I may start tweek'n it.

Thanks for the input!

Dave