Took temp reading today

I assume you did the ice water/boiling water check on the new Taylor-before you did the cooker check?

You also checked the cooker temp in several places,over a few hrs,to get your average?

As a shoulder could weigh about 18 lbs,it wasn't touching the temp probe ,during the cook?

Yes, the thermostat is easy to replace and heat loop[very rarely] is also easy.

Hang in there,as the customer service,when necessary, is second to none.

From what you state, I don't see the issue.

What temp did you have it set at when it read 236? There will be a +/- of 15 to 20 degrees but the average should be closer to your temp.

30 hours is too long for an 8.5 lb shoulder.

Have you tested the probes like Tom said?

Have you tested an empty smoker?

I have indeed checked the probe.The smoker was empty and fully warmed.I removed the meat,dangled the probe into the smoke hole.Set @ 250 and watched.It rose to a high the first time of 236 and held for only a couple minutes and started to fall to 212.It then stayed for a few minutes and started to climb again.It climbed to a high of 246 and a low of 212.This seemed to be a red flag of trouble.I will call Cookshack for help.Thanks for the threads of support though.

We'll be interested in what service said, and what the final results were.

I've read this thread and the other that you started. From this info I'm convinced that your smoker runs a bit cool(averages about 230ish). Mine runs cool as well. I just crank my unit to 245-250 and leave it. I do not open the door and I NEVER foil. I also hardly ever drop my temps anywhere near 200 as it would take forever to get large meats done.

Both opening the door and the act of foiling(taking it out and wrapping) things will extend the cook by quite a bit. The moist environment of the cookshack just doesn't have a need for any foiling, period.


As far as I'm concerned foiling is to be done if you want one or both of these things done. To add or keep moisture in the meat and to speed the cook up with steam and a bit of pressure(wrapping adds a bit more pressure). If you absolutely insist on foiling then I would see about getting your unit to operate at a temp that's closer to a 250 average.



Also, as an electrical contractor I wouldn't be so certain you haven't got voltage drop even with #12 drop cord. Sometimes the recepticle itself is so far away from the panel box its already a bit low. The addition of a cord surely won't help.
My unit sure didn't like to be hooked up to a #12 cord on my outside recepticle. I wound up just plugging it straight and my temp swings went from 40 degrees to 25-30.

One more thing, but you may already know. You..will..never stop the temp swings. You can minimize them by packing the thing full of meat, but they'll be there. it's the natur of the beast since the thermostat is either on or off.

Hope you get satisfied in one way or another!

Oh...and WAY TO GO SMOKE! Big win at DEGA! Whooo!!! Sorry NC redneck came out a bit.

Thanks Crony,real true logic.I'll let you know.The panel is approx 6' from the outlet if that means anything.I have operated some fairly heavy draw tools on that outlet and have never noticed drag or light on power ( mag drill using 1" bit in 3/4 steel plate draws some juice) .I will try all to get this to operate as I really like the cooker.Do you get 25 degree swings ? I noticed when the temp starts down, I turned the temp down and it clicks(like it is shutting off at around 235 ?) does that sound odd?

Well, you definitely shouldn't be getting a drop from that far away.

Oh yeah. I get swings that large. The reason it clicks at that temp is that even though the temp inside is falling the unit has turned back on to heat it back up. So, when you turn it down and it clicks the thermostat has turned the power back off. Meaning that the thermostat is reading the temp inside to be 235 degrees. Of course that's going by the dial and not the actual temp.(ask me to explain better if that wasn't clear enough)

If you have time turn your unit on 250 and check the temps every 10 minutes for 2hours or so (from stone cold). Write down every temp reading and at what time.

The reason is that's what customer service wanted me to do when I called about my unit. Helps them figure out the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by weekend smoke:
I have indeed checked the probe.The smoker was empty and fully warmed.I removed the meat,dangled the probe into the smoke hole.

When you dangled the probe.. hope the tip wasn't touching a rack or other metal. which is why the suggestion to put it thru a piece of foil or a spud or something to keep it oriented off the rack or sides. Doesn't sound like that was a problem tho..

Good luck with the Tony and your quest for proper temps.

A couple of years ago I bought my 055. After some seasoning I did a temp check with the control set to 225.

I noticed a swing up to 265 and then it went down to 185.

Hmm lettsee.... that's +/- 40 degrees from 225 which seems ok to me. And although I have never checked it again, I would expect the swings are a lot less now that the smoker has been well used.

Your fears occur to a lot of new users... but most of the time there is no problem.