Traeger Lil Tex Elite

[gscheig]

First off, thanks to all for the great info.

Bought the Traeger and started to "enhance" per the great ideas seen here. I added fire bricks around chamber and expected to see much smoother temps, but now seems to run about 30 degrees above target with swings of up to 100 degrees above target, say 225.

Any ideas to make it behave, or should I just remove some of the bricks?

Thanks from Texas-

 

[ajstrider]

I've never seen one swing 100 degrees over the mark, that just sounds odd.

 

[Mrfish]

Do you have a digital controller? If so, there are pot setting you can adjust to get the temp down. You should be able to download them, if not send me a message and I will send them to you.

I do agree, 100 degrees seems odd just from adding bricks. Your thermometer for the controller might be acting up on you.

 

[gscheig]

Thanks for the ideas. I lowered the little hat over the smokestack to about 1 inch and raised the p-setting to 4. Tracking much better now, about target + 25 to target - 10

 

[jmoney7269]

Thanks for the ideas. I lowered the little hat over the smokestack to about 1 inch and raised the p-setting to 4. Tracking much better now, about target + 25 to target - 10

You will actually have less swings @p-0 at any setting. Wanna really step up the performance of that baby, get a savanahstoker controller for it.

 

[vafish]

I'm not seeing what those fire bricks do for you.

Fire brick is used to protect other bricks from the heat of the fire.

You have those bricks outside the burn pot.

All you got there is something more to heat up, and most of your heat is going to be rising above them anyway.

Guess I just don't see a need for them, my traeger has been running for 18 years just fine without any firebrick in it.

 

[gscheig]

I added the bricks based on posts seen here and on pelletheads...

I may take them out, I am having more trouble now getting the smoke temp to stay between 140 and 160 than I did before the bricks...

Thanks again to all for the great info!

 

[MS2SB]

Are you have those wild swings just when trying to maintain that really low temp or across the board?

I ask becaue I just put an oretech controller on my lil' Tex about 2-months ago and my temps are pretty solid. Maybe a 10-20 total variance at higher levels and less at lower temps.

 

[Mrfish]

Think of it as an insulator or heat sink. I have 9 or ten bricks in mine, I forget. When it is windy and cold out here in IA, it helps maintain a core temp in the cooker during cycles. It also helps hold the temp while you have the lid open as the bricks retain the heat.

To give you an idea how much heat it retains, it may take several hours for the Treager to cool down before putting back in the garage.

I would probably add a few more if I was the OP.