Weber Summit Charcoal Grill Center

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Smoker34

Knows what a fatty is.
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So far, so bad. Impossible to control temperature for smoking with or without BBQ Guru. 5.5-hour smoke today: aside from the spike to 280 degrees, time mostly spent trying to keep the temperature above 215. I've never had to attend a smoker more times. I've tried all kinds of adjustments and it's just not responsive. I did one test smoke and two for real. One more time, then I'm selling it.
 
Sorry OP but I find that hard to believe. Weber don't fark up like that. Operator error!

I'll offer 5 bills. :becky:
 
Hmm...I read a thread where someone held about 225 for 50 hours. Keep trying. I bet there is a way.
 
I have extensive experience with WSM's as well as other smokers, and I'm very well-versed on these matters. It's just not working properly.
 
How are you starting it? Is it possible that to small of a fire was started? I've never seen the Summit, but it looks like a standard komodo type cooker to me. With my Akorn I start the fire with my end temp in mind. Be it a half of a weber starter cube, a whole cube, or a quarter chimney starter full of coals for a hing temp pizza cook. I will also open the intake up a bit and start to throttle it back as the temp approaches my desired temp. Usually 50 degrees from my goal I have the intake set where it stays for the entire cook..
 
And the Weber customer service response was that they've never heard of the BBQ Guru, despite the fact that there's a hole that seems to be made for such a device.
 
I filled the coal (more than Weber recommended for a 5-6 hour cook) and added 20 white-hot coals on top (Minion method). I kept all vents open until it got to my desired temp. (225). The first two hours, with the Guru, were perfect. Then, for no apparent reason, it spiked to 280. After I adjusted the top vent (bottom vents closed due to Guru), I was never able to stabilize again. It was a struggle to keep it above 215 the whole time after that. This, despite opening all vents (including the rapid fire fully opened position of the top vent), removing the grate, drip pans, diffuser plate, in order to stoke the coals (PIA). I was never able to stabilize the temp.
 
Learn to run it without the controller first. A fan only controller is not a plug and play device. You need to get the vent settings close or the controller can end up in a reverse control situation where blowing more air just cools things further. Your PID settings could also be way off for how the Kamado like summit will respond.

I would be completely shocked if the problem was really the grill, and that it is not capable of holding 225 or 425 or whatever you want in between.
 
m-fine said:
Learn to run it without the controller first.
Click to expand...

i would do this since you have experience with other webers. eliminate the things that might be causing the issue until you get it figured out.
 
What was the fan damper setting on the Guru?
 
"these aren't the droids you're looking for... it is the grill's fault... you want to take Sako's money...."

As I wave my hand slowly...
 
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