Battey pack for billows

[jeffshoaf]

If you have (or are considering) a Thermoworks Billows control system, they've just introduced a battery pack that is supposed to power the system for 24  hours: https://www.thermoworks.com/billows-12v-battery-bank?trk_msg=EN9KKKFOFCQKTF3ME2DPOUAQG8&trk_contact=GTA0QAPE8K6DVHDJN27QL6N8RS&trk_sid=ENJUV7E0FU4M7TMOF962T1KVN0&trk_link=NTQUV0NK43D4T4C7T66V1D9DD8&bxid=D48A54C5643634667553A4085A&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=battery-image&utm_campaign=Sept2021-Billows-Battery-Bank-LAUNCH-cs

They also have the fan on special now. If I didn't already have a BBQ Guru, I'd be strongly considering one of these. I find my CyberQ irritating but I only used it for overnight cooks and don't used it often enough to replace it.

[Poochie]

I used to use the CyberQ and it's fine if you stay home with it. Trying to program it to read temps when you leave the area was impossible for me to accomplish. The solution...Fireboard!  All I did was input my wifi password and it did the rest of the "programming."  I can go to a grocery store, check out the temperatures of pit and meat, and bump up the heat from 230 to 260 if I want to. The app works great and I've never had a problem with it. I'm not familiar with the Thermoworks Billows. 

[jeffshoaf]

I generally only used the cyberQ for overnight cooks so I'm at home. I haven't had any problems adjusting the temp settings but I don't like the web interface and I don't like the notifications coming via email and text - I'd really prefer an app so I could get discrete alarms for under/over temps so I don't have to check every text and email while I'm trying to sleep. I also have issued with it forgetting everything if I don't use it for a few months; I have to go thru the whole set up process and re-register the device on the website. I can never remember the process and it won't switch between direct and infrastructure network connections smoothly so I end up having to manually enter my network information;  it's really painful to enter the network info using the buttons on the device!

[tony b]

That's one of the reasons that I never upgraded my old DigiQ-II - a simple, straightforward device. I sometimes struggle with the Meater+, so I know the frustrations of using app-based devices. 

[jeffshoaf]

3 hours ago, tony b said:

That's one of the reasons that I never upgraded my old DigiQ-II - a simple, straightforward device. I sometimes struggle with the Meater+, so I know the frustrations of using app-based devices. 

The only issued I had with the Meater+ is the tendency for the ambient sensor to read low when inserted deeply, I assume due to its proximity to the cool meat. I liked it so much I upgraded to the Meater Block with 4 sensors!

What kind of issues have you had with the app?

[tony b]

I often have difficulty getting the app to "see" the probe on startups. Even with the + version, I still occasionally have signal dropouts - but not nearly as bad as with the original model!

 

[jonj]

I ordered the Billows battery pack when I first saw the announcement and received it a few days ago. Very substantial and came with a full charge already. I haven't tried it yet but will get around to it the next time I cook brisket overnight.

[jonj]

I decided to smoke some baby back ribs yesterday and took the opportunity to try out the Billows Battery Bank. I didn't need the Billows fan or Signals control for temperature maintenance on the KK23 for this cook, but tried it out just to see how it worked.

The battery pack came fully charged, with all four led charge indicators fully illuminated. My Signals unit hadn't been used for a few months so its charge level was undetermined. Hookup of the system was simple, substituting the battery pack for the wall wart power adapter on the cable. I had already had the KK heat sunk and at the 225°F temperature when I decided to try the new device, so the fan didn't have much to do initially. The battery pack has an on/off button on the top which allows the unit to discharge power to the fan (which I missed for a few seconds after hooking everything up - once pushed, the fan started right up).

The ribs were a 5 1/2 hour cook to temperature and the Signals unit also was fully charged by the battery pack during the cook. All four charge leds were still illuminated after the cook so the unit didn't discharge much during the process. I don't know about the full capacity of the battery pack, said to be able to run the fan for 24 hours in the product information, but from this brief cook I have no reason to doubt it at this point.

(sharp observers will note the KK temperature has crept up to 247° versus the 225° set temp. It was a windy day and even with the dampers shut down, the fire gained a few degrees at the tail end of the cook. No harm, no foul.)

[tony b]

Yep, windy days can do that. That's why I keep my Guru fan exhaust port at least 1/2 closed.