tinyfish Posted September 20, 2015 Report Posted September 20, 2015 Thought it was time to upgrade my fan on my temperature control unit from Aubrins.com. I bought the original unit for my bullet smoker which only needed a 6.5CFM fan. That fan wasn't cutting it on the KK. The Pit Viper fan is like night and day compared to the old fan. The Pit Viper is very powerful and should make a big difference.
bosco Posted September 20, 2015 Report Posted September 20, 2015 that sounds like a good one. I have toyed with the idea of getting the cyber Q wifi, but just not sure that I need it. I look forward to hearing more of how you use it and overall thoughts as you go
tinyfish Posted September 20, 2015 Author Report Posted September 20, 2015 that sounds like a good one. I have toyed with the idea of getting the cyber Q wifi, but just not sure that I need it. I look forward to hearing more of how you use it and overall thoughts as you go My control unit is way cheaper then a CyberQ, I think I paid $125USD and its not wifi but it does the job. I only use the fan for peace of mind when I do an overnight brisket. I know the fan is not necessary on a KK but I just program my temp in the unit and I go to sleep and I don't give it another thought. I have thought about a CyberQ myself but I would never need to change the temp from what I programmed at the beginning so I'll save the money.
MacKenzie Posted September 20, 2015 Report Posted September 20, 2015 tinyfish, you'll sleep like a baby with your new toy working on those overnight cooks. I see that KK of yours is glistening in the sun.
DennisLinkletter Posted September 20, 2015 Report Posted September 20, 2015 Why did you think the 6.5CFM fan was not cutting it.. I used to choke the 10 cfm fan they gave me back by about 80%. I use the CyberQ as a thermometer.. I never use the fan. We use the fan in the factory to smoke test the grills. 1
tinyfish Posted September 20, 2015 Author Report Posted September 20, 2015 My 6.5CFM fan most times was fine but the biggest problem was that the fan wont sit in the BBQ Guru port. The fan was made to fit in a bullet type smoker. I had to tie a string around the fan then around the body of the KK to get any kind if seal. The string wouldn't stay in place it would slip down on the body of the KK then the fan would move out of place. So I said to myself I have the Rolls Royce of grills I can spend $100 to get the fan that fits the port properly.
Poochie Posted September 21, 2015 Report Posted September 21, 2015 I have a CyberQ and I choke the fan down to around 15% or so. It takes just a puff of air to keep the Komodo going.
tony b Posted September 21, 2015 Report Posted September 21, 2015 First off, I love my DigiQ-II. Won't do a long low & slow cook without it. Like others, I have the 10 cfm fan and never have the damper wide open - typically 25% open. On windy days, the KK will draw enough air through the fan when it's not running if the damper is close to wide open, and your temperature will get away from you. Once you're a couple of degrees above the setpoint, the Guru will just quit running the fan and your temperature will either continue to rise (if the damper is wide open), or your fire will starve and go out if the wind stops. It's just another technique you have to learn when cooking on a KK is all.
5698k Posted September 21, 2015 Report Posted September 21, 2015 I tend to close my top vent to the point that the fan has to run about 30% of the time or the fire goes out. This prevents temp runaways Robert
tony b Posted September 21, 2015 Report Posted September 21, 2015 I find that if I clamp down on the top vent too much, smoke backs out of every other spot it can find - probe port, out the closed bottom dampers (front and back) - and I have a small gasket leak, too. So, lately it's been better to leave the top damper open just off the seat so I get the proper draw/air flow through the KK. YMMV.
5698k Posted September 21, 2015 Report Posted September 21, 2015 Yeah, there's a fine line between too closed and too open Robert
kjs Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 I have the same fan and it does work great, but with the KK I have found I can regulate the temp just fine without the use of a fan (I formerly owned another brand of kamado where the power draft was practically a necessity). I only use it now for very low and slow cooks, like pulled pork.
tinyfish Posted September 22, 2015 Author Report Posted September 22, 2015 I have the same fan and it does work great, but with the KK I have found I can regulate the temp just fine without the use of a fan (I formerly owned another brand of Komodo where the power draft was practically a necessity). I only use it now for very low and slow cooks, like pulled pork. I agree KJS I only use the fan as a security blanket for my overnight brisket cooks.
kjs Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 I agree KJS I only use the fan as a security blanket for my overnight brisket cooks. Yep!
kjs Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 tinyfish, I see you also own a metallic bronze, don't you just love the look?
