Anyone use Cyberq Cloud or other controller?

[ckreef]

Title asks the question. 

 

Does anyone use a CyberQ Cloud or other controller? 

 

[Pequod]

Yup I have one. I know Robert does too. How can I help?

[ckreef]

Just curious how well you like it?

 

Have you ran it in straight hot spot mode without connecting to a router? If so what distance did you get?

 

Have you ever used a 12v battery or 2 x 6v with their jumper cord.

 

Did you have problems with it disconnecting?

 

Does the pit viper fan push directly into my Guru port without any adapter? 

 

 

I ask all this because I want to buy a controller for my Primo Oval Jr for when I go on vacation. If I'm going to spend this kind of money I want it to also work for my 19" KK. This controller seems like it will fit that requirement. 

[5698k]

When I first got mine, I ran it in hot spot mode before I could figure out how to connect to my router. I was a bit disappointed, but I think it was simply a case of too many obstructions. It’ll do fairly well with a good los. 50 ft ish?

 

I’ve never used anything but ac power, but I understand it works fine in the manner you described.

 

The fan plugs directly into the guru port, no adapter needed.

 

Once the unit is powered, it will stay set even if you lose connection, as long as the power to the unit is on. Even if the power goes off and comes back on, it goes to the previous settings.

 

I still love my controllers, I don’t do long cooks without it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Lannoos]

I have a cyberQ Wifi, but not the cloud version.  WIFI controller is running in infrastructure mode, so I get connectivity where ever I am via Cellular data connection back to my router.  Pit Viper pushes snuggly into my 23 and 42 KK Guru ports, no adaptor needed.

 

[El Pescador]

I just bought one this week and am going to take it for a test drive this evening - just a short cook (reverse sear on some fat steaks) to get the hang of how it works.  I'll let you know how it goes, but I suspect from all I've heard from others on this forum it should be pretty straightforward (I just have to sort out where to thread the pit and food probes....)

[ckreef]

1 hour ago, El Pescador said:

I just bought one this week and am going to take it for a test drive this evening - just a short cook (reverse sear on some fat steaks) to get the hang of how it works.  I'll let you know how it goes, but I suspect from all I've heard from others on this forum it should be pretty straightforward (I just have to sort out where to thread the pit and food probes....)

 

Definitely want to hear what you think about it being a brand new user. I'm about to order one any day now. 

 

[El Pescador]

I thought I'd try to "live stream" it for you, @ckreef, but it seems there's a problem uploading photos right now.  I'll report thoughts and photos as soon as I can.

 

[ckreef]

Well I pulled the trigger and ordered a CyberQ Cloud. Hopefully will give it a try next weekend. 

 

[El Pescador]

Granted this is coming from someone with no previous experience with any similar device, but I think you'll be happy.  Connecting to my router was simple and effective.  The ability to monitor the status of your cook (pit and food temps) also pretty cool.  As Dennis has suggested previously, the Pit Viper seems to be of little utility - the KK is so easy to control, having the fan really didin't make much of a difference.  That said, it was nice to use to stoke the char when I was ready for the sear.  Not sure I really like the Share My Cook interface, but its not a big deal really - I don't plan on sharing my cooks with anyone other than my KK peeps.  I've still got a few things to sort out in terms of functionality and am looking forward to using it for a long cook, but I'm pretty happy with the purchase so far.

[Phred]

I have the Cyberq Cloud and liked the ability to monitor cooks via my smartphone but found the software frequently lost connection to my router and was a pain to reconfigure. I also wasn't interested in the Share My Cook feature.

Switched to Cyber Cook software and like the program better although I can't monitor cooks on my Android smartphone (use an iPad instead, which in my case means it has to be on my home wifi and I can't monitor while running a brief errand during a long cook).

Fortunately the KK is so stable that little monitoring is really required.

[ckreef]

5 hours ago, Phred said:

Fortunately the KK is so stable that little monitoring is really required.

Totally agree with that. I've never had a problem with low-n-slow in the KK, even going off riding the motorcycle for a few hours during the day while doing a low-n-slow. I always got back home and the temperature was basically where I left it. 

 

The main goal is using it with my Oval Jr Go setup when I take that on vacation. Would love a more set it and forget it for that situation. It's sort of an added bonus that it'll also plug right into the KK. 

 

I wonder has anybody used a controller and the cold smoker at the same time? My KK only has a Guru port but I'm going to call Dennis and see about getting a cold smoker retrofit kit to add a cold smoker port. 

 

[BalconySmoken]

On 5/4/2019 at 6:45 PM, ckreef said:

Totally agree with that. I've never had a problem with low-n-slow in the KK, even going off riding the motorcycle for a few hours during the day while doing a low-n-slow. I always got back home and the temperature was basically where I left it. 

 

The main goal is using it with my Oval Jr Go setup when I take that on vacation. Would love a more set it and forget it for that situation. It's sort of an added bonus that it'll also plug right into the KK. 

 

I wonder has anybody used a controller and the cold smoker at the same time? My KK only has a Guru port but I'm going to call Dennis and see about getting a cold smoker retrofit kit to add a cold smoker port. 

 

I have the cyber q cloud and the smoker attachment. They both work great. This cyber q is my second one - the software is heaps better than the older version and to monitor your cook from outside your property is much easier (no more port forwarding). The smoker attachment works fine with cyber q in place. I was worried initially that the fish pumping smoke in may screw with the fan for the cyber q but it works seemlessly together.

my only complaint with the cyber q is it is ancient technology that needs an update. You mention a battery above - that’s my main bugbear. It will run off a 12v battery fine; just use a motor cycle battery (or even a car one)  or something like that for some reasonable Amp hours. It has annoyed me enough I have decided to make own controller with an esp32 that will run off batteries and as a bonus hook into Apple home kit for the ultimate in lazy cooking; hey Siri, how’s my meat? I hate the need for an extension cord to run the smoker - if should be rechargeable, and shouldn’t be a big ask as the KK is so well insulate the fan hardly runs. A tip for it; when you are warming up, leave the valve on the cyber q open all the way and as you approach temperature close it off to about n25%; you will get to temp quicker and then have more accuracy at temp (and not overshoot)

[ckreef]

26 minutes ago, BalconySmoken said:

I have the cyber q cloud and the smoker attachment. They both work great. This cyber q is my second one - the software is heaps better than the older version and to monitor your cook from outside your property is much easier (no more port forwarding). The smoker attachment works fine with cyber q in place. I was worried initially that the fish pumping smoke in may screw with the fan for the cyber q but it works seemlessly together.

my only complaint with the cyber q is it is ancient technology that needs an update. You mention a battery above - that’s my main bugbear. It will run off a 12v battery fine; just use a motor cycle battery (or even a car one)  or something like that for some reasonable Amp hours. It has annoyed me enough I have decided to make own controller with an esp32 that will run off batteries and as a bonus hook into Apple home kit for the ultimate in lazy cooking; hey Siri, how’s my meat? I hate the need for an extension cord to run the smoker - if should be rechargeable, and shouldn’t be a big ask as the KK is so well insulate the fan hardly runs. A tip for it; when you are warming up, leave the valve on the cyber q open all the way and as you approach temperature close it off to about n25%; you will get to temp quicker and then have more accuracy at temp (and not overshoot)

 

I ended up buying a car jump starter to use as a 12v power source. I'm sure it's way overkill but it does double as a jump starter - LOL. 

 

You also started answering my next questions about settings. Specifically you answered my question about the CyberQ valve. My other question is what about the top vent? 1/4 turn? 

 

 

[5698k]

Charles, on my kk, I don’t fool with the fan vent, it stays wide open. The top vent is a turn open to get the fire going, but once you’re close to temp, it’s just a tiny bit open from when you feel the gasket touch. A 1/4 turn can be too much.


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[El Pescador]

O, so here's a question for you - if you use the Pt Viper fan, do you close all of the other vents and allow that to control air flow?  I'm working on a pork shoulder now, and have the Pit Viper attached at half throttle and the vent open just a tad.  Without Pit Viper, I'd expect temp to hold, but its slowly climbing, even without the fan running.  I'm guessing additional air is pulling through the Pit Viper even when the fan isn't running?

[ckreef]

37 minutes ago, El Pescador said:

O, so here's a question for you - if you use the Pt Viper fan, do you close all of the other vents and allow that to control air flow?  I'm working on a pork shoulder now, and have the Pit Viper attached at half throttle and the vent open just a tad.  Without Pit Viper, I'd expect temp to hold, but its slowly climbing, even without the fan running.  I'm guessing additional air is pulling through the Pit Viper even when the fan isn't running?

 

If I'm reading all this correctly - bottom vent closed, top vent just barely open (way less than 1/4 turn). Just open enough so it comes off the gasket. Balconysmokin recommends pit viper throttled back to 25%.

Give that a go and tell us what happens. Mine should arrive on Tuesday. Can't wait to play with it. 

 

[5698k]

The idea is to make the fan do the work, don’t let it stabilize without the fan running, at least part of the time. Closing the top down to just off the gasket is what works for me.


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[El Pescador]

Thanks guys - I let Darth come up to temp with vents open (rather than letting the fan do its thing) and overshot.  I've just closed bottom vents entirely and will let the fan do the work.  I've got cap open about a quarter turn, but will also dial that down a bit.  Fortunately, this is a fairly simple and forgiving cook!

@ckreef - one additional observation from my second use of the CyberQ Cloud - if you set it up to notify you by text of what's going on, and you begin to overshoot the temp, be prepared for an onslaught of text messages.  My bad, I suppose, but pretty annoying!

[Pequod]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you’re using the cold smoker with the cyberQ (and I have done this), you’ll want to close down the top vent even more. I also closed the fan damper to 1/2 or less.