Well I did the temperature test at 250 degrees.
(Not sure how readable the table below will be)
What I think I learned:
1) Average Pit probe temp will be Pretty close to set temp.
2) The average lower grate center will be 5-6% or so below the set temp.
3) The average upper grate center will be 7-8% below set temp.
4) Not a lot of temp difference between upper and lower grate.
5) Left external temp gauge about 9% below set temp
6) Right external temp gauge about 20% below set temp
As soon at this temperature test was completed I put in 2 port shoulders. After 30 or 40 minutes of settling in, the right and left gauges both settled in to about 225. Looks like when loaded, the side to side differences evened out.
Anyone what to comment on whether these conclusions seem correct?
What is the serial number and build date from your cooker's door plate?
Your results are typical. You have the latest firmware. Any new announcements will be made here: viewforum.php?f=58
I did a calibration on my probes in ice water and boiling water and they seemed OK, but I have no confidence that they measure air at anywhere near the same temp.
Can you please give me some "typical" numbers. If I want to see 225 on my lower grate, what temp should I set? On the upper grate, what temp? What do yo us set on your grill?
My personal recommendation, after cooking several thousand lbs of meat on a 640 over 3 years, is not to worry too much about the absolute accuracy of temps, per se, as there are too many things that can affect temps aside from the Yoder's inherent "accuracy." I can't answer your question, as asked specifically, because our smokers will be slightly different for a number of reasons, including age and the amount of gunk on my probe vs yours. If it were me, I'd decide what I thought the optimal temp is for what you're cooking and try it. If it works, stick with it. If it doesn't, tweak it up or down the next time. There's a learning curve for these smokers just like any other smoker. Try to resist the temptation to open the lid as much as possible. Buy a cover or put welding blankets and moving blankets over it like I do. The insulation of the cover will do a great deal to even out temps and conserve on pellet consumption. I cover mine all year round--both summer and winter and spring and fall too. Cut my pellet usage by 30-50% and really holds the heat in so wind and cold outside temps can't cool the smoking chamber body. If you want 225 on your lower grate, I'd set I for that, add meat when it's up to temp after 30 mins or so, close the lid, cover it up and let it go for as many as 6-8 hours undisturbed if you're doing brisket or pulled pork. I add a small water pan in mine too but I don't have to refill it often. As for the second shelf, my temp gauges read about a 20-25 deg difference. I don't try to manage the second shelf temp. I just put meat up there and let it go until it's done. If I'm cooking more thapn 1 type of meat, I put the shorter cooking time stuff on top or I occasionally rotate about halfway through a cook. Normally I just leave it on top and pull each piece of meat off as each is done. Sometimes I'll move stuff down as I pull stuff off the bottom. If you build in enough rest time in your cooking plans, you'll be totally fine. I know it's gonna take me 12-15 hours for brisket the way I cook them and 8-12 hours for butts, depending on how many I cook at a time and what size I get. You'll figure out your own times too and the importance of the temps will fade in importance.
I haven't used temp probes for several years now. I kept a close look when I first got it but in the end, for me, it wasn't affecting my cooks and Q so I just quit worrying about it so much. My 640 is about as accurate or more than any other smoker I've had and I agree with Herb that because the fuel is wood some variation in temps is to be expected. Honestly, the single biggest impact on temps is opening the lid, so no matter how dead on accurate it might be, opening the lid as well as filling it full of cold meat is gonna impact the temps dramatically until it can settle down. My home oven, for comparison varies about +/- 50F even though the digital display never changes off of my set temp so my 640 is actually tighter than my GE Profile...
Bottom line...just try it. You really can't go too wrong. Chances are, the yoder will be more than "accurate" enough for what you're doing. Only issue I've ever really had was that, when I tried to cook a brisket at 250F I burned the bottom a little and it was enough that I won't cook that hot on briskets again. Some celebrity chefs are cooking briskets at 275on different smokers. I can't do that, at least not to my satisfaction, on the bottom shelf of my 640. You just have to work with it enough to figure out what works best for you Good luck and just try to have fun experimenting with it. After all, a bad day with BBQ is still better than some good days doing other things!!
Thanks. I am just getting used to the beast. I have done a couple of cooks. Two butts took 12+ hours at 240. Seemed bat little long' but tasted great. Ribs took 7 hours at 250 but first 3 hour were bon the top shelf while I smoked a tritip on bottom.
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