Thermometer with fan controls

  • Hi all

    I’m looking at purchasing a new thermometer but also want to be able to have the ability to ‘set and forget’ or run it over night with the fan controllers.

    Looking at the thermoworks signals 4 ch with the billows attachment or the smart fire which I’ve seen at bbq galore or the fire board with the drive blower.

    I plan setting it up on my pro smoke off set.

    AnY body own any of these or recommend one over the other??:shrug:

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

  • I’ve got the smart fire that I run on my bullets. Works really well and have had no issues with it.

    weber performer, weber compact with gas conversion, napoleon rodeo, pro q 20", PBC, ziggy portable, ozpig with rotisserie, pro smoke offset, pit boss mini kamado, asmoke portable, master built 560.

  • I run Smartfire on the XL and the Akorn Jr. It's great for a bullet or Kamado style grill as the amount of air needed is minimal.

    Great piece of gear, Aussie invention and get great support from Mark Terrill in Melbourne via facestalk group. Smartfireowners

    Would check with Mark via facestalk how it would go with the Pro smoke.

    My concern is the fan would not be strong enough. :shrug: Mind you I have never used an offset.

    Again check with Mark. He is very approachable.

    Randomly people sell Smartfire on Gumtree and Marketplace, so could pick one up second hand.

    BBQG sell it as well.

    I purchased direct from Mark and sent him an Akorn Jr adapter by BBQ guru for research purposes and he was very appreciative.

    Can run it with or without fan. So as just a meat probe or as a pit controller.

    Can run up to 3 meat probes with it.

    I like it.

    Enjoy your "Q"
    James

    Primo XL, GMG Davy Crockett, Char-Broil Grill2go, Akorn Jr and Weber Baby Q.

  • Are you sure a controller will run an offset overnight? Having had an offset, I always thought they needed tending, at least every couple of hours anyway.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • The smart fire will not work on an offset. It's a common question on the facebook group. The fan isn't strong enough and also the amount of heat output from the fire will melt the housing & parts inside the unit.

    20" Reverse flow Offset, Weber GA, Weber kettle

  • Hi,

    Thanks for the feedback guys I thought that they were mainly designed for smaller cookers \eggs / Webber’s etc...

    I would like to know the air output of the smart fire ? I will email Mark there to find out , I’d imagine it’s not much as it’s only a 5V fan. The thermoworks billows one puts out 46 CFM (cubic feet minute ) and the fire board one is 20 CFM.

    I would prob have to do a few mods to get it work ....:shrug:

    Will keep you posted if I go ahead with it:thumbup:

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

    • Official Post

    If you check eBay, our mate from the old forum days, Wang (Trusted Inventor) in China still selling his Q Master Senior and it's reasonably cheap. It has the option of a 50 cfm fan too.

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BBQ-Automa…l-/141779855306

    I had one for a few years on my previous kamado but sold it when I changed over to a Big Green Egg which came with a Cyber Q so the Q Master wasn't needed anymore.

    It worked very well and the top fan speed is fully adjustable so you can get any amount of air you need, but not too much that it blows ash everywhere. It monitors pit and food temps and has a shut down mode when the food hits the target.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • Thanks Gumb, I will look into it :cheers:

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

    • Official Post

    You'll have trouble running an offset overnight with a fan. You might be able to get 3-4 hours but you'd be pushing it!

    The best option I've seen is the Perfect Draft Blower which is why I used to stock them.

    You would need to be using briquettes, to use a small fan, and if that's the case, just opt for the minion method in a basket.

    • Official Post

    That looks like a good option to me and while briquettes may be part of the solution, I tried them on my Tri Fire and found that they just didn't get enough heat in to the cooking chamber like a wood fire does when using small sticks.

    If it was me, I'd forget spending money on trying to control the temp in an offset and just be happy using it as it's intended and that's to look after the fire with a beer in hand.

    If you want to cook overnight, keep the offset and get a kamado or pellet grill, you've then got all the bases covered. ;)

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • I think you might be right keep off set for when I can be there and attend ,

    Just have to find the cash for a BGE or Kamodo or pellet.

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

    • Official Post

    If you have a local Bunnings clearing out the Pit Boss, you might find one cheaper than buying a controller.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • If you have a local Bunnings clearing out the Pit Boss

    Yep if you can find an 820 in any Bunnings try and get a deal.....They have been picking them up for as low as $250/300 each lately as the new models are now in store.

    Z Grill MINI.....Aldi Gasser.......Thermoworks Smoke...., Masterbuilt portable Charcoal Grill.

  • Headed to Bunnings now so will have look :cheers:

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

  • 2 Bunnings down not a pit boss in sight 😢

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

  • So I ended up forgetting about the fan controller. For now at least;)

    Got the InkBird 4 probe with wifi :cheers:

    Now just got to put it to use

    Never enough BBQ

    Primo XL, Imperial Kamado, Pro Smoke Offest, Pot belly stove, Flaming coals Spit , Jumbuck 'Rondo' Med spit, Webber Kettles, Small SS battery spit , 5 Burner beefmaster, gasmate portable bbq,

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