Justin Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 (edited) Elitech digital controller cheap as chips arrived and I have connected to Ceramic Bulb. I extended the power wire to the bulb by 6m so I can keep controller inside and the bulb can stretch across to the smoker. 2m temp probe is too short so ordered 5m probe and will wire that into the digital controller. Easy to do once you have look inside. Just check where the existing thermocouple wires into and copy with the longer probe wire It works perfect. Heats up the small wsm quick smart to 20 21 degs c. form 12 degs c outside. Nearly set up for winter cold smoking when 20 degs c called for in smoked salmon per Wades and Ruedeleglise advice, thx both I would set it up with extractor fan in the garage, but no power in the garage and that is not going to change any time soon My only concern is it K sensor wire, which I think is fine but not sure. (addendum, the K wire was useless, did not work) Edited January 9, 2019 by Justin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 Sounds like quite a setup. Do you have some photos? A 5 metre probe wire will take some looking after... Have you got an old kite string winder to keep it on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Waiting for cable. Will be a couple weeks from China! I have some cable ties that I use to tidy up my laptop are up for work. They will keep it need and tidy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Confused of Dover here! I know you need to make sure the temperature doesn't get too high when cold smoking. So, short of freezing obviously, why would you want to warm your smoker up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 You cold smoke slightly differently depending on what you are smoking. When smoking cheese or butter then yes you need to keep it cool to stop it from melting/sweating. Bacon too is best smoked cool, but as it has been cured it does not need to be chilled. With both of these you are smoking to add flavour and the smoking process adds little to the curing. It is different though when you are cold smoking fish - especially Salmon and Trout. Here, although you use salt to begin the curing process, the smoking stage plays an important role in the overall curing by further reducing the water content of the fish. When cold smoking salmon it is best done at ~20 C with a good flow of air/smoke passing over the surface of the fish. This removed the moisture and gives the salmon the traditional smoked salmon oily texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Guess I just got lucky with the salmon I smoked then! The temp was around 14° throughout. I was monitoring it to stop it getting too warm! I did check the weight loss, which was close to 30%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 14 C would be fine but commercially is is smoked at between 20-24 C. 30% loss is rather a lot. For traditional smoked salmon it only needs to reduce by ~18% 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 10 hours ago, Dick Bee said: Guess I just got lucky with the salmon I smoked then! The temp was around 14° throughout. I was monitoring it to stop it getting too warm! I did check the weight loss, which was close to 30%. What smoker were you using the pro q maze or a tube. heat out put from the pro q is really low Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 On 11/26/2018 at 9:01 PM, Justin said: Waiting for cable. Will be a couple weeks from China! I have some cable ties that I use to tidy up my laptop are up for work. They will keep it need and tidy. Probe cable not suitable wired it in and got e1 error so scrap that, back to the original probe length 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Strange, E1 is a probe fault error, (common fault code on a lot of controllers) are you sure it’s the right type of probe? If you look through the instructions for the controller, you might be able to change the type of probe in put, could be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 yes wrong sort . I thought they were all the same, not exactly rocket science. Thermocouple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Which type did you order? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 not sure now, some some sort of Chinese tosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Might be worth looking at the instructions, to see if the I put can be changed from ntc to pic or visa verse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 18 minutes ago, Justin said: What smoker were you using the pro q maze or a tube. heat out put from the pro q is really low I was using a tube type half filled as ProQ didn't seem to me to produce enough smoke in my incinerator type smoker. I may have been wrong! Being a beginner I wanted lots of smoke as I thought that was the way to go. I tried the ProQ again yesterday, in empty smoker as it should be adequate in a 90 litre space. Not exactly billowing but probably ok. I'll try it with cheese today, Tesco have half price offer on Cathedral City or something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 OK, you do not want billowing, a gentle stream is all that is required... Wade knows this better than I. Good luck with cheese. Make sure when you take it out, leave it unwrapped in the open for an hour and then let it dry in fridge for three hours before wrapping? An once wrapped leave for 4 to 5 weeks for it to mellow. I know hickory is the favourite but I found orange dust gave a lovely flavour to mature cheddar if you find hickory an bit strong @Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I have an inexpensive Inkbird thermostatic controller that I use to control the temperature in my honey warming cabinet as the thermostat in that is hopeless. That works well, maintains temperature +/- 1°C. (I want 40°C to liquify granulated honey without spoiling it). That should work with a reptile ceramic bulb type set up. I'm actually in the process of putting a biltong box together using this, though thermostatic control isn't needed for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 That is interesting, but the ceramic bulb retinas heat has it coos down so i doubt you will have that level of accuracy with a ceramic bulb? What did you use as the source on the honey thermostat with the inkbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Honey warming cabinet is a plywood box lined with insulation board. Heating element is soil warming cables! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Nice set up. Note ceramic bulb there is no heat sink other than the ceramic. so it will not be as accurate as your honey warming set up. it doe not mstter for fish smoking, a bracket of plus minus 2 or 3 degrees on 20c is fine so 17 to 23 is ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bee Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Quick amendment! Heat cuts out +/- 1°C. ie 39 - 41. May drop as far as 37° before heading up again. I'm considering adding a computer fan to eliminate hot / cold spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 2 hours ago, Dick Bee said: I have an inexpensive Inkbird thermostatic controller that I use to control the temperature in my honey warming cabinet as the thermostat in that is hopeless. That works well, They are great inexpensive controllers with both heating and cooking sockets built in. I used to make my own units with PID controllers but I don't bother any more - I just use these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 I use the elitech one, does the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 It has heating socket and cooler socket one linked to top temp the other to low temp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 3 hours ago, Dick Bee said: I was using a tube type half filled as ProQ didn't seem to me to produce enough smoke in my incinerator type smoker. I may have been wrong! Being a beginner I wanted lots of smoke as I thought that was the way to go. This is the amount of smoke you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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