Left to Right Temps

[Seed]

Can other Ironwood 885 owners check what temps you get from left side vs right side? Vertical location doesn't matter. I seem to have about a 30 degree hotter on left vs right.

 

[CampWhatnot]

Keep in mind it will vary depending on the placement of the drip tray as you can move it front to back. A good trick is to cover the grate in bread and crank it up. Give it 10 mins and flip the slices over to see where the hot zones are.

 

[Seed]

I just want to use sensors to check temps, don't want to deal with toast as I already know im hotter on the left.. Why would the drip tray change anything? If I can adjust it front to back that shouldn't affect left to right temps as significantly as they are. I'm also fairly certain, if we're talking about the same thing, the drip tray isn't adjustable. The teeth on the right lock it in place. Anyone provide any data on their unit would be helpful.

 

[CampWhatnot]

I just want to use sensors to check temps, don't want to deal with toast as I already know im hotter on the left.. Why would the drip tray change anything? If I can adjust it front to back that shouldn't affect left to right temps as significantly as they are. I'm also fairly certain, if we're talking about the same thing, the drip tray isn't adjustable. The teeth on the right lock it in place. Anyone provide any data on their unit would be helpful.

I just want to use sensors to check temps, don't want to deal with toast as I already know im hotter on the left.. Why would the drip tray change anything? If I can adjust it front to back that shouldn't affect left to right temps as significantly as they are. I'm also fairly certain, if we're talking about the same thing, the drip tray isn't adjustable. The teeth on the right lock it in place. Anyone provide any data on their unit would be helpful.

I understand using sensors to verify temps in different areas of the grates. You CAN move the drip tray towards the front or the rear of the pit. Slide the tray towards the hopper side (when it's in place) which will allow the tray to be slid front to back missing the retaining clips (teeth). It will re direct the air flow to the grates and the left to right temps will change. Check your pit temps with the tray in different positions. Be creative.....

 

[Beaser]

The bread slice trick will give you blanket coverage, think of it as a map. You already know what the approximate temp variation is. You'd need some pretty fancy test equipment to duplicate what $2 worth of bread will do.

 

[Seed]

The bread slice trick will give you blanket coverage, think of it as a map. You already know what the approximate temp variation is. You'd need some pretty fancy test equipment to duplicate what $2 worth of bread will do.

Yes I understand what the bread slice trick is for, I just don't see the value in it. All I'm looking for is to see if this a consistent issue with other 885 owners..

 

[Seed]

You CAN move the drip tray towards the front or the rear of the pit. Slide the tray towards the hopper side (when it's in place) which will allow the tray to be slid front to back missing the retaining clips (teeth).

I tried this today and I just can't get onboard with it. It's a HACK, not a feature. The left side, if i do this, started riding up the drip slot and it's unstable. I maybe gain and inch and front to back is slight. I really dont recommend doing this to other people as the drip pan is unstable. Unless Im doing this wrong.

Im wondering if this has to do with the grease chute being on the left side and having the door sealed up. That side has grease trapped on the tray and the tray is darker on that side. Still don't know why. Will keep looking.

 

[BarricadeGT]

My left side temp (the grease bucket side) is on avg 10-20degrees hotter then the right side (hopper side), not the end of the world, but good to know what way to place my brisket!

 

[Seed]

My left side temp (the grease bucket side) is on avg 10-20degrees hotter then the right side (hopper side), not the end of the world, but good to know what way to place my brisket!

That's interesting, I also find even more extreme differences bottom left(chute) vs upper right (temp probe) as much as 30 degrees. Sausages hung to the left cook faster than sausages to the right and varying in-between. I guess it's not the worst thing but for fully loaded cooks the left can cook much faster than the right which requires more monitoring.

 

[BarricadeGT]

That's interesting, I also find even more extreme differences bottom left(chute) vs upper right (temp probe) as much as 30 degrees. Sausages hung to the left cook faster than sausages to the right and varying in-between. I guess it's not the worst thing but for fully loaded cooks the left can cook much faster than the right which requires more monitoring.

I'm beginning to think it has something to do with the downdraft exhaust + grease spout, its using a exhaust based off the timberline which doesn't have a grease spout. Might be a design flaw.

To be honest I'm starting to wish I spent the extra $1,000cdn on the timberline, or tried a different brand, however I'm sure they all have issues. As for my issue list:

• Original lid has a 1/8" gap on the grease bucket side + slight gap on hopper side, lets out smoke/heat
  • replacement lid sent, 1.5 months later it arrives... bent in the corner
  • replacement lid for replacement lid on order, ETA another 1.5 months face palm
  • YES - i know lava lock would fix this, but why would I need to spend extra $$ on a $2,000cdn grill? I still ordered a lava lock gasket, just waiting for a proper curved lid to attach it to.
  
  
• original controller had a faulty temp probe (off by 20 degrees even after calibration) + knob would act weird (numbers would go in the opposite direction spun sometimes) - FIXED with replacement unit.
  
  
• Not really a fault, but still annoying, grill cover is STILL on back order, I'm trapped keeping the unit in the garage vs the deck.

/rant

 

[GrillMeister]

That's interesting, I also find even more extreme differences bottom left(chute) vs upper right (temp probe) as much as 30 degrees. Sausages hung to the left cook faster than sausages to the right and varying in-between. I guess it's not the worst thing but for fully loaded cooks the left can cook much faster than the right which requires more monitoring.

Yep, no different than my Century 22. When doing wings, I need to start rotating them near the end of the cook so they they all are browned & crisped to the same level. Still have to do this with the Ironwood.

It does give me an excuse to hang around the grill with an adult beverage though.

 

[Jduane]

I have a timberline 1300 and it does the same. Tested with 7 probes at one time. All probe tested within two degrees when inserted into a water pan. So probes are good. I have a 20 degree difference from left to right, left being hotter. Has anyone tried tuning plates?

 

[Beaser]

A lot of really fine cuisine is done in wood fired ovens. So long as you understand where the hot spots are you can make allowances. You can become so obsessed with metering and trying to reinvent the wheel that it no long becomes a labour of love. Put the thicker steak on the left. From my experience with Traeger I rather doubt they even did a full airflow workup.

So far as Camp Whatnots idea of changing the airflow by moving the grease drip pan, most of fine cooking involves a hack. The wind changes speed or direction and the heat signature will change. Air flows out of the grease spout, hence the temp at that end is warmer.