Temperature Issue (hope this will help others)

[BPL]

I didn't know where to post this. Sorry if not in the right forum.I purchased an Ironwood XL about a month ago. First cook was a chicken...(don't laugh ) Just wanted to fire up the grill and learn the controls.

My second was a pork roast/with bone. Long story cut really short, I found out the hard way about the temperature error between the set point and actual chamber temperature. Kinda' got me PO'd spending that much for a grill and finding out this issue. 13 hours cooking a 9 lb roast just won't cut it!

Ok, hold my beer watch this....I wanted to find out the real problem. So, joined this forum, read a bunch, and understood the issue from multiple complaints.

I set up a very basic/rough test to see where the error might be. (I'm a retired instrument/analytical engineer )

I used what was available, the existing firmware in the grill, the temperature indications on my phone, the two temperature probes that came with the grill, and an external/third party digital thermometer.

Since I was using the OEM temp probes, they were checked first. The ambient temp outside was cool. The probes 1 & 2 read 50*f, 51*f, and third thermometer read 53*f. I then put boiling water in an insulated mug and tested the three again. 195*f, 195*f, and 198*f, respectively. I called the temperature probes good.

I simulated a temperature calibration bath with about a 1/2 cup of canola oil in a shallow foil pan. See attached. The idea was to use the oil bath to quickly come up to the chamber temperature, and observe the differences between the two probes, the set point, and on board temperature sensor.

The below is what I found:

From a control standpoint, there is lots that are wrong! My point is finding out where I'll have to "fudge" the set point temperature to get the desired chamber/cooking temperature. So yes, the errors are definitely not linear. The biggest issue is the difference between the set point and the actual temperature in chamber. Can this be corrected? Sure. But from what I've read in this forum, Traegar is not willing to step up and make those corrections.

Again, this test was a very basic and crude method. Can I prove the issue of variability? ABSOLUTELY! I just don't have all of the gear needed.

I hope this post will help others. Comments are welcomed.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[Manannan]

First cook was a chicken...(don't laugh )

My first cook was a chicken and to be honest one of the regular cooks in my Gen 2 Ironwood is still a whole roast chicken they are a favourite in my household.

I had a play around with my Ironwood a while ago:

https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/ironwood-gen-2-temp-stability-data.5283/#post-49259

Perhaps the first step in solving a problem is an awareness and understanding of the issue? This is not helped in this case by the fact the problem is not linear and users need a variable "fudge" to get an accurate set point as you say. Data such as yours does help and thanks for taking the trouble to post it. It begs the question as to why Traeger don't make an effort to correct it?

Conversely outdoor cooking has become perhaps more of a science than art in recent years whereas it was more art than science historically? I now feel very comfortable with my Ironwood as I was with my 575 Pro previously because the initial guesswork has been replaced by better understanding and intuition, bottom line be it beef, pork, chicken, lamb or vegetables what comes out of the admittedly imperfect Traeger is fabulous.

However without doubt Traeger could help themselves and others in some areas, they shoot themselves in the foot at times.

 

[BPL]

Thank you for your reply. Exactly correct about the outdoor cooking being part science/part art. The multiple conversations about fluctuating temps, controlling cooks, etc, I believe are related to physics of what's happening inside model X unit versus model Y unit.

The data in the link you provided is interesting and highlights the differences of how (exactly) that data is collected.

Perhaps the first step in solving a problem is an awareness and understanding of the issue?

Again, right on point. During my learning curve, I assumed the temperature indications of the set point, and grill temperature on my phone were fairly close. (my bad) I see now why the long cook was much longer than expected. So, Yes, I wanted to understand the issue.

It begs the question as to why Traeger don't make an effort to correct it?

IMHO, I think it come down to $$$ at the end of the day. These units are outdoor cooking tools using a medium (wood) that inherently variable. A campfire and a cast iron dutch oven can deliver some awesome meals in the right hands and with the right skill sets. I have no doubt testing has been done at Traeger and the engineers at the home office know exactly what happens inside their products.

BTW, the pork roast I cooked was simply awesome! I believe the unit I purchased is a great tool for outdoor cooking. I just need a little time to learn how to use that tool.

Cheers.

 

[Manannan]

BTW, the pork roast I cooked was simply awesome! I believe the unit I purchased is a great tool for outdoor cooking. I just need a little time to learn how to use that tool.

And the bottom line is how the food turns out!

In my past life I was a Chartered Scientist (Biomedical Science) which can be a curse at times in that there is a need to understand why!

 

[RayClem]

I have the IW885, but my temperature results between the controller temp indication and an analog thermometer mounted in the lid, but protruding just above the top grate shows almost identical results to those you measured.

When I want to cook at 225F, I set the controller to 235-240F. When I want to cook at 400F, I have to set the controller to 450-460F. I always cook based on the analog thermometer. I just set the controller as needed to give the desired cook temp.

BTW, I also have some digital wired and wireless thermometers. They agree closely with the analog thermometer.

The moral of the story is NEVER TRUST TRAEGER TEMPS. Always verify using 3rd party thermometers. The interesting thing, though, is that if you call Traeger, they do not recognize any 3rd party thermometers, not even Meater which they purchased a while ago.

 

[BPL]

if you call Traeger, they do not recognize any 3rd party thermometers

I'm willing to bet that >they do recognize< 3rd party temperature measurements. I'm also willing to bet they know exactly what their products do and don't want to call attention to the temperature issues.

 

[Manannan]

The interesting thing, though, is that if you call Traeger, they do not recognize any 3rd party thermometers, not even Meater which they purchased a while ago.

I too asked Traeger if there were going to integrate Meater and Traeger products and the answer was no, nothing likely.

However Traeger do supply 2 x wireless Traeger Meater probes with their Gen 2 Timberlines, I think they are also compatible with the Gen 2 Ironwoods? However there is no cross compatibility of these probes with other Meater probes / equipment such as the Meater block.

It would be interesting to know if the Trager Meater wireless probe designed as compatible with their top end grills and the none Traeger aligned generic Meater products perform similarly across a range of temperatures both ambient and food wise?

Or have they been Traegerised!