Dramatic Temp Changes

[Old Man Grills]

Hi folks,
Hope you are all well and covid free.
Last couple of cooks my SF has been set to 350 but the temperature is jumping all over the place. Today the app was telling me it was 420 and rising before dropping back to 190.
Going out to the unit and it certainly feels hotter or cooler when I open it up but its like the temp gauges are all completely out of whack.

It is around 40 degrees here but not windy or raining - just wondering if this might have anything to do with it.

Anybody else experienced something similar?

Thanks

ps. it has had a new controller and power board already.

 

[Tyler6590]

I've seen fluctuations of 25 degrees and often it say a temp and be off (usually lower by 25). Did you check/clean the fire pot? I had issues getting a temp once and I got a flame out because I didn't clean the fire pot before a cook only the cool chamber. The system maybe over compensated when trying to hit 350, then got buried in ash and dropped to 190.

 

[Old Man Grills]

Thanks. I didn't check the fire pot this time. Maybe that was it.
Shouldn't have been that dirty though I cooked a single chicken last time and it was spotless before that.

 

[AHoneyman]

You are seeing what many of us have been describing for months. We have postulated just about everything. The consensus is that the PID needs a little adjustment. Yet others have never had a problem.

 

[Old Man Grills]

You are seeing what many of us have been describing for months. We have postulated just about everything. The consensus is that the PID needs a little adjustment. Yet others have never had a problem.

Sorry what’s a PID?

 

[Goneincognito]

Sorry what’s a PID?

Temp controller

 

[bbqking]

I’ve had mine almost a year with no issues. Until a month ago. I keep mine pretty clean. Shop vac every 3-4 cooks. I ended up replacing my glow plug. I’ve had several fluctuations. My last cook was chicken, I set it at 375. It got there. Let it settle there for a bit. Put the chicken on, 10 minutes later it just dropped to 190. I left it alone it climbed back up to 375. I let it go another 45. Opened to baste chicken, it dropped to like 85, again I left it alone, it did give temp drop warning. I just tapped ok. It climbed back to 375. Another 15 and chicken was done. I then shut it down. So it’s been acting weird recently,

 

[Old Man Grills]

That sounds very familiar to my experience. I could understand a bit of a drop when opening the door but its these random drops when nothing changes. It's still cooking but it's not great for something that is only 6 months old in my case.

 

[Goneincognito]

I wonder if the temp sensor at the back spits the dummy if its dirty and causes issues?

 

[AHoneyman]

I wonder if the temp sensor at the back spits the dummy if its dirty and causes issues?

I am sorry but I need a translation. I can "knock with my elbows" but "spits the dummy" lost me.

 

[Goneincognito]

I am sorry but I need a translation. I can "knock with my elbows" but "spits the dummy" lost me.

Doesn't like it.

 

[MrPhilGrillTX]

Are you looking at the built in sensor for the temp or a different air temp sensor? When I put air temp sensors in, they vary wildly from the built in sensor temp. Sometimes +/- 50 degrees. The sensors were not close together in that case, but the built in sensor always show me the setpoint temp. Its clearly filtered to show only that. The only time it did change was when I thought I had set it to shutdown, left the lid open, and came out to discover it wasn't in shutdown, and was failing to warm the grill up. It warned me about a temp drop.

 

[MrPhilGrillTX]

I didn't know this forum would be a source of linguistic learning as well. Two new phrases today...

 

[AHoneyman]

I have had a Weber CS agent tell me that plus/minus 50 degrees is not unreasonable. I would disagree.

 

[Old Man Grills]

I have had a Weber CS agent tell me that plus/minus 50 degrees is not unreasonable. I would disagree.

Wow, I agree, if you’re trying to hit a specific serving time temp is everything. Also the impact on large cuts like beef rib.
Guess I’m buying an accurate ambient probe.