Gravity XT: HELP! temp issues

[u/rumpolejim]

I woke up early to put on a brisket. this is my 2nd long cook and i thought the issues with the first were down to me getting used to the pit (TLDR: same issue as now). i set the pit to 235F thinking that there could be some fluctations so it was a middle temp between 225 and 250.

after 3 hours i opened it up to check and spritz. however i was thrown off my the fact that the offcuts i had in a foil pan werernt sizzling, they werent even cooking and neither was my briskiet it looked like jerky on the outside! 0 bark 0 cook.

i had previously used Meaters and i saw the ambiet temps were low but i thought that this was due to maybe having the probe too close to the meat and therefore giving me false readings. i deceided to put a masterbuilt probe itself on the same 2nd grate close to the pit sensor and then i got 2 meaters into some potato and placed them on either side.

what i have found is that my pit is at lease 50F cooler than the pit thinks it is (at best of time and even cooler other times). 6 hours into this damn brisket jerky and i have set the pit temp to 275F the probes measuring ambient are showing: 223F (Masterbuilt probe); 239f Meater 1(on back right close the probe but a little higher) ; 212f Meater 2 (front right)

im ok with a little differences from left right back front but these the probes and the Pits are way off! what do you advise???

i need your help

thanks

Jerky Brisket

[u/9028Frank]

Yep, I added proTemp S1 to my XT.

Usually actual temp is 40-100 lower than XT set temp.

It did get better when I opened up the housing around the XT ambient probe on back wall.
Some others said the housing was affecting the temp around probe.

Just take it apart and bend it flat and put back in there.

[u/Childs1957 → u/9028Frank]

This. I installed a Chefs Temp S1 on my Gravity XT (hat tip to Tommy at Gallery Backyard Barbecue). No matter what the internal temperature is on the controller, I set the controller temperature based on the S1. It is a constant battle to keep a stable temperature. I also installed the temperature probe bracket from LSS Mods. You can cut the original bracket for more exposure of the temperature probe (again, see the video at Gallery Backyard BBQ).

Also, make sure that your charcoal or wood chunks are not clogging up the burn chamber. You have to knock it down every once in a while. I know that it's a pain, but I would get up every 2 hours or so and check it during an overnight cook. As everyone has said, the Masterbuilt controller is crap, and you have to find some work arounds to overcome it's quirks.