Introduction Design Goals
After some consideration and research, I decided that I wanted my project to have the following features:
- Modest cost by seeking efficient design, using fit-for-purpose electronic components and free web services where possible
- Reasonably small footprint and battery powered
- Energy efficient (look into low power / deep sleep options) to ensure that battery is sufficient for long cooking times
not be an issue, => checks show battery capacity >> power draw during long slow cook - Two temperature probes: one skewer-type probe to measure internal meat temperature and one blunt pit probe to show pit chamber temperature. Note that many existing DIY projects online are much more sophisticated and often set up for large smokers having four or more temperature probes and often a PID-controlled fan blowers to control air flow as well. My trusty Webber grill is a much more simple barbecue grill than these smokers and generally will only fit one large cut of meat meaning this level of sophistication is unnecessary for my project. I have considered the possibility of probe expansion and may consider adding an extra thermistor jack and code extension to allow a third probe in the future.
- Wireless
- Fit-for-purpose IoT security
- Ability to monitor the cooking performance from any smart phone, tablet or computer that can open a browser; prefer a WAN solution over a LAN-only approach
- Ability to enter temperature set-points on device and potentially also through web browser
- Display of current temps on LCD upon button push
- Ability to view current temperatures both numerically and also trends graphically through a dashboard; possibly include forward performance modelling in an attempt to predict total cook time (note: not sure the prediction feasibility due the hard-to-predict infamous "Stall", the bane of novice and wannabe pitmasters).
- Electronic notifications of some type (SMS text, email, push, etc) for key conditions: 1) alarm if temperatures deviate from desired parameters (pit is too hot or too cold); 2) predictive and actual time to get internal meat temperature above food poisoning “danger zone”, between 40 and 140 deg F (4.5 to 60 deg C) where food poisoning bacterial growth risks are greater (note this is mostly on the meat surface so pit temp is the key factor, unless meat is stuffed or contamination pushed into meat by the probe); and 3) alarm when food reaches desired cooking temperature to make final checks and remove from grill and rest meat within a faux Cambro.
