DigiQ DX3 User Manual

Rev. 1.0 for Version 1.1 Firmware

DigiQ® DX3 User Guide

1 Safety Warnings ....................................................... 3

2 BBQ Guru Limited Warranty

& Return/Repair Policy ........................................... 5

3 DigiQ® DX3 Features ................................................ 6

4 Probes ........................................................................ 7

5 Power Draft Fans ..................................................... 8

6 Key Operation .......................................................... 8

7 Powering Up ............................................................. 8

8 The Display ............................................................... 9

9 Setting The Setpoints ............................................. 11

10 Setup Menu .............................................................. 12

11 Smart Cook Adaptive Control Strategy .............. 16

12 Connections .............................................................. 17

13 Building a Proper Fire for Good Control ............. 18

14 Contact BBQ Guru ................................................... 18

15 Fan Damper .............................................................. 19

16 Stainless Steel Universal Bracket ......................... 20

17 Troubleshooting Guide .......................................... 21

Contents

2

3

WARNING: KEEP YOUR CONTROL DRY! Allowing the control to

get wet can cause damage to its electronics and/or make it operate
incorrectly, causing a hazardous condition.

WARNING: FIRE HAZARD, BURN HAZARD! Even quality electronics
can fail CAUSING THE FAN TO RUN CONSTANTLY, RESULTING IN

EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES! Power draft fans can get the pit

temperature higher than natural draft. Use extra caution in opening
the pit and determining fan placement. Always inspect the probe
wires for damage which can cause the fan to run constantly causing
the pit to become excessively hot.

WARNING: FIRE HAZARD, BURN HAZARD! FLAMES, SPARKS, AND

LIT EMBERS CAN EXIT ANY OPENING ON THE PIT CAUSING FIRE!

Keep the pit located a safe distance away from flammable objects
including buildings, walls, solvents, cars, fuel, wood piles, furniture,
etc. and use caution when opening the pit. An ember that has fallen
or is ejected from the pit can be blown by a light wind into a garage or
other structure, debris field, woods, or grass field and cause fire. Have
a fire extinguisher and water supply available near the pit. If the pit
is used on a wooden or combustible surface such as a wooden deck,
place the pit on a non-flammable pad intended for this purpose.

WARNING: FIRE HAZARD, BURN HAZARD! Even quality electronics
can fail and cause the temperature to read incorrectly. Use a
redundant dial thermometer as a backup temperature sensor
to verify the control’s reading of the pit temperature.

WARNING: SMOKE CAN COMBUST WHEN OXYGEN IS

INTRODUCED AND PRODUCE SEVERE BURNS! ALWAYS USE
CAUTION WHEN OPENING THE LID OR DOOR OF THE PIT.

1 Safety Warnings

Read and understand this user’s guide completely before
installing or using this product!

INSTALLATION/SAFETY INFORMATION:

4

WARNING: PIT FIRES CAN OCCUR WHEN LIQUIDS ARE SPILLED

OR WHEN SURFACES INSIDE THE PIT REACH THE IGNITION
TEMPERATURE OF FATS! Never pour or toss water directly onto a fat

fire. Reduce the temperature by cooling the fire in the firebox with a
water spray. Close the cooking chamber door and the firebox while it
is steaming to smother the fire. Repeat this procedure as necessary to
get the pit fire under control.

NOTE: Pit fires can be largely avoided if the pit is kept clean and free from
fat buildup during or between cooks. Changing drip trays during a cook
cycle helps keep flammable fats in the pit to a minimum. Keep cooking
temperatures low enough to avoid ignition.

WARNING: THERE ARE HOT SURFACES ON ALL PARTS OF THE PIT

BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER COOKING! Wear protective clothing

when tending the pit, attempting to extinguish a fire, or dumping
a firebox in a proper ash receptacle. Be ready to call your local fire
company in the case of an emergency situation.

CAUTION: Fire danger is always present even in the best conditions.
Continuously perform safety precaution procedures.

WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD, HIGH VOLTAGE! The power supply for
this product is plugged into a 120 or 240 VAC Mains. THIS VOLTAGE

CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. KEEP THE POWER SUPPLY AWAY
FROM WATER AND OFF OF THE GROUND. NEVER TOUCH THE
POWER SUPPLY IF IT GETS WET.

To qualify, all returns and exchanges must be accompanied by the original receipt,
the original documentation, instruction manuals, parts and components (including
probes, controller, and accessories) and the original manufacturer packaging.
Failure to include such items may prevent or delay your refund or exchange.

For refund or exchange, items must be in a condition that permits us to resell them.
BBQ Guru will not accept the following items for return: (i): items that have been
personalized or customized; (ii): special order items, if not part of BBQ Guru retail
sales offering; (iii): items that have been used, altered or that show wear or damage;
(iv): gift cards; (v): services.

DigiQ DX3 controls and fans (2 year limited warranty) BBQ Guru warrants these
products to be free from defect in workmanship and materials for a period of 2
years from the date of original purchase. The warranty is not transferable.

Pit/Food probes, A/C adapters, and other accessories (90 day limited warranty)
BBQ Guru warrants these products to be free from defect in workmanship and
materials for a period of 90 days from the date of original purchase. The warranty is
not transferable.

Should the unit malfunction within the warranty period, you must get a Return
Material Authorization (RMA) number to return it to the factory by emailing a
description of your problem and your name, address, email, phone number, and
date of purchase to [e-mail]. If defective, it will be
repaired or replaced (at the discretion of BBQ Guru) at no cost. There are no
user serviceable parts on this unit.

This warranty is void if the unit shows evidence of tampering or being subjected to
moisture, excessive heat, corrosion or other misuse including use of any component
with any product not manufactured by BBQ Guru. Components with wear or
damage due to misuse will not be covered under warranty.

If your control, probe, power pack, or fan is malfunctioning and is out of warranty,
we may be able to troubleshoot it by phone or email. If it is determined that your
part has been damaged in any way during use, we will recommend that you
purchase a new part. BBQ Guru shall not be responsible for any damage or losses,
however caused, which may be experienced as a result of the installation or use of
this product.

2 BBQ Guru Limited Warranty

& Return/Repair Policy

5

RETURN CRITERIA:

3 DigiQ® DX3 Features

• Smart Cook full-time adaptive control algorithm learns the pit for better
stability and accuracy

• Digital high intensity “Blaze Red” LED display

• Armored high-temperature pit and food probes

• Controls the pit and monitors the food temperature

• Open lid detect senses when the pit’s lid is open to minimize temperature
disturbance

• Exclusive low and slow Ramp mode lowers the pit temperature as food
temperatures approach the done setpoint so the food never overcooks

• Audible alarm option to sound for food done

• Adjustable deviation alarm sounds when the pit’s temperature goes too high
or too low by a settable value

• Adjustable beeper intensity setting

• Displays in degrees F or C

• 32 to 475 degrees F range with +/- 2 ° F accuracy (see page 10 on cook
temperature rounding)

• Runs on 100-240VAC (for worldwide use) or 12VDC for automotive supply use

6

The probes provided with the DigiQ DX3 are precision stainless steel thermo­couples. The thermocouple wires have an armor braid with moisture and smoke
resistant Teflon insulation that is rated for steady-state temperatures up to 500
degrees F. The user can pass these thin wires under the lid of the pit or through
a small hole without creating a large gap which would allow air to get through
(air intrusion). Be careful not to kink these wires or let them come in contact with
flames. These probes are user-replaceable and are available at www.bbqguru.com;

we recommend having a spare set for unforeseen emergencies.

Important Note: Be sure to fully insert your probes into the control.
Push the plug into the receptacle until you feel and hear it snap in place.
If you do not plug the probes in securely, you may experience sporadic
temperature readings and the DigiQ DX3 will not control your pit
accurately. The temperature may also read low, causing your pit to
get excessively hot.

Important Note: The pit probe must be placed in the pit for proper
temperature regulation. If the pit probe is not located in the pit, proper
control will not take place. This can cause the fan to run constantly
causing your pit to become excessively hot.

Important Note: Some ceramic grills present a special-case situation
that can lead to early probe failure.

If you use a heat diffuser, run the probe cables over one of the ceramic legs. The
heat coming up through the gaps is intense and focused, and if the cable is exposed
to this heat, it begins to break down much more quickly than usual.

Even if you do not use a heat diffuser, any heat or flame event inside your pit can
send a blast of heat – even flames – up the inside of the pit, sometimes ruining a
probe instantly. In this case, we recommend placing a disposable pan inside the
pit to create a safe zone for your probes. This can be done with or without a heat
diffuser.

It is the insulation that makes ceramic cookers so versatile and makes special steps
necessary. Follow these steps and you can experience the 2-3 year probe life that is
common with other types of smokers.

If the food probe will not be used, it should be unplugged before applying power
to the DigiQ DX3 , not during operation. This will allow the DigiQ DX3 time to

configure its alarm operation to prevent false food alarms. The food probe can also
be left plugged in, but not inserted into the food.

4 Probes

4.1 Food Probe

7

8

All fans are equipped with an adjustable damper and an aluminum nozzle.

The slide damper can be completely closed to kill the fire or can be adjusted to a
small opening for cold smoking. This feature allows fine adjustments to be made
due to natural drafts that affect cooking temperature during the fan’s off cycle.
Testing on different settings is recommended. Open the damper fully for quick start
up or grilling at high temperatures. Close halfway for smaller cookers or low and
slow cooking. Close three-quarters of the way for cold smoking.

5 Power Draft Fans

FOOD Shows the food temperature when pressed

PIT Shows the pit temperature when pressed

UP Indexes the setpoint up

DOWN Indexes the setpoint down

FOOD + PIT Powers the unit on or off when both buttons are held

UP + DOWN Enters the setup menu when both buttons are held

KEY PRESS CHIRP

When the Beeper Intensity is set to above 0, any key press will cause an
acknowledge chirp. Setting the Beeper Intensity in the menu to 0 will disable
the chirp.

SILENCING THE BEEPER WITH ANY KEY PRESS

Any time the beeper is sounding, press any key to silence it and clear the alarm
condition. To turn the beeper off, set the Beeper Intensity in the menu to 0.

6 Key Operation

Upon applying power, the DigiQ DX3 will show to test the display and then
show the version number.

If there is a brief or sustained power interruption at any time while cooking,
the DigiQ DX3 will automatically restart and continue to control the pit at the
same settings that were originally set.

7 Powering Up