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Introduction It has been 12 years since we last reviewed a temperature controller from Auber Instruments, the SYL-1316. Their initial entry into the BBQ temperature controller arena was a simple little controller with just a pit probe and no food probes. At the time we compared it to the BBQ Guru's NanoQ. And for a simple little controller, it did quite well. In fact, it did very well at controlling temperatures. Since then, Auber Instruments has brought out several newer models which we more or less missed. But recently someone asked about the new SYL-3615. We decided it was time to pay another visit to Auber Instruments and give their latest controller a go. So, how far has Auber Instruments come in this time? Well, their SYL-3615 now has a display with 32 characters rather than the four digits of their first controller. Also, the SYL-3615 supports two food probes in addition to the pit probe. Speaking of probes, they have stopped using a K-type thermocouple and instead now use PT1000 platinum resistance thermometers. And then there is the addition of Wi-Fi and an App for your smart device. So as you can see, this controller is nothing like Auber Instruments' first entry into the market. Here is a list of features and specifications for the Auber Instruments SYL-3615:
Compared To Other BBQ Temperature Controllers Like most other temperature control systems, the Auber Instruments SYL-3615 system is blower-based, controlling airflow through the cooker by blowing air when needed. The SYL-3615, however, is probably one of the geekier controllers on the market as it gives you direct access to the PID control parameters and a choice of four different control modes. (It should be noted that for the purposes of this review, we will be using the default settings for both the PID parameters and control mode. Auber Instruments has not provided much information yet on how to choose these parameters so you are pretty much on your own until they release the instruction manual.) The SYL-3615 package comes with the following items:
A Few Observations About The Components There isn't much to say really. Everything is pretty much what you would have come to expect by now from any manufacturer of BBQ temperature controllers. The probes have nice connections on both ends of the cable. Otherwise, there is really nothing outstanding to report. The system unit is a plastic case that houses the electronics and the connections for power, the blower and the three temperature probes. The unit itself is approximately 4.4" x 3.3" x 1.3" (113mm x 83mm x 33mm) and weighs 5.3 ounces (150g). There is no dedicated power switch, per se, as power is turned on and off simply by connecting and disconnecting its power source. The unit has connections for power, a blower, a pit temperature probe and two food temperature probes. While resistant to light amounts of moisture, it is not waterproof. To use it in the rain, you should place it in a plastic bag or other enclosure. The system unit also contains the display, controls, blower indication LED and Wi-Fi status LED which we shall see in later sections.
The controls on the Auber SYL-3615 consist of four buttons: 
The display on the Auber SYL-3615 unit is a 2x16 backlit black-on-white LCD display with adjustable brightness. There are also two LEDs that indicate the status of the blower (green LED) and the Wi-Fi connection (blue LED).
All the connections are on the bottom edge of the control unit. From left to right are the power socket, the blower socket, and the 3.5mm sockets for the temperature probes. You can see the tiny labels molded into the plastic case.
 It is important to note that the three temperature probes "P3", "P2" and "P1" are referred to by Auber Instruments as "P3", "Food", and "Pit" when discussing their functions. The pit probe must be plugged into socket P1. The food probe that you want to use in cooking profiles must be plugged into socket P2. The probe plugged into socket P3 will not affect cooking profile execution. It's only function is to allow you to monitor a third temperature. The Auber SYL-3615 is powered via a small power supply. It can accept 120-240VAC 50/60Hz input. It outputs 12VDC, 1A. The barrel connector polarity is center positive. The cord is approximately 5 feet long.
The unit can also be powered by a 12VDC battery that has a cigarette lighter socket. Power cords with cigarette lighter plugs and a 5.5 x 2.1 mm connector that will plug into this unit are common. And finally, if you happen to have DeWalt 20V batteries lying around, Auber Instruments sells an adapter that can be used to power 12VDC devices. It comes with the necessary cord. One word of caution: Don't leave the adapter installed on your DeWalt battery for storage as it will drain the battery and kill it over time.
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