egg,wsm air flow

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pigout sc

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Wanted to throw this question out again because I am still a bit puzzled. Does anyone know why you have to keep the top vent wide open on the WSM but not an EGG? I assume maybe its because of the fuel used ( Lump) But besides that I have know Idea :crazy:
 
I'm guessing because the WSM has more air leakage than a Kamado cooker. My daisy wheel is fully open on my KJ, but that's it an I've never had a bitter smoke problem at all.
 
On my Lrg BGE, I try to control the temp with the lower vent and DFMT.
Very small opening in bottom and top for 250° low and slow.
HTH
 
On an egg or kamado there are two reasons for the smaller vent openings. First you have a smaller cooking volume compared to wsm that is much longer. Second is the kamados are insulated and very little energy is needed to keep the fire going at a given temp. Kamados are also very fuel efficient because of this as well. My akorn burns much less fuel than my wsm or uds but is sensitive to too much air which will make it run hot and hard to bring down.
 
My two BGEs work perfectly with the dual damper opened totally while using the bottom damper to obtain any temperature I want. I feel I get the cleanest fire that way. I do the same in the UDS and my WSMs.

Restricting the exhaust to control temperature doesn't make sense to me.
 
Well, I have a large BGE and have for years kept the top and bottom vents opened equally regardless of temperature. It has worked for me!
 
I wouldn't say you "have to" set up your vents that way (but that seems to be the most commonly advised set ups). I know folks who cook fine not using their vents like that. I commonly remove the top vent on my BGEs when cooking at 375+ degrees.
 
I leave the top off my BGE for burgers & steaks but use it for making small temperature adjustments on long cooks. The lower vent will get you close but the cast iron top is good for 5°-10° adjustments. When using a guru, it is essential to use it and close it until only open a crack... otherwise the temp will continue to climb even with the fan off.

As far as creosote goes, doesn't one of the major (expensive) stick burner builders rely exclusively on the exhaust vent for temp. control?
 
On my little WSM I leave _ALL_ of my vents open. It doesn't matter, it always sits at 250. ALWAYS

On my big WSM, I typically leave them open wide while I start it, but I will have to close it a bit once it gets going or I will start to burn through some wood and raise temperature.

I typically open the bottom to about 25 percent.
 
shirknwrk said:
I leave the top off my BGE for burgers & steaks but use it for making small temperature adjustments on long cooks. The lower vent will get you close but the cast iron top is good for 5°-10° adjustments. When using a guru, it is essential to use it and close it until only open a crack... otherwise the temp will continue to climb even with the fan off.

As far as creosote goes, doesn't one of the major (expensive) stick burner builders rely exclusively on the exhaust vent for temp. control?
Click to expand...

Good Point
 
If I think about going below 250* on my XL egg I have to close the top vent some, even with the bottom only open a crack. I've seen no ill effects so far.

My WSM's I have to close the top down once in a while to keep temps from going too high but they're sort of new to me so I'm working on avoiding that if possible. I burn lump in the egg and KB in the WSM so I'm more concerned about the nasties with the Webers.
 
fingerlickin' said:
If I think about going below 250* on my XL egg I have to close the top vent some, even with the bottom only open a crack. I've seen no ill effects so far.

My WSM's I have to close the top down once in a while to keep temps from going too high but they're sort of new to me so I'm working on avoiding that if possible. I burn lump in the egg and KB in the WSM so I'm more concerned about the nasties with the Webers.
Click to expand...

Same here. Makes sense
 
I think it's about the convection of heat on the WSM. A proper draft with smoke moving over the meat rather that collecting around it.
 
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