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HELP! My WSM temp is dropping FAST!

GreasePig

GreasePig

is Blowin Smoke!
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Never had this happen before. Fired up the WSM this morning (9 am) for a couple of butts, some fatties, etc...

Filled up the ring and added my wood. Dumped a chimney of lit K on top. Everything started off great. Caught it at 225 going up. Set vents at about a 1/4. First 3 or 4 hrs it was locked in perfect at 225 and never waivered. Checked it a 5 hrs and the temp was down to 200. Kicked the legs, stirred the coals a lil bit and opened up the vents a touch. Just checked it again a few minutes ago and temp is 190. Cracked the door and looked and the coals were all white and looked good, but I guess they are too far gone.

Lighting another chimney...

What did I fark up? Temp outside is about 40 and the wind isn't very bad. I have cooked 9 hrs on the same amount of charcoal several times.

I am confused...


Help me O' Brethren.. :icon_bugeyed
 
Ive never cooked on a WSM but someone will chime in here shortly!
 
Added the other chimney of lit and got the temps back up. When I took the middle section off to add the charcoal there was PLENTY of charcoal left. I wonder if my charcoal got moist or something. It was a half a bag that I had left from Thanksgiving that I loaded the ring with this morning. I just don't get it. Never had this happen before.
 
I haven't experienced that with my wsm (only my second cook on one today) but its happened to me before on my drum because of wet charcoal and on an offset because I didn't clean up the ash below the charcoal so it could breathe.
 
After adding the new charcoal it popped back up to 225, but that lasted for about 10 minutes. now it is back at 200 and it doesn't want to move. Vents are not blocked. I stirred the charcoal really well when I had the top off. Friggin ring is full of charcoal. Got the vents at over 1/2 open and it still won't come up. The charcoal I used in chimney this morning and when I added a few minutes ago was a new bag. My old bag never got wet either. It has been in the garage since Thanksgiving.

UUUUGHHHH! I have 2 fatties ready to throw on but I guess I'll leave them in the freezer. Maybe my MOINK balls will finish. They have been on for about an hour and a half. Probably gonna have to finish the butts in the oven.
 
Sounds like moist charcoal. I had a very similar problem with my wsm not wanting to stay up to temp but had a bunch of charcoal left.
 
could your thermo be malfunctioning? a chimney full of red hot coals should have kept you going for a while! Set the dampers wide open until it comes back up, and check your thermo if you can

i dont really cook with briquettes, and I've only had my fire nearly go out on my egg a few times by setting the dampers TOO miserly - opening the dampers wide open fixed it in a jiffy.
 
I've kicked. It hurt.. :)

I'm still farking with it. The wind kicked up quite a bit outside. dammit... It was locked in so friggin perfect.
 
Sounds like you have too much ash in the bottom and lost your air flow.

Pop the mid and top off and pull your coal grate. Empty the ash.
 
also, I picked up two Kingsford Kaddys at lowes this summer - that way i can store the charcoal air and water tight outside. The bags stay in the garage, and only come out to the grill when i put them in the kaddys.
 
Skip said:
Sounds like you have too much ash in the bottom and lost your air flow.

Pop the mid and top off and pull your coal grate. Empty the ash.
Click to expand...

I moved the smoker where it is a little more out of the wind and pulled off the mid and top and stirred the coals again ad went arounf the ring and made sure the air could get to it. It's edging back up now (with the vents all the way open). There is enough charcoal in the ring to last another 5 or 6 hours. Maybe it'll come back to where I need it.
 
Put a 1/4" shim under the lid. This will increase the air flow. watch it carfully, because when it starts climbing it can get away from you.
 
I think it's sometimes just the charcoal. I did a cook on mine a week or so ago, using K and couldn't get the temp over 200 degrees no matter what I tried. It did manage to boil all the water out of the pan.


Chuck
 
it does kinda sound like moist charcoal. Also, make sure your top vent is open all the way. get the most air/exhaust out of it to aid the air intake at the bottom.
 
Even with your storage issues being on the up and up I realized the walmart out here stores their charcoal outside and I have gotten charcoal there that was no good when I bought it. Just a thought, could be the charcoal had already gotten wet before you got it home.
 
I quit using K. Just tried a competitor on a whim. The difference was so great I won't go back. So I don't have those kind of problems any more.
 
I guess it was just the way the charcoal was in the ring. After it started dropping the first time I kicked the crap outta the legs to shake out the ashes but I guess some of the holes in the ring were stopped up.

When I took the mid section off the second time I took a poker and REALLY shook up stuff and went around and poked all the holes in the ring to make sure they were clear.

It is running at about 240-250 now with all the vents open. Butts were at 170 about 45 minutes ago so hopefully it won't be too much longer.

Thanks for all the help guys! I guess some days things just have to farked with until they work!
 
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