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Trouble Getting UDS below 250

WvQ

WvQ

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If this needs moved I apologize, but wanted to say I finished my UDS and ran a test without meat. It's holding 250 for 8 hours with two pounds of lump Charcoal and one stick of Maple. My only problem is that I just threw the 4" Maple log in and after 4 or five hours I checked and it was mostly still there. I guess I have to cut it into chunks? I actually ended up adding the second valve on the left side because I couldn't get the temp lower than 250 without it. Wonder if adding meat will prevent me from keeping the temps lower?
 
Why do u need to run lower than 250* ? Lump and wood burn hotter - my UDS likes to run 250* with briquette and smaller wood chunks so I don't fight it.
 
I would worry more about how the smoke looks. When I started out with my UDS I would run it down around 225. The smoke would be white and we didn't like the flavor. I then tried running hotter. For my UDS, the smoke turns sweet blue at around 240. Lately, I've been cooking more in the 275 range. The temp down at the actual fire will determine the type of smoke. If you build too big of a fire, the pit temp will be higher but the smoke may not be sweet blue. You want a small hot fire to produce the right smoke.
 
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kingstar said:
I would worry more about how the smoke looks. When I started out with my UDS I would run it down around 225. The smoke would be white and we didn't like the flavor. I then tried running hotter. For my UDS, the smoke turns sweet blue at around 240. Lately, I've been cooking more in the 275 range. The temp down at the actual fire will determine the type of smoke. If you build too big of a fire, the pit temp will be higher but the smoke may not be sweet blue. You want a small hot fire to produce the right smoke.
Click to expand...

That's what I was wondering. Here is a picture at 225 and really no smoke
 

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Don't understand why you had to add second valve to maintain 250*. If you can maintain with one valve, adding the second will only increase the temp, not lower it. If you have any air leaks, then the temp will increase. More air equals more heat. Are you leaking air around the valves? Will it extinguish the fire if all valves are closed off and the exhaust is closed? If not, then you have a air leak somewhere. If it is good and air tight, then one valve should be able to keep the temps down around 225* or so.

Blessings,
Omar
 
maybe its that piece of wood

you used a 4" log? Isnt that kinda big for UDS?

I dont have one but I thought they normally used charcoal not sticks
 
Those valves won't be leaking...IMO two valves are better because it alleviates capping and uncapping.
 
I would use chunks instead of one large log. Disperse them throughout your basket. On really long cooks, I still find that the visible smoke will go away. If you smell the exhaust you will most likely find it still has that wood smoke smell and is still doing the job. Most likely the meat would either be wrapped by then or has already soaked up all the smoke that it is going to. I have contemplated adding a door so I could add in more raw wood as the smoke dies down but have not done it for the reasons I just stated.
 
retired trucker said:
Don't understand why you had to add second valve to maintain 250*. If you can maintain with one valve, adding the second will only increase the temp, not lower it. If you have any air leaks, then the temp will increase. More air equals more heat. Are you leaking air around the valves? Will it extinguish the fire if all valves are closed off and the exhaust is closed? If not, then you have a air leak somewhere. If it is good and air tight, then one valve should be able to keep the temps down around 225* or so.

Blessings,
Omar
Click to expand...

My problem was that I had one valve on the right and the left was just the pipe without a valve on top. With this setup it was maintaining 250 with the right valve completely closed. I purchased a second valve and put it on the left. Turning a quarter closed dropped the temp to 225.
 
WvQ said:
My problem was that I had one valve on the right and the left was just the pipe without a valve on top. With this setup it was maintaining 250 with the right valve completely closed. I purchased a second valve and put it on the left. Turning a quarter closed dropped the temp to 225.
Click to expand...

Ok, that makes sense then. Sounds like you have it all worked out and that your drum is good and air tight, which is good. On my UUDS (ultra ugly) it will maintain about 250 with an open 3/4 inch nipple without a valve. I cooked two yardbirds today with my valve open all the way, and one of my un-valved nipples open and it maintained about 300 to 315 for about 3 hours using briquets. Great news for me since I didn't have to baby sit it and that was the temp I was shooting for.

Blessings,
Omar
 
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I truly know how you feel. I just finished my UDS build last month. I really love the thing but one of the most frustrating things was trying to get a temp set correctly. I started reading all of these threads saying leave the nipples open or close one or leave valve a quarter open. I fineily found a comment that it takes time to learn about your settings on your UDS being that every UDS is different and I can tell you that is sooooo true. I now know how much lump charcoal, valve and nipple settings to cook. I'm glad you figured out the problem..:clap2: There are so many smart brethren on this site. If it wasn't for them I would be eating charcoal.... LOL....
 
Nendo said:
I truly know how you feel. I just finished my UDS build last month. I really love the thing but one of the most frustrating things was trying to get a temp set correctly. I started reading all of these threads saying leave the nipples open or close one or leave valve a quarter open. I fineily found a comment that it takes time to learn about your settings on your UDS being that every UDS is different and I can tell you that is sooooo true. I now know how much lump charcoal, valve and nipple settings to cook. I'm glad you figured out the problem..:clap2: There are so many smart brethren on this site. If it wasn't for them I would be eating charcoal.... LOL....
Click to expand...

Exactly. Even the same UDS will run differently cook to cook because of wind,humidity, etc but mostly because you are probally not gonna get the basket loaded exactly the same everytime...or it may catch a lil more or a lil less when you dump the lit coals but it'll run in the same geral temp range.

Don't ruin a steady 250* trying to get 225*.......it'll just frustrate ya.....I 'm pretty sure there are more people smoking at temps other than 225* than are. :mrgreen:
 
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I agree with the temp differences from the same drum. Some days I can hold 225 for hours without paying attention to the unit. Other days like wind, rain or extreme heat or cool the 'normal' settings won't work and I have to fuss around every 20-30 minutes until I find what the UDS needs to maintain a good temp for that days cook.
 
Learn to cook where it wants to run you food will be better and you won't be as stressed out.
 
Bludawg said:
Learn to cook where it wants to run you food will be better and you won't be as stressed out.
Click to expand...

Thanks, my concern was initially not being able to reduce my temps below 250. I thought this could cause a problem on a hotter day or when adding food (grease) would result in not even being able to go below 275. All is good now though, prying another 14 dollars out of my wallet for a second valve solved my concern.
 
275 is a great temp as well, so is 325. You can get good results at all those temps, unless the smoke is white and dirty.
 
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