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Oven fan inside UDS?

C

Carbon

is Blowin Smoke!
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Maybe this is a crazy idea but has anyone ever rigged a small oven fan inside their UDS for improved heat distribution?
I'm curious as I have a old oven fan that I can experiment with.

Thanks.
 
I like the idea, think of it as a convection oven. But the problem that I see is that all that gunk on the walls of the cooker now also become gunk on the fan. Not sure how long a fan could stand up to that.

I was thinking of doing a fan pulling air out of my cooker being controlled by the Guru, but then I thought of what else is going to be coating the fan.
 
I would also be curious as to the air movement and your temperatures. By moving the air around in your drum I would think it would create a hotter fire?? I could definitely be wrong here though.
 
Does the fan run constantly? If so, all of that excessive pull of air that it creates is going to make for really high temps in the drum. It may also pull ash from the coals and spread those around too.
 
I think there was a thread about this a couple years ago.
 
I wouldn't think it would create higher temps internally, it'd be the same oxygen in, same smokey exhaust out. It'd be more like a convection oven though, where you'd get more out of the heat, so you would most likely want a lower heat to begin with. I don't think ash would be a problem in a UDS either, long way from the coals to the food. But that obviously depends on the strength of the fan, and where it's pointed.
 
Well, mounted high enough, I don't think the fan would create enough turbulence down below near the basket to kick up ash. Even in a kitchen oven these fans don't seem to blow that much air, but just enough to circulate the hot air.
I would also assume the fan will raise the temperature somewhat but you can easily regulate the temp as you would normally do with the vents.
When mounted against one side of the UDS small, low profile deflectors can help protect the fan assembly from radiant heat and from drippings.
 
Heat rises what's to improve?? If your not getting even heat your overloaded. It could cause an ash problem as well!
 
I put a deflector(pizza pan with holes in it) on top of my fire basket and i get pretty even temps from the edge to the center.
 
SmokinSlowPoke said:
I would also be curious as to the air movement and your temperatures. By moving the air around in your drum I would think it would create a hotter fire?? I could definitely be wrong here though.
Click to expand...

good thought, but i wouldn't think so. the fire temperature should only be impacted by the intake and exhaust, right?
 
I would think any added breeze would create a hotter fire and go through fuel much faster. My Guru uses more fuel than natural air flow.
 
But since we're not introducing additional fresh new air into the chamber I think the rise in temp and/or additional fuel use would be minimal, if any.
Plus, circulation of the hot air will be mostly concentrated only in the upper portion of the drum. My thinking is that the coal basket wouldn't be affected in any way.
 
I have always thought about trying one of those heat activated fans that you put on wood burning stoves to distribute heat. However, I have yet to truly find the need and all the potential gunk would require constant cleaning. To be truthful, I have never done temp tests on my UDS's and really don't feel the need to. They cook just fine even if the temps aren't always perfect in all areas.
 
I fail to understand WHY DO PEOPLE TRY TO FIX WHAT AINT BROKE:confused: I Remember when you opened the hood on your P/U and could see the ground on both sides of the engine and could sit on the fender well and change plugs points & condenser. Then some body decided it was to simple and needed all sorts of gadgetry hanging off it. There was no improvement just more Junk to deal with......
It's BBQ in the truest form over direct heat, It has worked for Centuries just fine. You need to learn to cook it Old School and leave that junk on the drawing board, BBQ has gotten along with out it this long You really think you can improve perfection?
 
Bludawg said:
I fail to understand WHY DO PEOPLE TRY TO FIX WHAT AINT BROKE:confused: I Remember when you opened the hood on your P/U and could see the ground on both sides of the engine and could sit on the fender well and change plugs points & condenser. Then some body decided it was to simple and needed all sorts of gadgetry hanging off it. There was no improvement just more Junk to deal with......
It's BBQ in the truest form over direct heat, It has worked for Centuries just fine. You need to learn to cook it Old School and leave that junk on the drawing board, BBQ has gotten along with out it this long You really think you can improve perfection?
Click to expand...

Because sometimes it is fun to try new things. I put a bbq guru on my UDS, not because I needed to, but because I think it is fun to mess with.
 
Bludawg said:
I fail to understand WHY DO PEOPLE TRY TO FIX WHAT AINT BROKE:confused: I Remember when you opened the hood on your P/U and could see the ground on both sides of the engine and could sit on the fender well and change plugs points & condenser. Then some body decided it was to simple and needed all sorts of gadgetry hanging off it. There was no improvement just more Junk to deal with......
It's BBQ in the truest form over direct heat, It has worked for Centuries just fine. You need to learn to cook it Old School and leave that junk on the drawing board, BBQ has gotten along with out it this long You really think you can improve perfection?
Click to expand...

Well, my truck gets 25 mpg, starts without any hesitation in any weather and I never have to adjust points or timing. Seems like an improvement to me.

Messing around with BBQ? Now that sounds fun!
 
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