Quote:
Originally Posted by blackdog043
I would say, your air flow is not working the way it should. If you use the KISS method your drum temp would be easier to dial in to what you want it!! Easy way to try it, close your side exhaust vents and open the 2" bung hole for exhaust. Leave it wide open and control your temp with the intake. If you want more smoke flavor add more wood chunks. I don't know what the other sites say to do, this is the best on the net for help with anything Q, hands down, in my opinion. Give the KISS method a try and see if it works for you. People on here have more problems trying to improve what works. Not saying you can't come up with some other design that will work for you.
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hey man.. you were exactly right. I was not understanding the mechanics of draft. I ran a burn with the 2" bung open and closed down some of the intakes and the temp held within 10 degrees for hours.
And jcinadr posted about using BBQ Guru computer system to control temp. :) Here's what I'm going to try to do:
A friend of mine made mods to his offset smoker but putting in a flap inside his chimney attached to some wires that poke through the chimney walls, allowing it to kind of sway. He positioned it just right so that it seems to work like a carburetor and self adjusts by opening more or less based on the temp. I have to learn more about it, but it's tied with my desire to attach some pipe to the bung hole to create the negative pressure at the top for creating more draft.
But another idea I may do, is to use one of the 3 nipples that I put on the side of the barrel at the top... I can put an elbow on the inside and another pipe extension (this is 3/4 inch) downward inside, and then also elbow on the outside and some pipe extension going up.. Resulting in something like an elongated "S" with half of it on the inside pointing down, and half on the outside pointing up. My theory :) (and I'm having fun with mods) is that this will still create some negative pressure at the top to create the draft, and also not rob so much smoke and moisture from the top where the food is being cooked.
BUT WAIT THAT'S NOT ALL! Another idea, after reading a lot about draft and combustion :) (
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokeho...ehouse-firebox) I'm also thinking of adding a 3/4 inch nipple somewhere in the middle, above the heat source and under the food. Point of that is to try to bring in more moisture by drafting in cool air from the outside. This in turn may also increase the heat created from the coals by allowing for a secondary combustion.
Who knows.. but it's easy and cheap to try, and if it doesn't work I just cap the holes!
