UDS Heat Shield & Biscuit Test (Pictorial)

Thawley

Thawley

Take a breath!
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
514
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Disneyland
IMG_1144.JPG

Burnig coals – very hot

IMG_1143.JPG

Make shift heat shield/baffle/diffuser – 10x10x0.25" mild steel plate

IMG_1148.jpg

Fire basket & diffuser in their native environment

IMG_1149.JPG



IMG_1152.jpg

U-bakem biscuits – the natural enemy of burning coals

IMG_1157.jpg

Ritual of sacrifice


IMG_1159.jpg

It's a little warmer on the west side. (Photo taken facing south) Ironically, the air inlets below the grate are at 12 & 6 o'clock. Heat should be even from east to west. I can only assume that the Earth's rotation is somehow affecting the combustion airflow. No doubt the heat distribution would be reversed in the southern hemisphere.
 
Wow, pretty big difference between the left side and the right side. What do you think is the cause? It's a verticle smoker, so it seems like the temps should have been more consistent. Maybe a circular heat shield larger than the diameter of the charcoal basket would even things out, dunno.
 
Exhaust is centered. Though I suppose it's possible the bend somehow affects the airflow, I kind of doubt it. Besides – that bend keeps the rain out. It's staying.

IMG_1151.JPG
 
It might be worth doing another test just to make sure of the results. Maybe even turn the shield 45 degrees and see what happens.
 
To be honest, this is a big improvement over what it did without the steel plate. I did the same a while back (before iPhone) so no photos. But the center of the grate was WAY hotter than the edges.

Still got a ways to go though.
 
Interesting test. I need to try this a few times. (Plate, no plate, changing exhaust position...)

Noticed it again yesterday on a load of ABT's. One side was get done faster. I would spin the rack and rotate the lid so the exhaust would be in a different part. (Sorry - no after pic on this load - and as fast as they went, I needed to make about 3 times as much!)


ABT.JPG



I have a shorter but wider basket - about 17" wide and 5" of height.
You can just see in the second pic that when I start it in the middle, it doesn't always work itself out evenly in the first few hours or the burn (or if I have something smoking that is a heavy dripper)

I thought it was my 2" exhaust that is to the side (flat lid). Need to get to know the drum better.

no%20weld%20basket.JPG





1st%20load%20coals.JPG
 
Last edited:
I added a grate 4 inched above the charcoal basket with a foiled water pan setting on it, WSM style, as a diffuser. I have 8 1/2 inch holes in the lid and never noticed any hot spots but since adding the pan I really like the results better than when the fat was dripping on the coals and wood.
 
It's obvious your drum is sitting crooked. This explains everything. :twisted:
 
the west side is always warmer after noon. :biggrin:

did you eat those muffins or throw them at passsing cars?
 
Thawley:

Great information! I have concluded the UDS is about as idiot proof and reliable as anything I've ever used to cook with.....but all things can be improved on and I've been thinking for a while these things need a baffle of some type to separate the meat from the fire.

My unit....

Picture095-1.jpg


Ash pan is a lid from a 30 gallon drum. Last smoke of baby backs, I used the ash pan from my ECB, setting the charcoal basket in that, and the 30 gallon lid on top of the charcoal basket. Worked just as well and eliminated some of the "blackened" look and taste, and some of the "burnt" smell coming from the stack during the smoke....

End results.....

Picture192.jpg


Up next is a full packer brisket......same process.

HW (Who has been Matchlight free for years.......)
 
Any chance there was a breeze blowing? That would cool the windward side a tad.
 
Thawley said:
It's a little warmer on the west side. (Photo taken facing south) Ironically, the air inlets below the grate are at 12 & 6 o'clock. Heat should be even from east to west. I can only assume that the Earth's rotation is somehow affecting the combustion airflow. No doubt the heat distribution would be reversed in the southern hemisphere.
Click to expand...

Wait a minute, is this an el niño or la niña year?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
UDS heat diffuser
2 3
Replies
41
Views
12K
Dr_KY
Dr_KY
smokinvic
New UDS Lid, New UDS Heat Shield, and tester cooks (PRON)
Replies
12
Views
4K
jeffjenkins1
jeffjenkins1
Back
Top