Some questions about starting (and keeping) the fire!

I built my UDS a few weeks ago and have done a couple of cooks on it. I've also used it as a kettle for a couple of cooks with great success. But I have had some trouble with temps at the beginning and could use your help. Here is what has been happening.

1. Fill the basket to the desired level and add wood chunks.
2. Light a chimney, usually about 10-12 briquettes or some leftover briquettes from a previous cook.
3. Once the chimney is going good pour the hot coals into the basket.
4. Place basket into the UDS with all 3 vents wide open as well as exhaust.
5. Once temps seem to get above 300 or so I will close one inlet. After about 5 minutes or so I'll close another and use the ball valve to do the fine tuning.
6. Temps stabilize for about 10 minutes and then start to fall. I've even had the fire go almost completely out before I realized it. At this point I open all vents and the temps start climbing again. Once they get back above 270 I try to start closing things down again. But once I get to just the ball valve only I can't keep temps steady. If I shut the ball valve and leave one nipple open my temps stay good, but a little high (275 instead of 225-250). I don't have this problem when cooking with higher temps when the nipples are wide open.

I am wondering if my ball valve is too high. Hard to see in this pic but there is an elbow just above the ball valve. It is below the exhaust but not by much. Should I get a shorter pipe and lower the ball valve or try something else first?

I had my ball valve about 3/4 of the way up and had the same issue. There has been much discussion on this subject in the mother thread, but when I put mine at the bottom the issue went away. My advise is to screw it straight into the nipple in the drum.

enasnidx said:

You may be closing things down too late on the climb up. Without trying to hijack your thread, I was trying to dial in my new UDS yesterday and had the same struggles as you, but my valve is right at the bottom. I coulndn't get it to sit at 225-250. I kept going back and forth with it climbing too high, then falling too low with each adjustment. Can any experienced brethren help out with ideas? Do you start with all three intakes open? At what temp do you start to close down the intakes to get it to stabalize? Obviously everyone's UDS has it's own unique intake setting that works for them, what seems to be the average to hold at 230ish? 3/4 open on the ball valve?

Sorry LoveBBQ, not trying to jack your thread, hopefully my questions will help your situation...

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No hijack there! Those are the same things I am trying to figure out. It seems I can hold the higher temps just fine, but the lower temps have me fighting a little. Maybe I just need to use a few less briquettes initially to keep the temps down and leave a nipple off. Or hell, maybe throw in a diffuser to reduce the temps a little too. She seems to hold great at about 275-300 with a nipple open and the ball valve open.

Downtown Smokeout said:

I had my ball valve about 3/4 of the way up and had the same issue. There has been much discussion on this subject in the mother thread, but when I put mine at the bottom the issue went away. My advise is to screw it straight into the nipple in the drum.

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I may do just that on my next cook to see what happens.

I have two capped nipples and a ball valve. Start my basket minion style with 10 briqs +-1. I let it sit outside the drum for 2-3 minutes, put it in and seal her up. All three open to 190, put on the second cap at 215, and either leave the valve open or close it just a little depending on how hot it is outside. Winter style is one nipple open, valve cracked maybe half way. Settles at 228-234 every time. Like you said, every one is different, sounds like you might not have enough vent going. I used to leave the bung out of the top, since the weber mod I leave the vent wide open. Just remember to give it 15 minutes before you decide how it reacted to your last adjustment, maybe longer.

Downtown Smokeout said:

I have two capped nipples and a ball valve. Start my basket minion style with 10 briqs +-1. I let it sit outside the drum for 2-3 minutes, put it in and seal her up. All three open to 190, put on the second cap at 215, and either leave the valve open or close it just a little depending on how hot it is outside. Winter style is one nipple open, valve cracked maybe half way. Settles at 228-234 every time. Like you said, every one is different, sounds like you might not have enough vent going. I used to leave the bung out of the top, since the weber mod I leave the vent wide open. Just remember to give it 15 minutes before you decide how it reacted to your last adjustment, maybe longer.

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When I drop my basket in my temps rise quickly, to over 300 at the grate level. I don't let it burn like that very long. Maybe I need to let it go for a little bit like that before I start closing things down.

caliking said:

I have my ball valve up high like you do (fat and lazy mod) and do not have issues with the fire dying. As someone suggested above maybe you do not have enough of the top vent open. I usually start capping my intakes on the way up and the temp usually settles around 250 with the ball valve half or 3/4 open. The advice to wait a little before making more adjustments is invaluable.

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My exhaust vent is always fully open. I would think that if it were an exhaust problem though it wouldn't matter how many intakes I have open.

QDoc said:

Try positioning so your intake is up wind from the exhaust?? Divers must do this or risk CO poisioning.

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The wind swirls around my house. It is always moving in a different direction. I added an elbow to the intake hoping that would help pull clean air in and I make sure the exhaust is always on the other side if the drum. But that doesn't seem to be working.

OK, I think I figured out my problem. Too many briquettes in the chimney for starters!

Tonight I tried starting the fire with only a dozen or so briquettes instead of a half chimney. Got it started, dumped into a cavity on the middle of the charcoal basket and loaded it into the drum. Temps rose SLOWLY! Unlike before my temps would soar! I capped one intake when it hit 235. Capped the second after that temp held for about 15 minutes. Temp dropped to 225 and held. I tried to hold it there with two ways, one with the ball valve and one with a single nipple open. I wanted to make sure my intake with the ball valve isn't a problem. So far it is holding steady!!!

I may have spoke too soon about the ball valve intake. I went back out to check on it and temps had dropped to 200* and the fire was out in the basket. Removed a cap from the nipple and came back out 10 minutes later and she was burning orange again and the temp was back up. I'll be picking up a shorter pipe to see if that helps.