Fire Bricks/COS

[DanB]

Hi All I picked up 6 fire bricks for my COS, now where is the best place to put them. I'm just trying to even out the temps side to side and hold some heat in.
1.In the firebox?
2.In the cooking pit?

Thanks Dan

[SmittyJonz]

For your Brinkman smoke n Pit? Have you tried tuning plates?

[DanB]

Hi Do have 3 tuning plates, but there are very thin metal. The 1st plate is also the baffle.
I did ask around about getting 1/4" plates cut to size, but the cost was way too high.
I think $50.00 was the cheapest I got.
Thanks Dan

[Bludawg]

Lay them in the bottom under the plates to increase the thermal mass.

[ajstrider]

As far as your question goes, like Blu said, put them under the plates. Have you tried pulling one of those tuning plates out and actually "tuning" them to see what happens? The air gaps between the plates needs to get wider the farther you get from the firebox. You have them evenly spaced across there.

[DanB]

I've moved around the plates some, with little change, in temps getting evener
From the end of pit/right side there is about a 12" opening, but the temps there are low.
Would heavier plates solve the temp problem?
Thanks Dan

[DaveAlvarado]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

Lay them in the bottom under the plates to increase the thermal mass.

Thermal mass won't help if the temps are uneven. The brick closest to the firebox will get hotter than the brick furthest from it. Uneven temps is an airflow problem, not a thermal mass problem. Thicker plates won't matter either.

Tuning the tuning plates is the way to go. You need to get more of the hot air to make it to the far side before rising up to go out the chimney.

It might also help to drop the chimney intake to the cooking grate if possible. Depending on how tall the chimney is, you might need a taller chimney too to promote better draft.

[DanB]

Hi My smoke stack does come down to grate level.
I have tried to close the gaps with the plates and left the side away form firebox open, still got way too much different temps.
Next time I'm going to wrapped the charcoal grate that I don't use, with foil and put some smaller holes next to firebox side and bigger holes as I get away from the firebox.
Thanks Dan

[Bludawg]

You're thinking about things all wrong. You're running tuning plates: get rid of the exhaust extension and your tuning plates will work! You're keeping the all the heat backed up so no matter how far you move them apart. So it renders the plate useless HEAT RISES you need it to vent out the top the plates are keeping it low in the pit so all the heat just builds up.
Check out these mods I believe it will help you greatly. If you notice the stack was lowered a little but not all the way IMO not enough to change the balance.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1943

[ajstrider]

Blu is pretty good at these COS cookers, I would try his way. It seems easy enough to accomplish, and free.

[DanB]

Hi All Here is how I placed the fire bricks in my COS..Didn't help much to even out the temps.
Next time going to plan "B", cover the charcoal grate with aluminum foil and put some small holes close to fire box and bigger ones, away from the firebox.
Thanks Dan

[DanB]

Hi All Here is plan "B". What do you think?
Should I leave the tuning plates in or take them out. I'm leaning towards taking them out.
Hope the holes are big enough?
Will post back with the results after the hoilday smoke.
Thanks Dan

[aks801]

What in the Sam Rayburn does "COS" stand for? Something off-set?

[Norm62]

Cheap Offset Smoker

[aks801]

Originally Posted by Norm62

Cheap Offset Cooker

Ah! Like "ECB"!