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Weber Smokey Mountain Heat Question (2 Part Question)

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Youngin'

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Hola friends! I've been slowly getting in to smoking again and started using my 22.5" WSM with a BBQ Guru attachment. As everyone knows, they run really hot. Well I've been having that issue around hour number 4 on long cooks and can't bring them below 375* (Which I start off at 250*)

Can anyone tell me how to keep the temps low?

Second question, which has nothing to do with the WSM, does a Backwoods Chubb have this issue also?

Cheers and thank you!
 
Youngin' said:
Hola friends! I've been slowly getting in to smoking again and started using my 22.5" WSM with a BBQ Guru attachment. As everyone knows, they run really hot. Well I've been having that issue around hour number 4 on long cooks and can't bring them below 375* (Which I start off at 250*)

Can anyone tell me how to keep the temps low?

Second question, which has nothing to do with the WSM, does a Backwoods Chubb have this issue also?

Cheers and thank you!
Click to expand...


How much charcoal are you lighting to begin with? I don't have an issue with my wsm, it holds pretty steady around 250 or 275 the entire cook and I've never used any controller for it. I use the minion method to start it. I assume you're familiar with it, but just in case you aren't http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion
 
jread23 said:
How much charcoal are you lighting to begin with? I don't have an issue with my wsm, it holds pretty steady around 250 or 275 the entire cook and I've never used any controller for it. I use the minion method to start it. I assume you're familiar with it, but just in case you aren't http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion
Click to expand...

I use 6 to 7 briquettes to start off with. Everything is smooth sailing at the beginning. It's when I get deeper in to the cook that temps start to rise and I'll look in the chamber and all the charcoal's burning.
 
Sounds to me like you might be feeding those coals big doses of air/oxygen at points into the cook. Leaving lid off for a long time? Opening the charcoal door to check on things? Stirring the coals? Is your WSM really drafty anyhwere . . . does it have bad leaks?

375 is pretty high for those to run up to in normal circumstances. Are you sure it's getting that high? Hold your hand a couple inches above the lid exhaust next time. Good bbq temp should feel like you're sitting 'round a camp fire, warming your hands . . . you can hold it there basically as long as you want, but it should be getting pretty warm.
 
Youngin' said:
I use 6 to 7 briquettes to start off with. Everything is smooth sailing at the beginning. It's when I get deeper in to the cook that temps start to rise and I'll look in the chamber and all the charcoal's burning.
Click to expand...


It might be the guru. Is the fan still running when it's over temp? As I said, I've never used one on my wsm but I used to on my Humphrey's Battle Box. That set up kept running over temp and yet the fan kept running. I switched to a flame boss and never had a problem again.
 
If you have all of the bottom vents closed with the Guru attached to one vent there should be no air coming into the WSM other than what the guru blows in. Keep the lid vent wide open. If it's set up like this it should hold steady until the coals die out. Opening the lid or the door will cause spikes in temp, just let it come down on it's own. Only use half of a chimney of lit coals in the center of a full load of charcoal to start the coals.
 
I haven't check to see if the fan still runs. That might be something to look in to.

It does get a quite a bit of air through the door since it's the stock door. And when I place the lit coals I spread them out. I don't place them all in one place.
 
I know people will boo and hiss, but running water in the pan would make it damn difficult to hit 375. Never really heard of a WSM running that hot unless it is intentional.
 
WSMs run hot when new because they don't seal well. After a few cooks, residue builds up improving the seal. The more you use it, the better you can control the temperature.
 
I'm right there with the OP.

Cooked 2 briskets this weekend on the new WSM. Ran up to 380° and held there for three hours straight. I'm running a PartyQ on mine. Red light flashing the entire time on the PartyQ as it was waaaay over my desired temp of 275°. I think I'll have to run water in the pan until it gets good and gunked up. Pulled the briskets after 3.5 hours so they wouldn't burn, returned to cooker once temps came down.
 
I’ve come back to putting water in the pan in mine which should fix your high temperature issue. I can leave all vents open (for the most part) so I think the fire burns cleaner.
 
Youngin' said:
I put a clay plant dish in my water pan. Should I use water instead??
Click to expand...

I'm thinking a full water pan going to be the solution until I can get some good gunk built up.

Used to have an 18.5" and never had that problem, even when new.
 
IMHO.. water is your best friend in this situation. Many people don’t use/like water in a WSM for varying. I use water all the time in mine. With a full water pan, I think you have a hard time getting/keeping high temps in the range you’re currently seeing.
 
To me, you are suffering from one of the following:

1. New WSM, so leaking a lot, needs about 10 cooks until it gets gunky and seals up.
2. You keep looking inside every 30 minutes, filling the chamber with oxygen.
3. Your WSM is out of round so it is not sealing up tightly.

I admit, I was impatient with mine and bought gaskets and the SS door after the first cook on it. Not saying you need to do it now, but if run away temps continue, you may want to look into it. There's a mods link in my signature with all the information you will need.
 
Youngin' said:
I haven't check to see if the fan still runs. That might be something to look in to.

It does get a quite a bit of air through the door since it's the stock door. And when I place the lit coals I spread them out. I don't place them all in one place.
Click to expand...

This is your problem - don't spread out the coals when you place them. Rather, put them in a central "pit" and you shouldn't have those problems. Think about it - by spreading the coals out you're affording the opportunity for more and more unlit coals to ignite, which is what is happening.

Try dumping the lit coals in the center, or on one side of the charcoal basket, and report back.

(That isn't to say that also using water in the bowl wouldn't help, but I've never found it necessary since I lock in at about 275 with almost no effort.)
 
...I should also add that my WSM is completely sealed up via a new door and felt seals. That probably helps as well.
 
My ran hot as well..tried eveything...bought expensive seal kit...bandit door..use clay dish instead of water..then I tried closing the top vent 1/2 way..I know eveyone says keep wide open..just couldnt get it to stabilize at 250-275..now works perfect. I can even get it to hold 175 for smoking bacon for hours. I have an iq110 controller. After all that..I found I like hot n fast better most of the time.
 
I missed that about spreading out the coals. I didn't use a chimney, I used a torch / weed burner to light mine. I always lit the coals that were in the basket right in front of the vent that had the fan attached. My logic was that the pushed air would lead the burn across the basket. Spreading the coals means you have several small fires going at once.
 
I run a WSM with an ATC. Like mentioned above, spreading the lit coals causes some of your problem. Put them all in one spot.

The other part - if the ATC fan runs when you’re over temp, it’s not right. Also, are you sure your temp read out is accurate? If it’s questionable, send it back...unless you can program the PID parameters or troubleshoot it yourself.

Lastly, I’ve found my WSM with ATC runs better when the top vent is 50% closed. It reduces the air volume pumped in and allows the ATC to have tighter temp control (in my opinion).

Frustrating? Run that bad boy manually for now. The WSM is known for holding steady temps for hours on end. Only as the food gets warmer do the smoker temps creep up; Just close a lower vent some more to bring it down.
 
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