Off smell, pungent

BeaglesBBQ · 12-07-2012, 02:34 PM

Recently i have been noticing a slight off smell coming from somewhere around my smoker when i was cooking. at first i thought it was the hickory i was using so switched to some other stuff and that seemed to fix the problem.

A few days ago i was cooking some tri tips and got her really hot and noticed the smell was worse, like burning plastic almost. i opened up my warming box and WHAM! got hit in the face with a really strong chemical/plastic burning oder.

I know it is not the wood now, i have tested several of my woods from apple all the way thru to hickory. It happens when i bring the cooker up past a certain temp.

I have an insulated firebox, is it possible the insulation is melting and the fumes are seeping out somewhere? i just can't figure it out. any thoughts?
It doesn't seem to be affecting the main cooking chamber too bad but id like to be able to use my warming box.

Before anyone asks, NO, i have not ever had plastic or cleaned with any chemicals in my cooker.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 12-07-2012, 02:37 PM

Are you cooking hotter by any chance? Is it possibly creosote melting and burning?

BeaglesBBQ · 12-07-2012, 02:43 PM

this was the first time i really got her this hot. id say she was at 400 or so. There isn't too much build up in the warmer cause all I've ever done is hold in there. almost as clean as new so i don't think its creosote. Maybe there is some paint that needs burned off?

Garrett · 12-07-2012, 02:50 PM

I had the same smell one time coming from my offset. I was freaking out trying to figure what it was coming from. My first thought was that something was in my charcoal, I took all of it out spread it on the driveway. Nothing but hot burning coals. Started looking inside cooking chamber and under the piece metal that I have to make a reverse flow there was a melted flashlight. My son at the time 3 yrs old said thanks Daddy for finding my flashlight.

BeaglesBBQ · 12-07-2012, 02:57 PM

hahaaa good job super dad! ill take a closer look inside this evening. the only way something like that could have happened would be sabotage so hope thats not the case.

landarc · 12-07-2012, 03:13 PM

There is always the most irrigating process, you can completely clean and reaseason the cooker, this would allow you to inspect it closely.

It would not make sense for it to be insulation, as that normally requires a lot of heat to ignite. If you use lump, it is possible a random piece of garbage snuck into your firebox

SirPorkaLot · 12-07-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landarc

There is always the most irrigating process, you can completely clean and reaseason the cooker, this would allow you to inspect it closely.

It would not make sense for it to be insulation, as that normally requires a lot of heat to ignite. If you use lump, it is possible a random piece of garbage snuck into your firebox

Using that Spell Check for Landscape Architects program again?

To the OP; I thinking there must be something foreign in either your smoker or the fuel source.

landarc · 12-07-2012, 03:25 PM

dang, business crept in again

deguerre · 12-07-2012, 03:31 PM

It's your syntax errors that really get to me though...

Gore · 12-07-2012, 03:37 PM

I've found all kinds of strange things in my charcoal, as others have reported also. I wouldn't think it would be insulation.

mbshop · 12-07-2012, 03:55 PM

i was cooking on my weber kettle when all of a sudden it started to stink. i checked everything and couldn't find anything. so i finished my cook. the next day as i was cleaning the kettle, i found melted plastic on the underside. i guess a plastic bag had flown up and melted on the kettle when i wasn't looking.

BeaglesBBQ · 12-07-2012, 03:58 PM

i burn wood only. Start my fires with kindling from the wood of the day. I have a call into meadow creek. Might not hear back until tuesday, i guess more trial and error is on its way this weekend. I take pride in keeping my cooker clean but ill give it another good once over and see what i see.
thanks for the input guys

12-07-2012, 02:34 PM	#1
BeaglesBBQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-24-11 Location: Richmond Virginia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Off smell, pungent Recently i have been noticing a slight off smell coming from somewhere around my smoker when i was cooking. at first i thought it was the hickory i was using so switched to some other stuff and that seemed to fix the problem. A few days ago i was cooking some tri tips and got her really hot and noticed the smell was worse, like burning plastic almost. i opened up my warming box and WHAM! got hit in the face with a really strong chemical/plastic burning oder. I know it is not the wood now, i have tested several of my woods from apple all the way thru to hickory. It happens when i bring the cooker up past a certain temp. I have an insulated firebox, is it possible the insulation is melting and the fumes are seeping out somewhere? i just can't figure it out. any thoughts? It doesn't seem to be affecting the main cooking chamber too bad but id like to be able to use my warming box. Before anyone asks, NO, i have not ever had plastic or cleaned with any chemicals in my cooker. __________________ Meadow Creek TS250, Horizon 20" Classic Backyard Smoker, old style weber performer

12-07-2012, 02:37 PM	#2
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Are you cooking hotter by any chance? Is it possibly creosote melting and burning? __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-73, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

12-07-2012, 02:43 PM	#3
BeaglesBBQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-24-11 Location: Richmond Virginia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	this was the first time i really got her this hot. id say she was at 400 or so. There isn't too much build up in the warmer cause all I've ever done is hold in there. almost as clean as new so i don't think its creosote. Maybe there is some paint that needs burned off? __________________ Meadow Creek TS250, Horizon 20" Classic Backyard Smoker, old style weber performer

12-07-2012, 02:50 PM	#4
Garrett is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-03-12 Location: Gastonia North Carolina Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I had the same smell one time coming from my offset. I was freaking out trying to figure what it was coming from. My first thought was that something was in my charcoal, I took all of it out spread it on the driveway. Nothing but hot burning coals. Started looking inside cooking chamber and under the piece metal that I have to make a reverse flow there was a melted flashlight. My son at the time 3 yrs old said thanks Daddy for finding my flashlight. __________________ My arsenal, Stumps Clone, Two Modified offsets, open pit with grate and rotisserie,UDS, and a free to me Weber One Touch Silver 18.5" kettle

12-07-2012, 02:57 PM	#5
BeaglesBBQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-24-11 Location: Richmond Virginia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	hahaaa good job super dad! ill take a closer look inside this evening. the only way something like that could have happened would be sabotage so hope thats not the case. __________________ Meadow Creek TS250, Horizon 20" Classic Backyard Smoker, old style weber performer

12-07-2012, 03:13 PM	#6
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: San Leandro, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	There is always the most irrigating process, you can completely clean and reaseason the cooker, this would allow you to inspect it closely. It would not make sense for it to be insulation, as that normally requires a lot of heat to ignite. If you use lump, it is possible a random piece of garbage snuck into your firebox __________________ "perhaps...but then again...maybe not..." careful there son, those ribs are boiling hot... \_\|_/ (='.'=) Here there be bunnies... (")_(")ooo Pacific Rim BBQ Bob's Brew and Que

12-07-2012, 03:25 PM	#8
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: San Leandro, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	dang, business crept in again __________________ "perhaps...but then again...maybe not..." careful there son, those ribs are boiling hot... \_\|_/ (='.'=) Here there be bunnies... (")_(")ooo Pacific Rim BBQ Bob's Brew and Que

12-07-2012, 03:31 PM	#9
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It's your syntax errors that really get to me though... __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

12-07-2012, 03:37 PM	#10
Gore somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods ... and Nazis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've found all kinds of strange things in my charcoal, as others have reported also. I wouldn't think it would be insulation. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1"

12-07-2012, 03:55 PM	#11
mbshop Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-07 Location: visalia, ca Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i was cooking on my weber kettle when all of a sudden it started to stink. i checked everything and couldn't find anything. so i finished my cook. the next day as i was cleaning the kettle, i found melted plastic on the underside. i guess a plastic bag had flown up and melted on the kettle when i wasn't looking. __________________ george spam, can't live without it

12-07-2012, 03:58 PM	#12
BeaglesBBQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-24-11 Location: Richmond Virginia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i burn wood only. Start my fires with kindling from the wood of the day. I have a call into meadow creek. Might not hear back until tuesday, i guess more trial and error is on its way this weekend. I take pride in keeping my cooker clean but ill give it another good once over and see what i see. thanks for the input guys __________________ Meadow Creek TS250, Horizon 20" Classic Backyard Smoker, old style weber performer