Smoker/grill intake debate

AClarke44

AClarke44

Babbling Farker
Joined
May 14, 2014
Location
Yukon, OK
Name or Nickame
Andrew
I recently had a debate with two different friends at two different times. Both of them say they control the temperature of their cookers by completely opening the bottom intake and barely opening the top exhaust. This is the complete opposite of the way I control temps. My understanding is the top exhaust should be wide open to allow air to exhaust to keep the fire hot. The intake controls how much airflow I need keeping the hot fire small if partially closed when I need a lower temperature or full open for hotter temperatures. When my friends explained why they use their technique it was for the same purpose. So I’m a little confused. Does it really matter which way this is done if they both control the temperature? One of my friends actually said he’s tried opening the exhaust all the way and barely opening the bottom intake and that caused him to get a charcoal taste in his food. He said it didn’t allow the fire to get hot enough therefore it smoldered giving home dirty smoke!

What’s your thoughts/opinions on this??
 
Mostly it works exhaust wide open and intake set to hold temp. I had a vertical that liked to have the exhaust closed more than the intake but it worked either way. Maybe they have an exhaust that doesn't close as tight as the intake? I bought an exhaust control thing for Webers that opens and closes with heat and you leave the intake wide open. It can work but most work best with exhaust wide open.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Kamodo style cookers are often ran by adjustments to the top vent. You set the intake and fine tune with the exhaust.

The only other time I've used the top vent is on the kettle or wsm when temps would drift. The intakes would be barely cracked and choking off the exhaust slightly would bring temps down. I'd only do this with a very clean fire.
 
Better to have a fire starving for air as trying to choke it down, top vent open regulate by bottom, that's not to say I ever looked away and had to shut everything including my mouth to get the temp under control lol rushing things happen , I try not to get in that position these days. may happen tomorrow or never if I am lucky
 
pjtexas1 said:
Mostly it works exhaust wide open and intake set to hold temp. I had a vertical that liked to have the exhaust closed more than the intake but it worked either way. Maybe they have an exhaust that doesn't close as tight as the intake? I bought an exhaust control thing for Webers that opens and closes with heat and you leave the intake wide open. It can work but most work best with exhaust wide open.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


smoke ninja said:
Kamodo style cookers are often ran by adjustments to the top vent. You set the intake and fine tune with the exhaust.

The only other time I've used the top vent is on the kettle or wsm when temps would drift. The intakes would be barely cracked and choking off the exhaust slightly would bring temps down. I'd only do this with a very clean fire.
Click to expand...

I know one of them was talking about a weber kettle. But he also uses the slow n sear when he smokes. Im not sure what the other guy uses but I believe a kettle like cooker as well.
 
Depends on the cooker. Kamado and drum you gotta work both. Leave exhaust wide open in these and it will start to draft and temps will run away. That’s a fact unless you limit the fuel. Offset is different because temp is controlled by amount of fuel so max draft not a problem. Max draft on a kamado you better be searing or making pizza!
 
Ditto: depends on the cooker. With a weber kettle, bottom wide open and control using the top. Choke the bottom and you'll get dirty smoke fast.

With an IVC, intake hardly open during cooking (like 1/4 or 1/8), and exhaust stack anywhere from 1/3 to wide open.

With offset, stack always wide open and control temps with intake.

My observation is that the shorter the airflow distance (i.e. kettle grill), the more wide open you want your intake and you control temps at the exhaust. The longer the airflow distance (i.e. offset), the wider you want your exhaust and control temps with the intake.
 
AKMIMNAK said:
Ditto: depends on the cooker. With a weber kettle, bottom wide open and control using the top. Choke the bottom and you'll get dirty smoke fast.

With an IVC, intake hardly open during cooking (like 1/4 or 1/8), and exhaust stack anywhere from 1/3 to wide open.

With offset, stack always wide open and control temps with intake.

My observation is that the shorter the airflow distance (i.e. kettle grill), the more wide open you want your intake and you control temps at the exhaust. The longer the airflow distance (i.e. offset), the wider you want your exhaust and control temps with the intake.
Click to expand...

Not arguing what you’ve experienced but I’ve always used the intake to control temp with the exhaust wide open on my kettle and I’ve never experienced dirty smoke. But like I said in the OP, my friend says he has.
 
Just my two cents here (for what that worth in today's economy LoL) All the big name temp controllers are fans that you attach on the intake to regulate or force air into the fire, never see seen a controller/fan attached to the exhaust to suck air out. It only stands to reason that a fire needs three things to run, heat/fuel/air. If you can control the amount of air a fire gets then the heat will have to react.

As stated earlier though, it could be a type of grill that works better the other way, the exhaust on other grills might actually also feed air in the grill, not sure. All I know for sure is if you have a quality grill with a sealed firebox, then controlling the air intake is the best way to control the heat. Just my 2Cents ;)
 
Temps

rovster said:
Depends on the cooker. Kamado and drum you gotta work both. Leave exhaust wide open in these and it will start to draft and temps will run away. That’s a fact unless you limit the fuel. Offset is different because temp is controlled by amount of fuel so max draft not a problem. Max draft on a kamado you better be searing or making pizza!
Click to expand...

Your 100% right.. On my WSM 22 "IF" temps get too hot I use the top vent to control temps. With my Shirley the top vent always stays open and I adjust temps with the intake vent.
DanB
 
AKMIMNAK said:
Ditto: depends on the cooker. With a weber kettle, bottom wide open and control using the top. Choke the bottom and you'll get dirty smoke fast.
Click to expand...

Not saying you're wrong; but, I've been using a kettle weekly for the last 20 years and believe I have experienced the exact opposite. Next cook I will try the maintaining temp with the top vent to see if I like it better.
 
I have a Lang 36" Hybrid Patio. I open the stack all the way, and never touch it again. I then build a big fire in the box with the vents wide open (and usually the door open) to begin. Once I have a good coal bed, I shut the door and start regulating temp using the vents on the firebox.

TLDR = Exhaust 100% open, Vents variable for temp control.
 
Whichever way you control airflow is a lot like which way you sear a steak. Up front or afterwards. Whichever way works for you.

Some pits claim to be made to control the intake and some maintain you should control the exhaust. Notably Jambo's.
 
Nvoges said:
Not saying you're wrong; but, I've been using a kettle weekly for the last 20 years and believe I have experienced the exact opposite. Next cook I will try the maintaining temp with the top vent to see if I like it better.
Click to expand...

AClarke44 said:
Not arguing what you’ve experienced but I’ve always used the intake to control temp with the exhaust wide open on my kettle and I’ve never experienced dirty smoke. But like I said in the OP, my friend says he has.
Click to expand...

These are both very interesting to me. I guess I will have to go back and give this another try sometime. Maybe I was too aggressive on choking the bottom? Maybe it simply doesn't matter which end you use to control air on a WSM because the airflow path is so short?

Let me know how you like the switch to the top vent when you try it!
 
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