<<<<<<< Who's this guy??? Oh, and 22.5" WSM Helps!

[KnucklHed BBQ]

Soooooo... I'm THAT guy. Haven't been here for a small eternity but now I'm back asking for advice... How y'all doin'?! :biggrin1:

I've had a 22.5 Cajun Bandit mod kettle/wsm for years and have cooked literally thousands of lbs of pork on it, I just recently got a 22.5 WSM to accompany the cajun bandit AND THEY COOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT!

I've done at least 8 fully loaded cooks on it (6-8 butts depending on size) and side by side, same fuel load (kbb or royal oak) (dry foiled pan), the WSM struggles to get over 250°F (both probe @ underside of top grate and calibrated dome thermo) with all 3 bottom and the top vents wide open.

However, the cajun bandit will run @ 275+ with only the slightest sliver open on the bottom vents (way less than what 3 daisy wheels on the WSM could be) and my lower vent blades are TIGHT, new this spring. And I can bump them open "slightly" more and push past 325° easily. If I close the top & bottom down, its cooled down within a few hours and will snuff the remaining fuel out.

I have noticed that the WSM is super leaky around the lid, a little around the door, but I would think that the lack of air control at the top would create a bigger draft and higher, uncontrollable temps.

Summed up, The really baffling part:
WSM 8hrs into ~250° cook, needing more fuel.
Cajun Bandit 8hrs into 275-295° cook, plenty of fuel left and just needs ash swept, could go for another 4-6 hours.

I was hoping that the cooks that I've done would start to seal it up but I really haven't seen that happening.

What other tips or explanations y'all got for me?

 

[aerotech11]

I’ve only had my 22.5 WSM with no mods but don’t have any problems holding any temps I set it at from 200 degrees to 400 degrees. Fully loaded with meat and fuel can get around-17 hrs at 325 - 350 degrees.

 

[KnucklHed BBQ]

I’ve only had my 22.5 WSM with no mods but don’t have any problems holding any temps I set it at from 200 degrees to 400 degrees. Fully loaded with meat and fuel can get around-17 hrs at 325 - 350 degrees.

Do you get much smoke leakage around the lid? I seriously have probably double the smoke coming out of 3/4 of the lid as the top vent, but again, I'd expect to be running too hot, not struggling to break 250...

And what kind of fuel are you running? Lump? Briq's?

 

[aerotech11]

Do you get much smoke leakage around the lid? I seriously have probably double the smoke coming out of 3/4 of the lid as the top vent, but again, I'd expect to be running too hot, not struggling to break 250...

And what kind of fuel are you running? Lump? Briq's?[/QUOTE
In mine I run briqs. Not much leakage around the lid but a bit from the front door. Still seems to run great at set temp

 

[ebijack]

I do not have either cooker mentioned. But plenty of folks cook at 400* in a WSM.
I'd guess the difference would be, the WSM does not have as much available air flow as the Bandit. The WSM takes more hot coals/longer time to get to the higher temp. Get the cooker temp higher, before putting the meat on. Use a full chimney of hot coals.
The cold meat mass drops the cooker temp. And could take 3 or 4 hrs to get up to 350*+.
Where the Bandit has enough air flow to over come the volume of meat. You mentioned cooking 6-8 butts.
That is my guess.

 

[Monkey Uncle]

I've been cooking on a WSM 22.5 for 6-8 months now. I've never had it as fully loaded as you describe, so my experience may not be comparable to yours, but here goes in case you find it helpful.

I sealed the lid, door, and bottom joint with lavalock so that it leaks only minimally. Typically I do a standard Minion burn with a target temp of 250. This involves filling the ring with unlit KBB and a few wood chunks, scattering a small amount of lit KBB on top, running it empty with vents wide open until it's within 50 deg or so of target temp, then closing intakes to about 1/2 and running it until it overshoots target temp a bit. That process usually takes 20-30 minutes. Opening and putting cold meat on causes temp to drop below target, and it usually takes another 20-30 minutes to get back up to target. At that point I usually have to close the intakes to 1/4 or less to keep it around 250. It will maintain that temp for 13+ hours without having to add any fuel.

When I'm done cooking, I close all vents and the fire is out within 2 hours. Typically I'll have about 1/4 of a ring full of partially burned charcoal left.

It's strange that I have to choke the vents down pretty far to keep it at 250, because if I open them all the way, I usually can't get it over 280 for any significant length of time. It seems strongly inclined to run in the 250 - 270 range no matter what I do with the vents.

 

[dgaddis1]

Are y'all using water in the water pan? If so, that'll greatly limit your ability to hit high temps as the water is "stealing" energy (heat) and using it to boil water.

I've got an 18" WSM, but with all the vents wide open (three on the bottom, one on the dome, not sure if the 22" has more exhaust or not) mine will hit right around 380*F max. Using lump.

 

[Lummy]

After a couple months with a 22.5 WSM I've found the thing that affects my temps the most is how I start the coals. For instance when I first got it I didn't have a chimney yet and just sprayed some lighter fluid in the middle of the coals and went from there. Held a steady 275 with one bottom vent open and one top open. On one cook after I got a chimney I really got a chimney full going red hot before I dumped in the middle, Minion, and The WSM ran hot no matter what I did. I had 2 closed and one just a sliver with the top halfway closed and I was running 325-340 the entire time. Whats worked best to keep it at 250 or so has been the snake. I don't really stack the briquets like I've seen some do but I do just push them into a long crescent. And I haven't done any mods to mine and usually run the pan wrapped in foil with some water. Everything has turned out great despite temps not always being where I thing they should be.

 

[qnbiker]

I have a Performer/Smoke EZ (similar to the CB) and a WSM. Both hold 225 to 300 easily. I get 11 hrs at 275 on the Performer and 14 hrs on the WSM. Adjust them differently but the cook is similar. The Performer setup is sweet and all I've used for years, but I recently rehabbed my WSM and am going to be using it for a while.

 

[cullenbranson]

You have done 6-8 butts on the CB-modded kettle, side by side? If no, that could be your answer. If yes . . . things that make you go "hmmmm".

I think leakage would give you more heat.

If you are sure airflow is fine in the WSM - foil and/or butts are not restricting flow - then I think you have a gremlin.

 

[Monkey Uncle]

Are y'all using water in the water pan? If so, that'll greatly limit your ability to hit high temps as the water is "stealing" energy (heat) and using it to boil water.

I've got an 18" WSM, but with all the vents wide open (three on the bottom, one on the dome, not sure if the 22" has more exhaust or not) mine will hit right around 380*F max. Using lump.

I think the OP said he runs his with an empty, foiled water pan. That's usually what I do also.

 

[HouseDoc]

Try lump if not already doing this. Some bags of Kingsford and Weber will cook hotter and the next bag cooler. Same weight of meats. Lump seems a tad hotter always.

 

[KnucklHed BBQ]

I've been cooking on a WSM 22.5 for 6-8 months now. I've never had it as fully loaded as you describe, so my experience may not be comparable to yours, but here goes in case you find it helpful.

I sealed the lid, door, and bottom joint with lavalock so that it leaks only minimally. Typically I do a standard Minion burn with a target temp of 250. This involves filling the ring with unlit KBB and a few wood chunks, scattering a small amount of lit KBB on top, running it empty with vents wide open until it's within 50 deg or so of target temp, then closing intakes to about 1/2 and running it until it overshoots target temp a bit. That process usually takes 20-30 minutes. Opening and putting cold meat on causes temp to drop below target, and it usually takes another 20-30 minutes to get back up to target. At that point I usually have to close the intakes to 1/4 or less to keep it around 250. It will maintain that temp for 13+ hours without having to add any fuel.

When I'm done cooking, I close all vents and the fire is out within 2 hours. Typically I'll have about 1/4 of a ring full of partially burned charcoal left.

It's strange that I have to choke the vents down pretty far to keep it at 250, because if I open them all the way, I usually can't get it over 280 for any significant length of time. It seems strongly inclined to run in the 250 - 270 range no matter what I do with the vents.

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I run minion method, I use a HFT weed burner to light the center up until it's not enough that the briqs continue buttoning with a little flame for a few seconds once the torch is removed.

Are y'all using water in the water pan? If so, that'll greatly limit your ability to hit high temps as the water is "stealing" energy (heat) and using it to boil water.

I've got an 18" WSM, but with all the vents wide open (three on the bottom, one on the dome, not sure if the 22" has more exhaust or not) mine will hit right around 380*F max. Using lump.

Dry pan in both cookers!

After a couple months with a 22.5 WSM I've found the thing that affects my temps the most is how I start the coals. For instance when I first got it I didn't have a chimney yet and just sprayed some lighter fluid in the middle of the coals and went from there. Held a steady 275 with one bottom vent open and one top open. On one cook after I got a chimney I really got a chimney full going red hot before I dumped in the middle, Minion, and The WSM ran hot no matter what I did. I had 2 closed and one just a sliver with the top halfway closed and I was running 325-340 the entire time. Whats worked best to keep it at 250 or so has been the snake. I don't really stack the briquets like I've seen some do but I do just push them into a long crescent. And I haven't done any mods to mine and usually run the pan wrapped in foil with some water. Everything has turned out great despite temps not always being where I thing they should be.

Thanks!

Here's the kicker - it's not like the briqs aren't burning or something... They are burning REALLY HOT, so hot that all the fuel is consumed within 8hrs - it's that even with that hit burn, the done and grate temps can't get above 250... With all vents wide open, if I close the top vents little or cools down.

I have a Performer/Smoke EZ (similar to the CB) and a WSM. Both hold 225 to 300 easily. I get 11 hrs at 275 on the Performer and 14 hrs on the WSM. Adjust them differently but the cook is similar. The Performer setup is sweet and all I've used for years, but I recently rehabbed my WSM and am going to be using it for a while.

Interesting... Thanks for the feedback.

You have done 6-8 butts on the CB-modded kettle, side by side? If no, that could be your answer. If yes . . . things that make you go "hmmmm".

I think leakage would give you more heat.

If you are sure airflow is fine in the WSM - foil and/or butts are not restricting flow - then I think you have a gremlin.

Yup, loaded cookers side by side, same fuel load... I also would think more draft would = higher temps... And no, nothing's blocking airflow...


Thanks for the help folks!

 

[aerotech11]

Maybe you got gremlins inside

 

[El Ropo]

I think my WSM is closely related to your WSM


I hate the fuel efficiency factor on my 22.5" so far. I shouldn't have to use that much fuel for a mediumish length cook (ribs). I'm looking at getting the Hunsaker Vortex Basket for my WSM, then use in in my future UDS build too.

 

[Hoss]

What are you using to measure the temperature on the cooker?Nevermind.I reread the post and see you stated that the thermometer is calibrated.I can load my 22 WSM with lump,light with a weedburner,and hold 250 for an overnight cook with one bottom vent 1/2 open and the top wide open.I run a dry pan also.If I open that one bottom vent all the way it will settle in at 350-375.It will still burn all night on one load of fuel though.

 

[KnucklHed BBQ]

Labor day bump!