Help! Weber SJG mini WSM mod not keeping temps

[JacobDRN]

Made a weber smokey joe mini wsm out of a SJG. However tried a few trial runs but can't seem to keep the temps any higher than 170 or so. I keep uping the number of coals I start with but can't seem to get anywhere. Any help would be appreciated.

[Boshizzle]

Can you post a pic of how you are arranging the fuel?

[JacobDRN]

I tried a few different ways. Just removed the terra cotta pot I had on the base and seems too bee doing much better. I had filled the pot with water. Would that be the cause?

[Pugi]

Could be. How is the bottom of the pot cut out? Drilled holes or completely removed?

[Enkidu]

I haven't done a test run on my SJS/mini yet, but from what I have read, no one puts water in the diffuser. Also, did you did the build where you remove most (if not all) of the bottom of the pot or did you drill holes?

I've read that there are many people who drill holes who don't use the terra cotta pot because the bottom of the pot with holes acts as the diffuser.

Just throwing some stuff out there. I cannot speak from personal experience since I haven't done my test burn yet... but now that you mention it, I might do one now.

[gtr]

I drilled holes in the bottom of mine, I generally don't use a diffuser, never use water & temps get up there pretty good.

What kind of charcoal do you have in there? Lump tends to burn hotter, albeit less predictably than briqs.

[peaspurple]

I would say its the water. If you are putting cold water from the faucet in the terra cotta pot the water has to come up to temp as well. Just my 2c's.

[caseydog]

I drilled holes in my tamale pot, and put a grate on the ridge near the bottom, on which I place a pie pan with water (the water is mainly to keep the pie pan from melting).

I run very consistently at 250 in the cooking chamber.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=494&pictureid=5307

CD

[Enkidu]

Test burn underway. I placed an entire chimney's worth of unlit coals in the bottom and placed about 20 lit coals on them, closed the bottom vent about 1/2 the way and left the top vent open. Once the temperature stabilizes, I am very interested to see how long a burn I get.

[Bludawg]

Made a weber smokey joe mini wsm out of a SJG. However tried a few trial runs but can't seem to keep the temps any higher than 170 or so. I keep uping the number of coals I start with but can't seem to get anywhere. Any help would be appreciated. The problem is the SJG. The air intakes are above the fire. Block them off and install a bottom vent.

[Enkidu]

Test burn underway. I placed an entire chimney's worth of unlit coals in the bottom and placed about 20 lit coals on them, closed the bottom vent about 1/2 the way and left the top vent open. Once the temperature stabilizes, I am very interested to see how long a burn I get.

Looks like the temp has stabilized at around 240 or so (at least according to the cheapo replacement thermometer I installed -- the cheap-o oven thermometer that I set on the top grill reads about 300...)

I'll see how long it runs.

[JacobDRN]

Took out the terra cotta and Immediately went to temp. Going to try to run a test w/o water and see how it goes.

[stl-rich]

My mini-wsm is made from a SJGold, the pot has the bottom cut out the tamale pot diffuser/rack is sitting on the ridge near the bottom of the pot with a 12" terra cotta dish on it.

To use I pour a bunch of rancher into the bottom of the sjg and a big handful of rancher in the chimney. With both vents wide open my mini-wsm is a 250F machice!

[El Ropo]

Made a weber smokey joe mini wsm out of a SJG. However tried a few trial runs but can't seem to keep the temps any higher than 170 or so. I keep uping the number of coals I start with but can't seem to get anywhere. Any help would be appreciated.

Are you sure your thermometer is working right? If you haven't checked it, try sticking it in boiling water. You are right at sea level, so the therm should read right at 212.

[Enkidu]

Are you sure your thermometer is working right? If you haven't checked it, try sticking it in boiling water. You are right at sea level, so the therm should read right at 212.

I definitely need to do that with my $8 cheap-o Brinkmann thermometer tomorrow.

[Sunra]

I have the SJG and have drilled holes in the bottom of the tamale pot. I only use the tamale insert as my diffuser. I've found that The terracotta pot holds back to much of the heat. I never use a Water pan. I have no issues maintaining 250 - 300. Its set it forget it.

[El Ropo]

It's possible the terra cotta saucer is just too big and blocking too much indirect flow. I like Caseydogs setup with the foil pie pan, it allows enough heat to come around the sides.

[JacobDRN]

@ El Ropo.... I am !NOT at sea level..... I am at least 200 feet above. No really kidding. Pulled the water pan and it went right to temp. Not that i trust my thermometer implicitly. Think it was the water. I a, going to try a run with the pot empty and see how it goes.

[JacobDRN]

@el Ropo think you maybe on to something with the pot being too big. Going to do a test run w and w/o the pot to see next

[El Ropo]

Hey, I googled the elevation of Mt Laurel before I made that post! All responses were 56 ft. That's 350 ft lower than me. :blah:

[kevine]

It's possible the terra cotta saucer is just too big and blocking too much indirect flow. I like Caseydogs setup with the foil pie pan, it allows enough heat to come around the sides.

When I first started reading about other mini-WSM builds, I noticed that many used 12" terra cotta saucers, and I thought the same thing, i.e., that it would hold down too much of the heat you need to maintain temps.

I just finished my mini using a SJS. I drilled about 10 one-inch holes with a step bit, mainly near the center. I then drilled probably 20+ half inch holes around them. I have a grate on the ridge holding a ten inch terra cotta saucer that is wrapped in foil, no water. I dumped about 15 lit briqs on top of an unlit fist-sized piece of mesquite lump. It held about 225 for about a half hour, and started creeping up to about 350 give or take. It held 350 for 2-3 hours, then started to very slowly creep back down. I had bottom and top vents fully open the entire time. I suppose if I closed the intakes halfway, it would have lowered and held temp longer?

Given how cheaply and not so uniformly the Imusa stock pots are made, I would suspect that just about every mini is going to react differently. That doesn't take into consideration type of charcoal, wind, temp outside, etc.

Just my 2 cents

[NVehr13]

The problem is the SJG. The air intakes are above the fire. Block them off and install a bottom vent.


I use a SJG and i dont have a problem getting above 170. that being said it is kind of hard to maintain >275. But i never really need to go over this, so i didnt care too much as anything HNF i just do in my OTS

[El Ropo]

I use a SJG and i dont have a problem getting above 170. that being said it is kind of hard to maintain >275. But i never really need to go over this, so i didnt care too much as anything HNF i just do in my OTS

If you ever want to get crispy chicken skin, it is really nice to be able to hit 350 when needed.

[Fire_Mgmt]

I'm a firm believer in cutting the entire bottom off of the tamale pot. I've done this as well as using a grate sitting on the steamer insert ledge and a 10" aluminum foil pan filled with sand and covered by foil as a diffuser/heat sink.

This setup has allowed me to get from 250 to 350+ when required. Mind you, I use a SJG (two intakes) and charcoal basket (3.5" in height, bent around the charcoal grate), which may also be two of the main factors in helping me get to my desired temps easily.

[seadad9903]

I did mine drilling holes in the pot and have a 12" terra cotta pan in it right now doing a test. got it up to 300 easy, have been holding 250-275 just as easy. It has been slow but steady to raise temps (20 min to go from 250-300), but i think that is because of the terra cotta. I would bet that if i used a smaller one or took it out it would be quicker and reach higher temps

[1911Ron]

I cut the bottom of mine out and used a colonder and drilled some larger holes in it for my fire basket and got 300-350 (btw i got up to 700deg when i had a grease fire, who says you can't do HnF with a mini:twitch:) easy using the gold sj, with the steamer tray for the deflector.

I have a new thermo so i can actually see what my temps are, i put mine just under my top rack so i should have a ball park idea on my bottom rack.