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ZILLA
03-02-2006, 07:47 AM
Do any of you guys have an opinion on the pitch of a BBQ pit and its effect on the cooking process. I've read passing references to this small detail but have never heard any real guidelines. Level vs. positive pitch vs. negative pitch. Anyone? Anyone? Anyone at all! :grin:

BBQchef33
03-02-2006, 10:41 AM
When its in the yard.. I pitch mine slightly so stuff goes towards the drain.. But thats the ONLY reason. Otherwise, never heard of it.

backyardchef
03-02-2006, 10:43 AM
I've heard of some people might pitch one side higher to even out temps, etc...particularly seen that in reference to the lang. Only time I saw it in person was when my chargriller was on a slight slope-- the higher side was hotter, fwiw.

ZILLA
03-02-2006, 11:48 AM
Yea I had heard that having one end higher than the other can change the temp dynamics of the pit. I was just wondering if anyone had any direct experience with it. Thanks

BBQchef33
03-02-2006, 12:05 PM
Makes sense since heat rises and instead of it being forced out via draft, it would rise faster, but cant believe it would be significant..

also sucks since my drain is on the opposite side of the firebox. :cool:

Sawdustguy
03-02-2006, 06:18 PM
With my Lang I use a level and inclinometer to determine when the smoking chamber is angled 5 degrees toward the front. At this angle the heat is pretty much nornalized throughout the smoking chamber. We came to the 5 degree figure by trial and error. It was worth it as the temperature is constant throughout the smoker.

ZILLA
03-02-2006, 07:04 PM
Sorry if I'm a bit dense but was it 5 degrees up or down towards to front? In other words if positive pitch is having the firebox lower than its opposite end and negative pitch is having the firebox higher than its opposite end which did you do?

Wayne
03-02-2006, 08:32 PM
When I hit my Bandera on the side it gives me a b-flat pitch. My NBBD is pretty old but it still has clear d-flat. With the bandera I can listen to Jazz, Rock and Roll, Polka, or Classical, but the NBBD can only tolerate the blues, country, or rock and roll. Oh ya, I can listen to good opera on either pit because of opera's wide range.

BBQchef33
03-02-2006, 08:39 PM
Uh Wayne.

u been sniffin over the chimney again havent you. ?? :wink:

ZILLA
03-02-2006, 08:47 PM
When I hit my Bandera on the side it gives me a b-flat pitch. My NBBD is pretty old but it still has clear d-flat. With the bandera I can listen to Jazz, Rock and Roll, Polka, or Classical, but the NBBD can only tolerate the blues, country, or rock and roll. Oh ya, I can listen to good opera on either pit because of opera's wide range.

How is the Reverb in the Dera? I've heard it's awesome! :mrgreen:

BBQchef33
03-02-2006, 09:29 PM
I just hung up with Dave Klose.. he said 11 factors determine the heat distribution in a pit.. ambient temps, barometric pessure, humidity, etc.. angle is not a major factor.. I got lost about halfway thru the explanation and asked him to come explain. Hopefully, he'll stop by.

Sawdustguy
03-02-2006, 10:15 PM
With my Lang I use a level and inclinometer to determine when the smoking chamber is angled 5 degrees toward the front. At this angle the heat is pretty much nornalized throughout the smoking chamber. We came to the 5 degree figure by trial and error. It was worth it as the temperature is constant throughout the smoker.
It was 5* lower in the front. It may be a little different on the Lang than your smoker because of it's design.

Bill-Chicago
03-02-2006, 10:32 PM
also sucks since my drain is on the opposite side of the firebox. :cool:

Question,

Don't you want to have the grease move to the opposite end of the flames?

I'm no fire marshall, but I think grease fires are not a good thing (sorry Martha)

BBQchef33
03-02-2006, 11:07 PM
duh. :oops:

fergot.. minor detail.. gets klose thought it out. :wink:

JamesB
03-03-2006, 12:30 AM
When cooking on the reverse flow pit in my avatar, I can alter the temps by raising or lowering the nose of the pit (opposite the firebox). If I need to raise the temps, I can lower the nose. This seems to trap more heat under the deflector plate and increased the pit temp. This will also create a hotter spot by the firebox. Raising the nose has the opposite effect by letting the heat rise faster to the end of the pit and then back to the stack and also creates a hotter spot opposite the firebox where the plate ends and the heat rises into the cook chamber...

I have seen as much as 20° difference end to end by doing this. Depending on the direction of the wind in relation to the firebox, I can also get very even temps across the length of the pit by altering the angle...

James.

LostNation
03-03-2006, 04:57 AM
When cooking on the reverse flow pit in my avatar, I can alter the temps by raising or lowering the nose of the pit (opposite the firebox). If I need to raise the temps, I can lower the nose. This seems to trap more heat under the deflector plate and increased the pit temp. This will also create a hotter spot by the firebox. Raising the nose has the opposite effect by letting the heat rise faster to the end of the pit and then back to the stack and also creates a hotter spot opposite the firebox where the plate ends and the heat rises into the cook chamber...

I have seen as much as 20° difference end to end by doing this. Depending on the direction of the wind in relation to the firebox, I can also get very even temps across the length of the pit by altering the angle...

James.


I agree with James 100%. With my Lang and the "nose" elevated my temperatures are within 10* across the pit with the cool spot in the center of the pit. I often cook with the pit level and use the hot spot near the fire box to my advantage.

Sawdustguy
03-03-2006, 06:50 AM
I agree with James 100%. With my Lang and the "nose" elevated my temperatures are within 10* across the pit with the cool spot in the center of the pit. I often cook with the pit level and use the hot spot near the fire box to my advantage.

With my Lang I use a level and inclinometer to determine when the smoking chamber is angled 5 degrees toward the front. At this angle the heat is pretty much nornalized throughout the smoking chamber. We came to the 5 degree figure by trial and error. It was worth it as the temperature is constant throughout the smoker.

With my Lang and a non windy day moving the nose down 5* evens the temp throughout the pit.

racer_81
03-03-2006, 07:04 AM
Question,

Don't you want to have the grease move to the opposite end of the flames?

I'm no fire marshall, but I think grease fires are not a good thing (sorry Martha)

Grease fires can be exciting.

kickassbbq
03-03-2006, 08:21 AM
I love fire!!!!
Smoke On!!!!!!
ed

bbqpits
03-03-2006, 10:46 AM
I agree with the posts above. Pitching helps draining mostly.
I have cranked up my mobile smoker to help air flow sometimes.
Or crank it lower for drain off, etc.

Some areas of the country like colorado have streets that pitch
almost two feet for snow runoff. that can really mess w/your cooking too.

Also if the fire is just so & the weather outside is wet & dropping fast
you can get what I refer to as blowback in the smokestacks. That's where
the downdraft pressure of the temp conditions outside hold the flow of air back, making you feed it & feed it w/o the temp rising, till it takes off hot
all of a sudden. Interesting when it happens. Goes from 150 to 450 in a minute.


Dave Klose
BBQ Pits by Klose
www.bbqpits.com (http://www.bbqpits.com/)
1-800-487-7487

LostNation
03-03-2006, 11:07 AM
Grease fires can be exciting.


You can't get a grease fire in a Lang. The grease drain is piped through the reverse flow plate to the drain valve.

LDOJYD
03-03-2006, 06:42 PM
To much engineering in this thread....gots a head ache

nmayeux
03-03-2006, 09:43 PM
You can't get a grease fire in a Lang. The grease drain is piped through the reverse flow plate to the drain valve.
Ed is special!:twisted: