View Full Version : Smoker Stack Location?
I have a question about the pros and cons of extending the stack from it's current location in the upper 1/3 of the smoke camber down to grate level.
Was looking to make the modification to a New Braunsfels Longhorn Deluxe.
Thanks in advance for your help.
nucornhusker
08-08-2013, 02:39 PM
Moving the air exit from where it was engineered to be, would affect the draw, and not in a good way IMO. The pit makers don't just punch a hole in the smoker where it looks good, it is designed to be where it is to promote good draw. I wouldn't touch it.
IamMadMan
08-08-2013, 02:47 PM
I agree, unless there is a reason to modify it, and the mod has been tested, I would not make any modification to my smoker.
Like "nucornhusker" stated, these are built with a purpose..
Moving the air exit from where it was engineered to be, would affect the draw, and not in a good way IMO. The pit makers don't just punch a hole in the smoker where it looks good, it is designed to be where it is to promote good draw. I wouldn't touch it.
nucornhusker,
The reason I am looking to make a change that will improve temperatures across the cooking grate and moving the stack down to the grate location is one of the things that I have been seeing.
As far as the design goes things that go into production are not always the best engineered design due to a lot of factors. Such as cost, package size, marketing wants and so on.
I have ran the numbers on the chamber, fire box, inlet and stack size, they show that the stack needs to be 12" longer or the fire box will need to be reduced by 30% to use the current stack length.
My thinking was the stack would be easier to change than the fire box size.
I agree, unless there is a reason to modify it, and the mod has been tested, I would not make any modification to my smoker.
Like "nucornhusker" stated, these are built with a purpose..
Thanks IamMadMan,
But you have to modify it to test it.......... :clap:
nucornhusker
08-08-2013, 03:20 PM
nucornhusker,
The reason I am looking to make a change that will improve temperatures across the cooking grate and moving the stack down to the grate location is one of the things that I have been seeing.
As far as the design goes things that go into production are not always the best engineered design due to a lot of factors. Such as cost, package size, marketing wants and so on.
I have ran the numbers on the chamber, fire box, inlet and stack size, they show that the stack needs to be 12" longer or the fire box will need to be reduced by 30% to use the current stack length.
My thinking was the stack would be easier to change than the fire box size.
I used to own a Charboil built Oklahoma Joe, and I tried every mod in the book including the exhaust elbow. I found that every mod I did, the more difficult of a time I had keeping the smoke flowing and the fire clean. When I returned the cooker to its original setup without the mods,mother fire ran super clean, almost too easy. The only mod I kept in it was the Horizon convection plate and an upgraded wood grate, since those are proven upgrades.
If you put in the elbow lowering the exhaust, I dealt with bad smoke. The smoke would built up near the exhaust trying to get out, but due to elbow the smoke built up and became stale.
I came to this discovery after taking with a pit designer. I wouldn't put in the elbow. It's doesn't help much to even the heat like everyone on the internet says. And even if it does, the side effect isn't worth it. The convection plate will even out the heat and not cause any ill effects.
oldbill
08-08-2013, 03:21 PM
I'll have to disagree with the other guys on this. I looked at a photo of the Longhorn Deluxe and I think that it would benefit from having the stack lowered a little. I don't see how the draw would be interrupted at all and by lowering the stack a little you would force the heat and smoke to travel over the food before heading to the exit, making more overall contact with the cooking area. My cooker has the stack on top rather than on the side and I actually extended the stack down to grate level with a piece of flexible aluminum hose to serve the same purpose. I think that I would also lower the thermometers if I were you, they are situated toward the top of the cooker and I'd be willing to bet that they aren't giving you a very accurate reading of what's going on at the cooking grate level. I have an old Black Diamond and the thermometer on it is always reading at least 50 degrees higher than the actual temp at grate level. Contrary to popular opinion, these things (cheap offsets) weren't necessarily made to be user friendly and some of them take a lot of mods and upgrades to work properly. You have one of the nicer ones though and I think that you'll have a really good Q machine when you're done with it! Good luck!:thumb: P.S. Here's a web page by a high end builder and you'll notice where they are putting the stacks on their pipe smokers!:wink: http://www.lonestargrillz.com/reviews.html
I used to own a Charboil built Oklahoma Joe, and I tried every mod in the book including the exhaust elbow. I found that every mod I did, the more difficult of a time I had keeping the smoke flowing and the fire clean. When I returned the cooker to its original setup without the mods,mother fire ran super clean, almost too easy. The only mod I kept in it was the Horizon convection plate and an upgraded wood grate, since those are proven upgrades.
If you put in the elbow lowering the exhaust, I dealt with bad smoke. The smoke would built up near the exhaust trying to get out, but due to elbow the smoke built up and became stale.
I came to this discovery after taking with a pit designer. I wouldn't put in the elbow. It's doesn't help much to even the heat like everyone on the internet says. And even if it does, the side effect isn't worth it. The convection plate will even out the heat and not cause any ill effects.
Thanks again nucornhusker,
When you added the elbow did you add any length to the stack to increase the draw, the 90 will add restriction in the flow.
I was thinking of trying the 90 with a longer stack to offset the restriction or move the existing stack down to grate level so no additional 90 was needed.
El Ropo
08-08-2013, 03:43 PM
I agree with old bill. I doubt charbroil is going to engineer any of their cookers for optimum performance. They build things for optimum profit, and have proven over the years that they can design some pretty lousy bbq equipment.
I'm assuming this is the char broil made longhorn deluxe.
nucornhusker
08-08-2013, 03:46 PM
Thanks again nucornhusker,
When you added the elbow did you add any length to the stack to increase the draw, the 90 will add restriction in the flow.
I was thinking of trying the 90 with a longer stack to offset the restriction or move the existing stack down to grate level so no additional 90 was needed.
I did add length to get it to the grate level.
I'll have to disagree with the other guys on this. I looked at a photo of the Longhorn Deluxe and I think that it would benefit from having the stack lowered a little. I don't see how the draw would be interrupted at all and by lowering the stack a little you would force the heat and smoke to travel over the food before heading to the exit, making more overall contact with the cooking area. My cooker has the stack on top rather than on the side and I actually extended the stack down to grate level with a piece of flexible aluminum hose to serve the same purpose. I think that I would also lower the thermometers if I were you, they are situated toward the top of the cooker and I'd be willing to bet that they aren't giving you a very accurate reading of what's going on at the cooking grate level. I have an old Black Diamond and the thermometer on it is always reading at least 50 degrees higher than the actual temp at grate level. Contrary to popular opinion, these things (cheap offsets) weren't necessarily made to be user friendly and some of them take a lot of mods and upgrades to work properly. You have one of the nicer ones though and I think that you'll have a really good Q machine when you're done with it! Good luck!:thumb: P.S. Here's a web page by a high end builder and you'll notice where they are putting the stacks on their pipe smokers!:wink: http://www.lonestargrillz.com/reviews.html
Thanks oldbill,
You are correct about the gages they tend to run about 35 deg. hotter than the grate when cooking at 225 deg. (grate temp.)
Those are some nice looking smokers that you attached the link to. I see that there stack is mounted low and the upper cooking grate is well above the outlet.
nucornhusker
08-08-2013, 03:52 PM
I'll have to disagree with the other guys on this. I looked at a photo of the Longhorn Deluxe and I think that it would benefit from having the stack lowered a little. I don't see how the draw would be interrupted at all and by lowering the stack a little you would force the heat and smoke to travel over the food before heading to the exit, making more overall contact with the cooking area. My cooker has the stack on top rather than on the side and I actually extended the stack down to grate level with a piece of flexible aluminum hose to serve the same purpose. I think that I would also lower the thermometers if I were you, they are situated toward the top of the cooker and I'd be willing to bet that they aren't giving you a very accurate reading of what's going on at the cooking grate level. I have an old Black Diamond and the thermometer on it is always reading at least 50 degrees higher than the actual temp at grate level. Contrary to popular opinion, these things (cheap offsets) weren't necessarily made to be user friendly and some of them take a lot of mods and upgrades to work properly. You have one of the nicer ones though and I think that you'll have a really good Q machine when you're done with it! Good luck!:thumb: P.S. Here's a web page by a high end builder and you'll notice where they are putting the stacks on their pipe smokers!:wink: http://www.lonestargrillz.com/reviews.html Look at Gator, Yoder, Horizon, etc. Look at the exhaust location. They are well designed pits and highly respected.
The bottom line is every bit of the pit has to be taken into consideration for the airflow. If you modify one without the other, you disturb airflow.
I agree with old bill. I doubt charbroil is going to engineer any of their cookers for optimum performance. They build things for optimum profit, and have proven over the years that they can design some pretty lousy bbq equipment.
I'm assuming this is the char broil made longhorn deluxe.
Thanks Ropo,
It is a New Braunfels, I'm not sure if Char-Broil owned them then or not.
Look at Gator, Yoder, Horizon, etc. Look at the exhaust location. They are well designed pits and highly respected.
The bottom line is every bit of the pit has to be taken into consideration for the airflow. If you modify one without the other, you disturb airflow.
Thanks again nucornhusker,
I have ran the numbers and there needs to be a change made to correct the production design, reduce fire box size or change the stack.
Thanks again everyone for there input, this is GREAT.......:clap:
Is there anyone else that would like to weight in on this subject? :mod:
ICDEDTURKES
08-09-2013, 07:39 AM
Different cooker, but I finally lowered the stack on my char griller smokin pro the other day.. I just wedged a 24oz beer can in the stack before doing something permanent. Flipping over the charcoal grate for years helped a little but still a substantial difference in temp..
After lowering the stack and monitoring moving two maverick probes around in the cooker it made a very big difference.. My hot and cold spots are way different now.. The hot corner back by the vent is no longer a hot corner.. I was shocked to find the firebox side back is actually five degrees cooler than dead center :wacko:
Gonna continue to monitor over a few more cooks but if it can hold the +-10 degree difference over the entire grate I will be more than pleased..
Different cooker, but I finally lowered the stack on my char griller smokin pro the other day.. I just wedged a 24oz beer can in the stack before doing something permanent. Flipping over the charcoal grate for years helped a little but still a substantial difference in temp..
After lowering the stack and monitoring moving two maverick probes around in the cooker it made a very big difference.. My hot and cold spots are way different now.. The hot corner back by the vent is no longer a hot corner.. I was shocked to find the firebox side back is actually five degrees cooler than dead center :wacko:
Gonna continue to monitor over a few more cooks but if it can hold the +-10 degree difference over the entire grate I will be more than pleased..
Thanks ICEDTURKES,
I have seen similar results on another smoker in the past that a friend of mine was working on.
ICDEDTURKES
08-09-2013, 08:16 AM
Yup no problem.. I delayed doing this after seeing it recommended for years figuring as bad as the thing leaks results would be minimal, I was wrong..
From front to back when actually over the diffuser there was a 5-6 degree difference.. The hot and cold spots naturally were outside the diffuser where heat was allowed to come up, but as I mentioned these were not substantial..
If I can repeat the results, I will have increased my usable space and for the first time will not have to rotate large portions of food..
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