controlling Heat help! horizon 20x44

[Kcmoribguy]

i have a horizon 20x44 offset smoker that i can't seem to control temp to well but also smother a flame when it flares up. i ran another dry run today and with the intake vent almost all the way closed sometimes completely closed the temp would rise, i would have to choke down the exhaust to get it under control is this ok? i know that most guys on here say run the exhaust all the way open but i couldn't until my fire had burned down a ways.


i started with a chimney full of coals then threw in two chunks of hickory which was ok for awhile but it kept going up and down. the temperature wouldn't go down unless i choked off the exhaust.

just looking for some help, i also wasn't running a water pan.

[JonP]

Check this out

http://youtu.be/BS1veMrDOC4

[Shagdog]

Kc, what temp are you trying to run at? It sounds to me like you're trying too hard. Don't stifle your fire, let er rip! With an offset you can't be so worried about a stable temp, but more of a zone. If you've got a really overly hot fire, you're building your fire too big. Start with a small fire, let your smoker run where it wants to run. Don't mess with your exhaust or intakes. Just leave them wide open. Watch where your smoker settles in. When it starts to dip in temp, add a split. Let it ride till it starts to dip again, then add another split and so on. Your fire should be small and putting off little to no smoke.

There's a recent thread on fire management you should probably read, it should still be on page one or 2 of qtalk. Old Bill gives a good play by play of how to run an offset. My best advice is just to let it run where it wants, you'll have much better q in the end.

[Kcmoribguy]

I'm trying to cook at 225 to 250. ok ill def try running a smaller fire, do you run a water pan?

[Shagdog]

A water pan will help regulate your temps a bit. It's hard to run offsets at 225. Let her run where she wants. Nothing wrong with smoking at 250, 275, 300. Just finishes a bit sooner is all.

[gtr]

IMO the best way to control temps is by the size of the fire. I always run with intakes and exhaust all the way open, and sometimes even the firebox door open as well - in my cooker, opening the firebox door helps bring down temps. You want a clean burn, which comes with airflow. Smothering a fire leads to less optimal smoke. I will use a water pan if I'm not loading up the cooker, but with a full load I don't always use one.

[pjtexas1]

Are you using charcoal and wood chunks? Charcoal is a good way to get your coal bed started but splits are better once it's going.

[Kcmoribguy]

yeah started with charcoal then just wood. so that video just changed everything for me tons of smoke is bad? you don't want to see much smoke at all, i usually have white smoke poring out the stack!

[Kcmoribguy]

i have never used lump charcoal

[DetTigersFan]

yeah started with charcoal then just wood. so that video just changed everything for me tons of smoke is bad? you don't want to see much smoke at all, i usually have white smoke poring out the stack!

That is the absolute last thing you want.

[Shagdog]

The reason you're getting that nasty smoke is because you're trying too hard to force your temps down. Make a smaller fire and let your intakes and exhaust stay wide open. Do a dry run, just play with the fire size and watch what happens. Spend some time learning your cooker. You may even want to cut your splits in half To make a smaller fire..

[FireChief]

Yep, all good responses. I have the 24"X48" in Horizon and intake and exhaust are always 100 % open. Build the fire size to hit the temps you want to lock in. All pits are different but I can usually lock in and cruise for a couple hours between 250 - 275 for a couple hours starting with one chimney off charcoal and three small splits before adding more wood. Also, if you didn't get it with the sliding convection plate, buy the drop in convection place for your model. Slid all the way over to the firebox side I can run even temps across the pit or within usually no more than 5 degree difference.

And to hammer home what others have pointed out, if you're burning a nice clean fire, you should see very thin to no smoke coming out the exhaust.

Good luck. Keep working at it, you'll eventually nail it no doubt.

[PigBull_Okie]

My first "real" pit was a 16" diameter Horizon offset. I found that the key was to keep a small, aggressive fire with open intake and exhaust. This creates a clean burning fire which is easy to dial in and control.
I started with a decent sized bed of lump charcoal lit with a weed burner. I would start it with the firebox lid open to get the coals good and hot. When the coals are hot, shut the lid and leave the intake and exhaust dampers wide open. When the pit hit around 250 I would dial back on the intake a bit but leave the exhaust wide open. Allow the pit to come up to around 300 (your lump coal bed should be enough fuel to allow this to happen without adding any wood splits yet). When the pit hits around 300 and the cook chamber metal exterior is warm to the touch, I would add meat. This will drop the pit temp to around 250-275, which is where these pits really like to be. At this point, add SMALL wood splits to the coal bed as needed-usually every 45 mins to an hour. It should run like a well oiled machine using this method. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have any questions, Horizon makes a great pit and once you get the fire management figured out it will produce amazing Q with relative ease.