UDS Redo

[Crüe-B-Cüe]

I finally got around to monkeying with my dormant UDS. The only thing I ever really liked off it was ribs. Everything else just had too much of the fat dripping smoke taste for me. I installed a 3rd grate and placed a foil wrapped 16 1/2" clay pot base on it. I also ditched the verticle intake pipes and put the 3/4 ball valves directly in the side of the drum.

I loaded it up Saturday with a basket full of RO lump. Temps evened out beautifully, but the lump didn't last but about 4 hours. I just cooked some air. After reading about it last week, I just had to try it. :cool:

Sunday I fired it up about 10:00 am with a basket full of K. Threw 3 slabs of spares on at 11:00. Temps held rock steady all afternoon. The only problem was I only got about 8 hours out of it before the temps started dropping. I pulled the basket out to see if the fire died, but all the K was burnt.

The real test will be to cook something like a butt or brisket, but with the diflector in place it seems to use a lot more fuel. I may need to build a larger charcoal basket.

[Smoke & Beers]

What temps are you running and how big is your fuel basket? I got 12 hours out of this this past weekend...K & RO lump mixed 60/40.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/powercatpurple/BBQ/IMG_9651.jpg?t=1236628936 (javascript:void(0);)

[Crüe-B-Cüe]

What temps are you running and how big is your fuel basket?


I had the probe at center grate. I kept temps between 225 and 240. My basket is 14" round and 6" deep.

[Retread]

My basket is 14X10 and fully loaded with K the longest burn I needed was 14 hours, she was still holding when I shut her down. That was with out side temps in the 70's

[Crüe-B-Cüe]

I may have to change the diameter or height to allow for more charcoal. I think JD uses the planter base in his also. If you're out there, what size basket do you have, and what kind of burn times are you getting?

[sfbbqguy]

This basket used a charcoal grate from an 18" Weber Kettle and expando from HD.
It turned out to be 12" x 12". The longest I've run it was about 12 hours and it did fine. Probly would have gone a few more hours and that was not on a full load of caols.
Only thing i would have done different was have it higher from the ash pan. It's only 2.5" from th ash pan so I get a bit worried about ash build up on longer cooks. Not a problem thus far.

[Norcoredneck]

You can't compare the burn times with his because of the use of a deflector. They use more fuel when not cooking direct.

[sfbbqguy]

This is good to know.
I plan on installing a third rack for deflector. Not that I'll use it all the time but to use when needed.