May be but I'm gonna try without it and see if it gets the temps up in the drum. I have to get this figured out.

Ok off for a couple of days & I have time to work on my new UDS. What height should I put my grills. I would like to use 2. My charcoal basket is 15 inches tall. Thanks Hud.

I think the rule of thumb is that the bottom grate should be 24 inches from the bottom of the charcoal basket.

Thats what I always read. So what if it ends up being 22 or 23. Every drum is different. You get used to how it works. They are all good.

I went 1.5 inches down from the top for grate #1 and 8 inches for Grate #2. Overall height from top of drum lip to ground is 35 inches and firebox is 3 inches from the bottom at grate level.

Mr. Bo, what size and how many are your intake holes?
For running at 225 you ought to have 0.66 square inches opened. If you are using holes that measure out to 3/4 inches, that's 1 fully opened and another one half way opened. I did read on this post recently that some ball valves might read as 3/4 inch ball valves but somehow actually have a smaller opening.

What I have is Stubs lump coals. And I started it the same way I start the KF blue; put some in a chimney, light that and let it stop smoking and flaming, then dump onto unlit coals in the drum. I usually put the flavored wood and meat in the drum right away. Doing that procedure without a doubt creates that nasty smelling smoke.

Bubblehead mentioned to let it burn in the drum for like 15 mins and then it was a clear smoke. I will try it, but I came after 1 hour of my method and still it was nasty smoke. But perhaps Stubs lump coals are not the same as what you are using?

I'm thoroughly confused and can't see how it's possible that there is such variation on people's experience on this.

Are you waiting for the lump coals to be white before cooking?

Thanks guys I'm on it!

I normally put golf ball size junk in chimney about half full, let it set for 10 mins, then lite off basket give it 20 mins to 30 mins then add meat. Here is a pre pic and a pic after I pulled the turkey off hope it helps.

pwa

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/120/imag0376m.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9760/imag0381w.jpg

I see. So to get this right, you let the coals in the chimney burn about 10 mins, and then you dump that into the drum, and let that burn 20-30 mins?

I've always had great success doing it that way. 12-15 briqs in chimney, light and let em get completely ashed over, then dump on top of basket of unlit coals (or lump which works great for me). Go inside and start prepping meat, check on the UDS and start closing intakes down 50 degrees before my desired cooking temp. Within 20-30 minutes, it's purring along at desired cooking temp and putting out thin blue to invisible smoke.

I've done 12 hour cooks @ 275 with lump, and never had a problem flavor wise. Also, mesquite lump for a long cook will not be nearly as clean tasting as using oak lump, since mesquite is a much stronger smoking wood to begin with. I try to avoid buying mesquite lump for that reason. If you can find B&B oak lump, I highly recommend it for the UDS.

There are 4 intake holes. The ID of the 3 nipples is 5/8" and the ball valve my be a bit smaller but not sure. I can't get it up to temp with all of them open.

Exhaust is a 1 7/8" chrome stack. Thinking maybe not enough exhaust, I drilled 4 more 3/4" holes in the lid after the first burn didn't do as expected. No better the second time after drilling the holes.

Charcoal basket is 17" diameter and 12" tall. It just barely clears the rack hangers and thermometer tip.

If your therm tip is that far on the outside of the drum, it's not reading actual temps at center of cooking grate. you could be reading as much as 50 degrees too low. But still, even then only being able to get up to 260 with all intakes open doesn't seem right.

yep, and never had a problem with flavor or ash in/on the food, cooked a turkey for 15 people every one loved it! I had zero left overs on a 18.5 lb bird.

Hope that helps
pwa

i think you just solved my problem El Ropo. I started the UDS up this afternoon and put my digital probe on the cooking grate. Ten minutes after I dumped half a chimney on the coals the Tru_Temp in the side of the drum was at 150 but the Nu-Temp digital on the cooking grate was at 250. Within another few minutes it was at 367 so I capped three nipples and closed the ball valve about half way. Thirty minutes later it was holding around 350. The Mrs. and I went for a ride for about an hour and came home to the same temp. I put together a 2# fatty stuffed with pepperoni, pearl onions and cheese and threw it on with six 2" thick pork chops and all is well!
Thanks!!!!!!