The Old Smoke Exhaust Debate

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diegodan

Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match.
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I know this has been discussed before but I just wanted to bring this experienc to people's attention.

I'm in the "exhaust at grate level" camp for a horizontal smoker. I'm also in the market for a new smoker. I really like the product that Yoder produces but I noticed that on their smokers they put the smoke exhaust on the top of the smoker. I also know that their smokers are customizable.

I sent Yoder a email asking if it would be possible to lower the smoke exhaust to grate level on the Wichita. They replied back "we can definitely lower the smoke stack on the Wichita however, it will make the pit run hotter and consume more fuel. It would be an additional $250.00 upcharge to have this done."

I replied back "why would it make it run hotter and consumer more fuel."

They replied "due to the fact that the heat runs directly out of the unit instead of filling the entire smoker first.This causes more wood consumption and a hotter burn."

I didn't argue with them but I think that answer is total BS.

I just wanted to hear what you all have to say.
 
You're right, that explanation doesnt make sense, if heat rises wouldn't more of it be contained in the smoke chamber if the exhaust port is lowered?
 
Perhaps you should ask them if they have verified this or if it is just an opinion? Doesn't make any sense to me but I am new to the offset world so....
 
Honestly, I would just defer to the pitmaker on this one. They know how their pits run, and its not like they started building them yesterday. Any successful company goes through a lot of trial and error to get their products operating at the best possible level. They make a top notch unit that wins competitions. Do you really think it never occurred to them to try having the exhaust at grate level? I would hazard to bet that they tried it and those were their findings. If its really worth $250 to you to have them make the change, I say go for it, but If its good enough for yoder like it is, I'm going to say its probably wasted money..
 
Every pit has different *air flow* characteristics, no doubt. And moving the exhaust to grate level will change the air flow (I think that's the point!).

I just don't see how making that change would make the pit run hotter or consume more fuel? Doesn't hot air rise (or cooler air sink)? Sure, if you burn more fuel you create more heat, but that's something that can be controlled (again, stating the obvious).

Interested to hear what comes from this. Take a look at LSG - that's who I'm looking at for a traditional, vertical, off-set. I'm sure there are others as well.
 
I don't know if that's true or not. But regardless, I would agree that if a pitmaker can make more money out of you ($250 more) and he's suggesting not to, I would think he's doing it out of his honest opinion. Maybe right or maybe not but I would think he's giving you his opinion in good faith.
 
Id go with their proven design as well myself.

As to running hotter and more fuel maybe lowering the stack creates more draw thus airflow. The added air could make the pit run hotter...or that could just be a load of irresponsible speculation on my part.

I know my offset had that ridiculous extension mod lowering the stack to grate height when oi bought it. It was packed full of crud. I promptly removed it and havent looked back.
 
I'm in the at grate level camp. I see the logic in moving the air across the grate evenly. It works for me. ( It actually was a selling point on the last box store pit purchase.. The Old Country has it. )

But, as with all things; Trucks, motorcycles, power tools, mowers, sprinklers,... etc.. to each their own.

P.S. Lyfe Tyme told me they would move it for no extra charge. Shirley Fab. will build whatever you can think up. Lang never responded. Lonestar grillz builds them like that already.

Regards,

Kevin
 
It will run hotter, because the lower exhaust location creates a pocket of hot air above the exhaust that will not leave the smoker. If you lower the exhaust, you also need to open the exhaust up, and change in inlet from the fire box to increase air flow, the added draw aids in evacuating the hot air that will otherwise sit in the top of the cooker chamber. However, this means you have to burn more fuel, as you are drawing more air into the cooker.

If you look at most units with exhausts at grate level, they are running a large exhaust manifold, often the width of the chamber, and they run 6" diameter exhausts, often the exhaust pipe is also longer than the Wichita. Each design has it's characteristics and it's merits.

My recommendation is to find the guy who builds the smoker you want.
 
When I built my offset reverse flow smoker, I set the intake for the exhaust below the level of the bottom grate...about 1 1/2" over the baffle/drip pan. The smoke and heat have to travel down through the grates to get out.
 
landarc said:
It will run hotter, because the lower exhaust location creates a pocket of hot air above the exhaust that will not leave the smoker. If you lower the exhaust, you also need to open the exhaust up, and change in inlet from the fire box to increase air flow, the added draw aids in evacuating the hot air that will otherwise sit in the top of the cooker chamber. However, this means you have to burn more fuel, as you are drawing more air into the cooker.

If you look at most units with exhausts at grate level, they are running a large exhaust manifold, often the width of the chamber, and they run 6" diameter exhausts, often the exhaust pipe is also longer than the Wichita. Each design has it's characteristics and it's merits.

My recommendation is to find the guy who builds the smoker you want.
Click to expand...

Exactly this. Even on my Stumps Classic which has the rear mounted exhaust stack that exits from the back panel instead of middle top like normal... the outlet inside the smoker is noticeably larger for the lower mounted stack. The top rack would be significantly hotter above that outlet if it were the same size as hot air would effectively stagnate their. The larger size draws it out with more efficient draft. I believe that to be much more exaggerated on an offset.
 
Heat rises and so does smoke, pits draft better and run cleaner with the exhaust located higher. Having it high induces convection if it's low the top of the pit runs cooler and you burn more wood to maintain temps.
 
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