BudFrog99
Found some matches.
- Joined
- May 26, 2015
- Location
- New Berlin WI
First post, so be gentle. I have a theory as to my cause, so if you care to skip down.
I built a "micro UDS" last year from a 15 gallon drum, and have used it with great success. Pertaining to this thread, I have no problems getting temperatures well over 300F and in fact the trick is to try to stay at 225 during hot summer cooks. Air intake is four 3/4" holes, and I regulate them with 1" disk magnets. Exhaust is through the bung hole in the middle of the drum lid. Fire basket is expanded metal, about 12" diameter to fit into ~13" diameter drum.
I obtained a 55 gallon drum, and made a full-size unit last weekend. Four 3/4" holes for air intake; exhaust through the Weber-clone recycled dome lid.
First cook of some chicken thighs. Target of about two hours at heat at about 325F or so. I loaded up my 12" fire basket (circular; with small can in the middle and a baffle so the fire burns around) with charcoal topped with cherry chunks as normal.
But I couldn't get the temperature much above 200F. Opened all four intakes full--no help. Cracked the lid--no help. Piled charcoal higher in the burning area--no help.
I was very confused. Yes, 55 gallon has more surface area. But with temperature in the 70s and in sun and black barrel and moderate breeze, I didn't expect this problem.
I now have a theory. I used my 12" fire basket from the small UDS, and the diameter of the large drum is 22"-plus. With the centered fire basket, there is 5" on all sides between the outside of the fire basket and the inside of the drum.
I'm speculating that the air coming through the intake holes is more-or-less immediately rising in that large space, and not really getting to the fire basket for combustion.
I'll test that theory by using the cut-out drum top as a baffle over the fire basket. It should reach nearly to the sides, and then the air will draw towards the center (where I'll try maybe a 10" diameter hole).
(I guess another quick test would be to put the fire basket into one "corner" near the drum side between two intake holes, and close the other two... [Why didn't I think of that when I was cooking?] )
Any thought on that, or other reasons for lack of heat? TIA
I built a "micro UDS" last year from a 15 gallon drum, and have used it with great success. Pertaining to this thread, I have no problems getting temperatures well over 300F and in fact the trick is to try to stay at 225 during hot summer cooks. Air intake is four 3/4" holes, and I regulate them with 1" disk magnets. Exhaust is through the bung hole in the middle of the drum lid. Fire basket is expanded metal, about 12" diameter to fit into ~13" diameter drum.
I obtained a 55 gallon drum, and made a full-size unit last weekend. Four 3/4" holes for air intake; exhaust through the Weber-clone recycled dome lid.
First cook of some chicken thighs. Target of about two hours at heat at about 325F or so. I loaded up my 12" fire basket (circular; with small can in the middle and a baffle so the fire burns around) with charcoal topped with cherry chunks as normal.
But I couldn't get the temperature much above 200F. Opened all four intakes full--no help. Cracked the lid--no help. Piled charcoal higher in the burning area--no help.
I was very confused. Yes, 55 gallon has more surface area. But with temperature in the 70s and in sun and black barrel and moderate breeze, I didn't expect this problem.
I now have a theory. I used my 12" fire basket from the small UDS, and the diameter of the large drum is 22"-plus. With the centered fire basket, there is 5" on all sides between the outside of the fire basket and the inside of the drum.
I'm speculating that the air coming through the intake holes is more-or-less immediately rising in that large space, and not really getting to the fire basket for combustion.
I'll test that theory by using the cut-out drum top as a baffle over the fire basket. It should reach nearly to the sides, and then the air will draw towards the center (where I'll try maybe a 10" diameter hole).
(I guess another quick test would be to put the fire basket into one "corner" near the drum side between two intake holes, and close the other two... [Why didn't I think of that when I was cooking?] )
Any thought on that, or other reasons for lack of heat? TIA