Help Explain This Draft Setup. KAT - RF

[mcyork28]

I think I am starting to come to terms with it but still have a ways to go.

First thing is, I do appear to have a problem with one of the Tel-Tru gauges. When I first tested them one of them was quite a ways off in boiling water. I tested it again to double check but it read correctly so I figured I did something wrong in the first test. Currently the gauge closest to the fire box is reading as the hot side but the probes on the Thermoworks Smoke is reading the opposite. The Smoke is reading about a 20 degree difference. I can live with that.

The test chicken I ran still has some gray on it.

This is a pic of the splits I have been using. They range from this big to about half that size. Seems to like the smaller splits and cleans up quicker.

The wood is kiln dried oak that measures between 10 and 12% with a moisture meter and I am pre-heating it on the fire box.

Any suggestions on how to run a cleaner fire? Should I just leave the door cracked?

 

[mcyork28]

I agree with everything you said.

The easiest thing IMHO is to call the builder. They'll be able to tell you if it came that way or if someone added it after the fact. They can also likely tell you the best way to run the pit. They likely did a lot of testing on it before putting it out on the market so they know how it runs best and probably experienced the same thing you are on some level. It's unlikely that a builder would add steel where there doesn't need to be unless there's a good reason for it.

 

[sudsandswine]

10-12% may be slightly on the dry side...I've noticed that when I have splits that catch fire real fast and make a big flame, some black sooty stuff seems to flick off the end of the flame...that could be part of your problem. I like dryer wood too but there's a fine line between perfect and too dry IMO. I had some oak that did that to me. Pretty well seasoned when I got it then some of it sat a year.

 

[Rockinar]

They gray on the food could also possibly be grease burning on the defector plate. Put a shallow water pan under the food to catch the drippings and see if it makes any difference. That will tell you if the gray food is from creosote or grease burning on the deflector plate and you can go from there.

Also you never mentioned what your damper setting are. Open both top and bottom wide open and see what happens.

 

[mcyork28]

All vents wide open all the time. Cracked the door for a bit while adding new splits.

They gray on the food could also possibly be grease burning on the defector plate. Put a shallow water pan under the food to catch the drippings and see if it makes any difference. That will tell you if the gray food is from creosote or grease burning on the deflector plate and you can go from there.

Also you never mentioned what your damper setting are. Open both top and bottom wide open and see what happens.

 

[Zak]

I have a fire going in it now. Interesting thing happened. I out a putty knife under the door closest to the fire box for a while and it was running completely clear smoke. When I removed it, the temp dropped like 20 degrees and the quality of the smoke deteriorated. I wouldn't call it bad smoke but it definitly changed.
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Well you just proved that it's struggling to vent properly and needs better air flow. I've only built 2 smokers and never had this issue with any of mine but i can clearly see a fundamental flaw with that baffle in place and the placement of the angle iron that blocking the baffle even more. I know a thing or 2 about fire management, i've been burning wood to heat my house for over a decade and before that i was in charge of fire management growing up at my parents house. I burn 7 cords a year and only have to clean my chimney once a year because the woodstove is setup and operated properly. I can tell when the creosote is starting to buildup in the chimney because i can start to tell the draft is a little different thus causing the fire to burn a little different. Your issue is air flow, or lack there of. If you were to cut that baffle off with an angle grinder, you'd be just fine. It looks like you're doing everything else correct.

 

[snoqualmiesmoker]

They gray on the food could also possibly be grease burning on the defector plate. Put a shallow water pan under the food to catch the drippings and see if it makes any difference. That will tell you if the gray food is from creosote or grease burning on the deflector plate and you can go from there.

Also you never mentioned what your damper setting are. Open both top and bottom wide open and see what happens.

Wide open all the time? On a 24/48 Reverse flow? Seems like it would get a roaring Fire.

 

[pjtexas1]

Interesting... I have the smaller version (KAT 48x20) and don't seem to have that issue and from what I remember the design is the same (I'm traveling right now so cannot measure).

This might be a dumb question but assuming you are running wide open on both intake and exhaust? That is the way I always run and it works great... If I want the firebox side to heat up (as it sometimes runs cooler), I'll close exhaust about 30% and wait about 20 mins for heat to even out left to right.

I also cut my splits fairly small and warm them on top of the firebox for quick ignition and combustion.

Like others have said, call Ken and see what he has to say about it. Good guy...

Are you saying yours also has the baffle thing in front of the exhaust?

You should not have to preheat kiln dried wood. It burns too quickly cold and doesn't leave much of a coal bed.

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[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Have you called KAT yet? I'm sure they could clear all of this up instantly on the phone and also give you some tips to try and help you....or maybe they will see those pics and offer to fix it / alter it for you.