Help!!! Temp question

[rockyibt]

Hi All,

I was curing my smoker today and ran into what I think is an issue. I have a Brinkmann S&P, which has the fire box on the left side. I added a baffle, charcoal basket, two thermometers, and extended the smoke stack.

The problem I am having is getting the right side heated up. I assumed there would be a temp difference, but even at 300-350 near the firebox, the right side was only 150-175. Mostly stayed around 100-125 while i was at 225-250 near the fire box. Is this normal? If not HELP!

 

[Jeff Selle]

That seems about normal. I can get temp ranges of 100 degrees or more at rack level. I have seen some modifications where people will build a plate under the rack to distribute the heat more evenly. (A quick seach of "offset mods" would get you lots of answers)

For me though, I don't worry about that. I have a stoker so I can watch temps various locations on mine. I build a fire that gets my temps right where I need them... If it takes a 400-degree fire at the box end to get me 270 in the location I am cooking on the rack, then so be it...

EDIT: ooops I think the baffle you mentioned might be what I was talking about with the plate...

 

[Diver]

I think it's pretty normal for this type of smoker. I did the same mods you mentioned on my CG. The baffle helped quite a bit and I also add a water pan on the side closest to the firebox to help even out the temps. I still rotate meats to keep them moving along at the same pace though.

 

[Alan in Ga]

I have the same issues with my NB I sometimes put a fan near the fire box and it helps a bit but also burns more fuel.

 

[tjus77]

100 degree diff in that size smoker seems a little excessive but not terrible. But when I used one, I always put my meat at the far end and made sure the temp was 225-250 on that end and didn't pay to much attention to the firebox end, unless I had a full pit. Of course then you just have to rotate, rotate, rotate.

 

[DDave]

Add some tuning plates.

These are 10", 8", and 6" wide. They are 1/8" plate. Adjust the spacing until the temps at the far end are close to the temps at the fire box end. I ususally adjust them so the end to end temp is even then put the meat on. The end to end variance will change once the cold meat is on but usually end to end temps are within 15° to 20° of each other.

I can actually make the chimney end hotter if I want to with this setup.

Dave

 

[landarc]

I second the tuning plates idea, it can really help in a long bodied smoker.

 

[jeffboyette]

Square landscaping bricks. 3 of them. Place them with 1/2 inch between them in the bottom under the grate and about 1 inch from the firebox opening. This allows 50% of the smoke and heat to travel under the bricks, and be distributed along the length of the pit.

The thick bricks also act as a heatsink. helping to regulate the heat. Once my fire was completely out nothing but ashes. Probably been that way for an hour. My pit was kept at 240 and only dropped to 225.

Also you can place a water pan over the brick closest to the firebox to keep an even light simmer of water. The 2 inch tall pan placed 1-2 inches from the firebox also helps to spread out heat so the meat closest doesnt char on one side.

Proof this works, ive put 6 boston butts on rack level, and 2 spare ribs up top and only rotated my meat once.

 

[Nick@ParkAQ]

That seems about what mine does thoug I don't check temps other than on the outside and do rotate from time to time. On the brick jeff you got pics? that does sound interesting. Also I found when the fire dies the heat on the NB seems higher right below the smokestack (by touch). No mods on mine and been using it for about 12 years now