Lang 48 problems

[Jackal3269]

Not new to cooking with an offset. Have cooked on a old country wrangler for 5 years now. Just received my Lang 48 patio on Easter. Follow the instructions on seasoning and send good till I closed the firebox door. I have ran several practice cooks and 1 actual cook. Seems like there is nothing I can do to keep my fire burning with the door closed. Both dampers are 100% open as well as the stack damper. I have bought wood from 3 different places and still no luck. My splits are about the size of a beer can and I keep the on the firebox to preheat. I start off with about 2 chimineys of charcoal and 5 splits. Let this all burn to coals and then add another stick. With the door open the wood burns perfectly as it should but as soon as the door is shut it starts smuldering bad. Only thing I can think of is that they are now placing expanded metal on the firebox dampers to keep coals from falling out. This may be causing a restriction to air flow. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tom b]

I don't have that smoker but there is nothing wrong with cracking the door to get air moving

 

[ebijack]

Like above.
My experience with Lang's, but in the 60" series.
We only used the door, not the side intakes. Pretty easy to adjust the door opening.

 

[Jackal3269]

It works great with the door open. Just frustrating paying that much for something that isn’t flowing like it should if that is the case.

 

[Jackal3269]

Like above.
My experience with Lang's, but in the 60" series.
We only used the door, not the side intakes. Pretty easy to adjust the door opening

Does your pit cook really fast? I cooked a butt and 3 racks of St. Louis style ribs. Had a digital prob at grate level reading about 230-240. Ribs were way overdone at 3 hours and butt was over cooked at about 4 hours. Was a 5 pound butt.

 

[Stlsportster]

I’ve only cooked on my Lang but have talked with many other Lang owners. I never use the door open except at startup and when I add a stick for 30-45 seconds until it’s in flames. All other times stack and firebox vents wide open.

But I run jerky at 175ish by closing the firebox vents to 2/3 closed and feeding really small splits.

So if you can’t keep it running there is something wrong. I’d make sure to clean under the reverse flow plate and check the stack to make sure it’s clean. I’ve seen guys light the stack on fire from inside the smoke chamber to clean it out.

That thing should be drawing like a champ.

 

[ebijack]

The Lang's I have used. Were not mine.
But I have not seen where they cook any faster than a Shirley of similar size.

Not sure how that could happen when you were having problems with the fire going out. But then again your cooking on a new cooker.
You might want to check your probes.

 

[Jackal3269]

The Lang's I have used. Were not mine.
But I have not seen where they cook any faster than a Shirley of similar size.

Not sure how that could happen when you were having problems with the fire going out. But then again your cooking on a new cooker.
You might want to check your probes.

Don’t know. I had to cook with the door open the whole time. The flame was literally flowing into the cook chamber. I’m only having issues when trying to use the dampers only.

 

[Jackal3269]

The Lang's I have used. Were not mine.
But I have not seen where they cook any faster than a Shirley of similar size.

Not sure how that could happen when you were having problems with the fire going out. But then again your cooking on a new cooker.
You might want to check your probes.

Don’t know. I had to cook with the door open the whole time. The flame was literally flowing into the cook chamber. I’m only having issues when trying to use the dampers only.

 

[W.I.T.W.A.G?]

If it's new it should be clean so it's unlikely that there is something stopping flow from the FB to the CC, right?
try opening the CC door to see if that helps pull it through. pic of the FB to CC would be helpful if you end up calling them to ask about it. just make sure everything is free and clear, sounds like its definitely not getting enough air but you gotta figure out where and why.
Good Luck

 

[ebijack]

Don’t know. I had to cook with the door open the whole time. The flame was literally flowing into the cook chamber. I’m only having issues when trying to use the dampers only.

Yeah, I'm thinking you had the door to much open. Which allowed full draft and pulled hotter air. Faster thru the cook chamber. Causing the faster cook times. But that is a guess without being there. We only have the door open a crack. Just easier than using the rusty intake covers as they had to be wide open to get to 250* average at best. In my experience.
You have to open the door to add splits anyways. So, I've always done that. Adjust the door opening for draft/temp control.

 

[ironmanerik]

Use a mirror to look down the stack, if the intakes are wide open the stack must have an obstruction.

 

[Rockinar]

Any chance you're putting in too much wood and it's getting snuffed when you close the door? I dont own a Lang, but the fireboxes look small and 2 chimney of charcoal and 5 splits sounds like quite a bit. I have a 24x60 reverse flow and use one chimney and 2 splits for startup.

Have you tried a smaller fire? Maybe 1 chimney and 1 split or 2 to see what happens?

 

[BBQ Freak]

you say you have bought different wood but is it fresh cut and is it seasoned ? pic of the wood should tell all .

 

[Jackal3269]

I have looked down the stack and the damper is wide open. I have fired this pit up 4 times. Each time I have increase starting fuel amount. First time I started it I used about a half chimney and 3 splits. Beer can size. Was discussing this on another forum and keep getting comments on how my coal bed wasn’t big enough. So that’s when I went up to the 2 chimneys and 5 splits to make sure it was big enough. Still no luck. I will try to post some pics.

 

[WSM18Lang48]

If you are going from a wide open fire box door to completely shut that may be your problem. It is best to close the door a little bit at a time. For example, when I put a new split or two on I will start with the door wide open for 5 min or so. Then move the door about 3/4 for a few min, then 1/2, then 1/4, then open latch, and finally closed. The whole time keeping the pin wheel dampers wide open. This keeps the draft going properly and prevents smoldering due to quick changes in air flow. Of course wind plays a factor and I adjust my technique as necessary.

Also, when starting the fire you may be using too much charcoal. I use about 1 chimney and 5 splits and a lpg torch to start it.

 

[Jackal3269]

If you are going from a wide open fire box door to completely shut that may be your problem. It is best to close the door a little bit at a time. For example, when I put a new split or two on I will start with the door wide open for 5 min or so. Then move the door about 3/4 for a few min, then 1/2, then 1/4, then open latch, and finally closed. The whole time keeping the pin wheel dampers wide open. This keeps the draft going properly and prevents smoldering due to quick changes in air flow. Of course wind plays a factor and I adjust my technique as necessary.

Also, when starting the fire you may be using too much charcoal. I use about 1 chimney and 5 splits and a lpg torch to start it.

I will definitely keep this in mind! Thank you

 

[sudsandswine]

That seems excessively complex. Heat should go up and out. If closing the door smolders your fire it sounds like there is something else going on. My .02. I would not be happy having to stagger the closing of my firebox door over a period of 10+ minutes.

 

[Stlsportster]

That seems excessively complex. Heat should go up and out. If closing the door smolders your fire it sounds like there is something else going on. My .02. I would not be happy having to stagger the closing of my firebox door over a period of 10+ minutes.

Totally agree. I use one mini chimney of kbb and then about 3 sticks. Leave the door open for the first 20 min or so till the fire is roaring. Then shut the door. Done.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Just believe in yourself and keep trying.