schlickenmeyer
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2012
- Location
- Minneapo...
So my last smoke, I had trouble keeping temps up.
The only changes I made to the pit (the CharGriller offset) were tightening up the air leaks, I attached some stove rope to the back where the base/lid had a huge gap, and put a bead of rtv on the firebox door to keep airflow coming only from behind the fire basket.
Had no problems at first, but after an hour or so my temps kept dropping, and I tried everything. Switching fuel (tried KB, wood, and lump), and all had the same problem. Next I added a 4 foot piece of leftover aluminum vent from the chimney mod to the outside to raise the stack in the hopes of more draw, which did seem to help a bit, but still had trouble.
The only thing that really seemed to help more was dumping the ash pan, even thought there was at least an inch or an inch and a half under the bottom of the basket at the time. And early on this could not have been my problem.
So can charcoal get ruined if it is humid out? It is MN and we get pretty humid here in the spring and summer. Coal is stored in the garage now.
Any help appreciated, want to do more butts, but need to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Thanks!
The only changes I made to the pit (the CharGriller offset) were tightening up the air leaks, I attached some stove rope to the back where the base/lid had a huge gap, and put a bead of rtv on the firebox door to keep airflow coming only from behind the fire basket.
Had no problems at first, but after an hour or so my temps kept dropping, and I tried everything. Switching fuel (tried KB, wood, and lump), and all had the same problem. Next I added a 4 foot piece of leftover aluminum vent from the chimney mod to the outside to raise the stack in the hopes of more draw, which did seem to help a bit, but still had trouble.
The only thing that really seemed to help more was dumping the ash pan, even thought there was at least an inch or an inch and a half under the bottom of the basket at the time. And early on this could not have been my problem.
So can charcoal get ruined if it is humid out? It is MN and we get pretty humid here in the spring and summer. Coal is stored in the garage now.
Any help appreciated, want to do more butts, but need to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Thanks!