While on the WSM subject

[erock1320]

Greetings Brethren!
I really didnt want to be the only man on the planet that cant get his 22.5 wsm to run. Feel like a jacka** for even putting this out there.

I have tried Regular kingsford, competition, Lump, Wicked Good, More hardwoods, less hardwood, fruitwoods, a half full chimney, heaping full chimney, no chimney, lighting the basket a little, lighting the basket till a bon fire is going, a small amount in the basket to absurd. Everything I have tried ends up with the cooker struggling to maintain 215 and billowing the not good eats thick white smoke until it eventually goes out with plenty of fuel left.
I have let the coals ash over nicely before putting the unit together over the fire. Temp will spike to 300+ and drop to 215. Yes all vents are wide open. Water bowl empty just some foil around it. Even hooked up the guru with same end result. Have talked with weber a little bit but I think they are convinced Im a noob. The last question they asked was "is the water bowl in correctly?" Really!? I have built race engines in a past life... Pretty sure I can figure out the complex makings of a wsm! :mad2: My kettle runs like a champ and I can make it do pretty much whatever I wish.

Heres what I believe is going on. The kettle has much larger vents compared to the amount of fuel that is in it. The wsm takes more fuel but with only 3 vents I believe its being choked. We reside at 6400' above sea level. I dont think the air is dense enough here to keep the fire going with only 3 vents. Has anyone heard of putting more vents on one? Maybe using the kettle bottom to utilize the larger openings?

Open to ideas Brethren! Already looking at kicking this thing to the curb! I wont of course but just frustrated it wont run. Thanks in advance for the come backs. Gotta run to the store. Blue Ribbon chicken soup for pot luck tomorrow. See Ya!

 

[yakdung]

Greetings Brethren!
I really didnt want to be the only man on the planet that cant get his 22.5 wsm to run. Feel like a jacka** for even putting this out there.

I have tried Regular kingsford, competition, Lump, Wicked Good, More hardwoods, less hardwood, fruitwoods, a half full chimney, heaping full chimney, no chimney, lighting the basket a little, lighting the basket till a bon fire is going, a small amount in the basket to absurd. Everything I have tried ends up with the cooker struggling to maintain 215 and billowing the not good eats thick white smoke until it eventually goes out with plenty of fuel left.
I have let the coals ash over nicely before putting the unit together over the fire. Temp will spike to 300+ and drop to 215. Yes all vents are wide open. Water bowl empty just some foil around it. Even hooked up the guru with same end result. Have talked with weber a little bit but I think they are convinced Im a noob. The last question they asked was "is the water bowl in correctly?" Really!? I have built race engines in a past life... Pretty sure I can figure out the complex makings of a wsm! :mad2: My kettle runs like a champ and I can make it do pretty much whatever I wish.

Heres what I believe is going on. The kettle has much larger vents compared to the amount of fuel that is in it. The wsm takes more fuel but with only 3 vents I believe its being choked. We reside at 6400' above sea level. I dont think the air is dense enough here to keep the fire going with only 3 vents. Has anyone heard of putting more vents on one? Maybe using the kettle bottom to utilize the larger openings?

Open to ideas Brethren! Already looking at kicking this thing to the curb! I wont of course but just frustrated it wont run. Thanks in advance for the come backs. Gotta run to the store. Blue Ribbon chicken soup for pot luck tomorrow. See Ya!

No, but an interesting problem. I would definitely call Weber and speak to someone about this before hacking the smoker. I also would try a Guru type apparatus to see if it can manage the flame better. Good luck.

 

[BBQ Addict]

I had a similar issue with mine. Once I figured out I was smothering the fire by too much charcoal in the basket, all it took was fiddling with the vents to get it to level off. Now once it's locked in, it's good to go.

You might start with 1 full chimney with nothing in the basket and closing the top vent a bit...say half way or even as much as 2/3 and see how that works.

 

[KevinJ]

Wish I could help but I live pretty close to sea level, I have seen WSM's posted where the owners have installed extra exhaust vents on the lid to help increase flow and maintain higher temperatures, I do think you're onto something with lack of oxygen. Usually after I dump hot coals in the basket it takes about 20 minutes to get up to temp an hour before I get a clean fire and TBS.

 

[Right on Q]

That's incredibly odd. If all 3 bottom vents are wide open and the lid vent is wide open I don't see how you would have issues.

Based on your post I could only think of 2 things.

1. The foil and water pan are blocking the air from rising up through the smoker for proper exhaust. There should be a good 1-2 inches all the way around the water pan of clearance (I'm not trying to make you feel like an idiot or anything but I'm the world's worst about not noticing very simple things)

2. Because of your altitude your WSM can't get enough oxygen to fuel the fire. Although you would think a guru would fix that problem.

Also checkout this page and read the comments by Bud Matthews. He had to prop the door open to keep his temps up at 9300'

http://virtualweberbullet.com/pics12.html

 

[robert-r]

I added 2 vents to the charcoal bowl & one to the top of my 18.5 WSM so I could crank up the temps for high heat cooks. However, the unit worked just fine before I did it. I don't use water.

I'm at sea level, so you could be onto something.

 

[zanna5910]

1. The foil and water pan are blocking the air from rising up through the smoker for proper exhaust. There should be a good 1-2 inches all the way around the water pan of clearance (I'm not trying to make you feel like an idiot or anything but I'm the world's worst about not noticing very simple things)

+1. I believe you have an airflow problem. You can also try to take the pan out entirely so you have more or less of a PBC and see if the temp is up.

With the guru, you blew the air straight down and capped off all other intakes?

Also, what are you gauging temp by? The lid? May want to test with another probe as well.

 

[tb80]

Any pics of your setup? For example, a pic of the bottom section with the charcoal ring filled with charcoal? Pic of water bowl placement? Etc?

 

[erock1320]

The foil is wrapped tightly around the water bowl. Im taking the temp off the top grate. Have used the guru and Igrill mini. Both those units are spot on in earlier tests. Let me see if I have any pics. I usually only pic of successful cooks tho! lol. Forgot to mention that the unit does have a gasket kit installed on it as well. Top lid and side door.

Yeah the guru i tried with vents taped off closed and open... didnt matter one bit. Screen on the guru read "WTF?" Or maybe that was me>>

I ran across a replacement damper for the bottom of a kettle on Firecraft. I think the radius of the bowl is the same?? Anyone seen the round vents for sale? I think punching holes would be way easier than getting slots put in.

 

[erock1320]

I dont even care that it runs at 215. if that is where its happy so be it. Its the recreation of cumulus clouds pumping out of it that really is the issue

 

[cullenbranson]

I would start with 2/3 full basket of unlit and 10-15 lit(ashed over) on top. Assemble WSM immediately after placing lit, all vents wide open. Do this 3 times, once with no water pan, once with foiled over water pan, and once with bare water pan. I assume you are using the stock basket/ring?

 

[erock1320]

have had the same result with and without the ring. As your directions are very similar to standard procedure in the directions that came with the unit, this is pretty darn close to what I started with in attempts to get it running. First "cook" was without any foil. Its only purpose is the ease of clean up of the drippings. Trust me. The foil is not impeding the air flow around the bowl.

 

[D0ughB0y]

You're not using soaking wet wood, are ya?

 

[PatAttack]

Are you using wood chunks or any other kind of wood with your charcoal??

 

[AZRaptor]

+1. I believe you have an airflow problem. You can also try to take the pan out entirely so you have more or less of a PBC and see if the temp is up.

This was my first thought for the next thing to try.

 

[erock1320]

Wet wood is a cardinal sin aint it!? Found some vents on amazon. Punching holes as soon as they arrive. Guess I could always hook up a oxygen bottle to it. Would that make it a WSMCOPD?

 

[cullenbranson]

Wet wood is a cardinal sin aint it!? Found some vents on amazon. Punching holes as soon as they arrive. Guess I could always hook up a oxygen bottle to it. Would that make it a WSMCOPD?

Take it with you down to 500 feet, test again.

 

[zanna5910]

I would be interested to see a pic of the bottom as well. Its so strange. Gotta be something probably that is amiss

 

[IrishStout]

Try putting a fan beside the wsm to feed more air. See what happens.

 

[D0ughB0y]

Wet wood is a cardinal sin aint it!? Found some vents on amazon. Punching holes as soon as they arrive. Guess I could always hook up a oxygen bottle to it. Would that make it a WSMCOPD?

Since you're into race motors, why not a N2O bottle and a custom purge valve built into a BBQ brethren logo so the gas imitates the smoke from the hog?