WSM: Maintaining Constant Temp w/ Exhaust Vent, Not Intake Vent

[Fwismoker]

This could go on forever i think couldn't it? LOL

So much depends on your fuel, if you burn wood with the charcoal and how your fire is set up...plus a bunch of other little factors like altitude, outside temp etc.. Unless we're all on the same page this is going nowhere. lol

 

[Roguejim]

I agree I'm sure he's a great guy. Back to his email, there was more to it I thought but IDK. If this email is from the expert then why did his article suggest to control from the top? :noidea:


When I run my Stoker, the top vent is full open. All the bottom vents are closed except the vent used to mount the stoker.
When I don't run my Stoker, my WSM runs best with one bottom vent full open and top vent full open. After 3-4 hours, I open the second bottom vent. After 7 hours I open the third vent. This assumes I don't refuel my WSM.

I think in the article he was addressing newbies. It's maybe a case of "do as I say, not as I do."

 

[LTG]

I know why Weber says what they say but Harry is an expert?? He's more of an expert than anyone on here that's been cooking on them for years? Really??

OK


OBTW it's not a different concept than dozens of other cookers out there.


I'd follow the "experts" "pros" too. Everyone on here are just amateurs if they don't do comps.

He has cooked over 100 contests alone on wsm's. God knows how many practice cooks. Not to mention how many bbq classes? I'd say that makes him an expert, especially compared to someone like you who is disputing his résumé and experience without posting facts.

What model WSM do you own?

Lorne
no wonder why I don't post in q talk anymore

 

[Fwismoker]

He has cooked over 100 contests alone on wsm's. God knows how many practice cooks. Not to mention how many bbq classes? I'd say that makes him an expert, especially compared to someone like you who is disputing his résumé and experience without posting facts.

What model WSM do you own?

Lorne
no wonder why I don't post in q talk anymore

First I guess you missed the email Harry sent. You can see he says one thing in his blog/article and does another in real life....for whatever reason.

When I run my Stoker, the top vent is full open. All the bottom vents are closed except the vent used to mount the stoker.
When I don't run my Stoker, my WSM runs best with one bottom vent full open and top vent full open. After 3-4 hours, I open the second bottom vent. After 7 hours I open the third vent. This assumes I don't refuel my WSM.


Just so i understand...WSM is light years different than UDS or clones or similar verticals. Also what you're saying is (and i'll low ball this) someone that might cook on their WSM 3 days a week for say 10 years (1500) cooks isn't as much as an "expert" as Harry Soo who'm has done over 100 comps and practices.

I'm guessing competition cooks count for multiple backyard home cooks right? :noidea:

 

[oldbill]

Well, if you read Harry's own clarification in post #20, you won't have to imagine what you think he really meant. Just sayin'. Also, for those trying to imagine why Weber would recommend a certain method, well, that's a pretty weak line of reasoning. So, at this juncture, we have a WSM expert in Harry Soo, and the manufacturer themselves saying the same thing. No reason for me to doubt either one based on any assertions so far.

Ooops! Missed post #20 somehow, my bad!:-D

I agree I'm sure he's a great guy. Back to his email, there was more to it I thought but IDK. If this email is from the expert then why did his article suggest to control from the top? :noidea:


When I run my Stoker, the top vent is full open. All the bottom vents are closed except the vent used to mount the stoker.
When I don't run my Stoker, my WSM runs best with one bottom vent full open and top vent full open. After 3-4 hours, I open the second bottom vent. After 7 hours I open the third vent. This assumes I don't refuel my WSM.

Yep, there seems to be a bit of a contradiction there!:wink:

I think in the article he was addressing newbies. It's maybe a case of "do as I say, not as I do."

Well that makes perfect sense!:doh:
After reading through this thread all I can say is...
THANK GOD FOR STICK BURNERS!!!:clap2:

 

[Tooch]

When I first joined this site I had post a thread "way too much smoke".
I made a PID temp controller for my UDS and figured the air forced to the fire would be enough for the combustion.
I had a terrible sooty smoke even though I could maintain any temp I set it at.
I had got great advice from many of you but the most replies were "give it its head", "your choking the fire", "you need to increase your exhaust".
I took the advice and learned my pit nekkid and used just my pipe intakes and exhaust to find out I needed more exhaust.
Now I'm a uds and can only speak to my experience but I think Q Junkie hit it with "balance" and knowing your pit. From what I hear on this site is that there are basics or starting points but all in all these things are like children no matter what the experts say.

 

[Fwismoker]

After reading this thread all I can say is...
THANK GOD FOR STICK BURNERS!!!:clap2:

Crap now I'm really confused! I thought those varied model to model as to how you run those like Shirley to Lang or LSG to Gator Pits.

 

[oldbill]

Crap now I'm really confused! I thought those varied model to model as to how you run those like Shirley to Lang or LSG to Gator Pits.

LOL! Yes sir, I'm sure that many will contend that they're all light years apart... but at least their farkin' exhaust dampers are all wide open while they're running!:thumb::biggrin1:

 

[Roguejim]

He has cooked over 100 contests alone on wsm's. God knows how many practice cooks. Not to mention how many bbq classes? I'd say that makes him an expert, especially compared to someone like you who is disputing his résumé and experience without posting facts.

What model WSM do you own?

Lorne
no wonder why I don't post in q talk anymore

There seems to be a parallel discussion about what makes an "expert". An expert demonstrates expertise in a given field, no? It is not necessarily determined by how long someone has been doing something. Harry has clearly demonstrated his expertise for all to see. If there are experts here, I simply don't know who they might be. I have nothing really to go on. That seemed/seems to have been an issue for some, that is, how you can choose one expert over another.

 

[B-More BBQ Junkie]

I'd rather have the bottle neck be at the intake so the smoke keeps moving through the smoker and doesn't get backed up at the exhaust, which in my experience is not good.

 

[Jeff H]

My opinion is If it isn't broke, don't fix it. I have zero issues maintaining temp in the wsm using only the bottom vents. With the water pan full and burning using the minion method, it is actually pretty hard to screw up the temps. The smoker just naturally wants to stay at 225-250 with the bottom vents only about 1/3 open or less. There is no real fiddling. Just check once an hour or so and adjust as necessary.

 

[Art A]

I cook on 2 WSM 22's. Each one cooks slightly different from the other. It's like they have their own personalities. I'm sure this is due to the amount of air leaks each has. But, the leaks are consistent with each cooker and I'm used to them. It's about knowing your equipment. All WSM's have them, some worse than others. I am by no means an "Expert". All I know is what works for me. The only time I adjust the exhaust vent is when I'm cooking with my stoker, going below 200 degrees (for jerky or whatever), or shuttin' her down. Other than that, I have absolutely no problem leaving the exhaust fully open and putting her dead on 225, 250, 275, or whatever I want....by making subtle adjustments with my bottom vents. That's my $00.02.... Happy smoking.... :-D

 

[Roguejim]

I cook on 2 WSM 22's. Each one cooks slightly different from the other. It's like they have their own personalities. I'm sure this is due to the amount of air leaks each has. But, the leaks are consistent with each cooker and I'm used to them. It's about knowing your equipment. All WSM's have them, some worse than others. I am by no means an "Expert". All I know is what works for me. The only time I adjust the exhaust vent is when I'm cooking with my stoker, going below 200 degrees (for jerky or whatever), or shuttin' her down. Other than that, I have absolutely no problem leaving the exhaust fully open and putting her dead on 225, 250, 275, or whatever I want....by making subtle adjustments with my bottom vents. That's my $00.02.... Happy smoking.... :-D

Do you make these subtle adjustments throughout the cook, or just once or twice to get it to settle in at the start?

 

[Skip]

This is according to Harry Soo. Contrary to just about everything I've heard here about vent adjustments on a WSM, or any smoker for that matter. I hear Harry is rather familiar with WSMs.:shock:

""Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It’s the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using “clean” smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM."

http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2014/03/fire-control-and-seasoning-a-new-weber-smokey-mountain-pit/

I think he is just trying to get the new cooks to cook bad so he can stay on top. 99.9% of all WSM cooks will tell you closing the exhaust is the best way to ruin a good fire. The only thing I can think of is he doesn't run a minion method on his charcoal and always has gray coals to minimize sooty black coals from gassing off when he dampers down. Maybe California judges like creosote soaked meat. Maybe that's what they considered smoked food lol.

 

[Fwismoker]

Do you make these subtle adjustments throughout the cook, or just once or twice to get it to settle in at the start?

I'll let Art give his answer but i'll tell you that you ALWAYS have to make minor adjustments before your fire settles in and after the fire settles in on any similar vertical cooker.

Most after the fire settles in are few and far between. Building a good minion style burn is the key to how few adjustments you have to make.

 

[Skip]

Do you make these subtle adjustments throughout the cook, or just once or twice to get it to settle in at the start?

You start by opening everything up fully and placing 6 or 7 hot coals on top of the stack or starting a single burn point with a torch. I use the dome thermometer to figure when to adjust. Most are fairly close in reading although not perfect. I find when the temp hits the black square (I think its 200 degrees) I close down all three bottom vents to a slight crescent. it levels at 225. From there you can adjust the openings to fit your temperature need. Sometimes coals will fire up quickly and push the temp up and visa versa pushing it down. So you do have to watch somewhat but I have had very little of that using KBB. The cookers are made for KBB it seems. I have let an 18.5 go 12 hours on one fuel load without any appreciable spikes or ebbs in the temp with a small amount of fuel to spare.

 

[Roguejim]

I think he is just trying to get the new cooks to cook bad so he can stay on top. 99.9% of all WSM cooks will tell you closing the exhaust is the best way to ruin a good fire. The only thing I can think of is he doesn't run a minion method on his charcoal and always has gray coals to minimize sooty black coals from gassing off when he dampers down. Maybe California judges like creosote soaked meat. Maybe that's what they considered smoked food lol.

You're joking with the conspiracy theory, no?
Harry uses the Minion.

 

[Saiko]

I don't have a problem with Harry's statement at all. As long as you have achieved "sweet blue" and everything has settled down, I don't have an issue with using the top vents along with the bottom vents to hold temp. I use an old IQ110 and if I recall correctly they also recommend keeping the top vent of the WSM only 1/4 open.

When I personally use the WSM/IQ110, I always keep the top vent 100% open until the white smoke is gone, and then close it down to 1/4 open. The only exception is when I am doing hot and fast and and raising the temp from 225 up to 300+. I open the top vents vents then for a couple of reasons: It takes the IQ110 forever to achieve high temps if the top vent isn't completely open, and there is a lot of "bad smoke" while the fan is pumping air into the charcoal bed and more of the charcoal is starting to heat up. After that it depends on how much trouble the IQ110 is having holding the high temp.

Now with a wood fire, I would always keep the exhaust vent 100% open, but that is a different story.

 

[RevZiLLa]

It kind of depends on the combustion needs of your fuel. A stick burner needs more oxygen to feed flame combustion than a charcoal unit does because the charcoal is not aflame. Gas units need just a little oxygen and electric units need even less.

Electric units regulate beautifully from the top. You have to figure out how much wood to add to get the right flavor. Not too much

 

[Roguejim]

Harry was talking about a WSM without blowers, natural aspiration, as he put it.