Still Having Temperature Control Problems

Newly purchased WSM 18 and currently on my third smoke. I have experienced some temperature control problems and wonder if I am not getting a good seal around the lid and door.

Should there be any amounts of smoke coming from the door and the lid?? When I say lid I mean where the lid and mid portion meet. I have small amounts of smoke coming from both the door and the lid.

I currently have all the vents closed and am running consistently at 230 degrees.

I am using today my newly purchased Maverick Red-Check meat and grate thermometer. Can the wires cause a less then perfect seal?? I have the lid pushed down as tight as it will go.

Edit: It is starting to creep up to 240 degrees. Something isn't right.

It sometimes takes a few cooks for the WSM to balance itself. It was five or six for me when the interior walls had enough buildup to remain steady. It now dials in at 250 every time.

As for the smoke coming out the door and at the lid, that is normal.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RDOwens:
It sometimes takes a few cooks for the WSM to balance itself. It was five or six for me when the interior walls had enough buildup to remain steady. It now dials in at 250 every time.

As for the smoke coming out the door and at the lid, that is normal. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks RD for the response. I wont stress about it then.

Yeah - you just need a good coating of BBQ gunk on the inside and you'll be all set!

Gives you an excuse to smoke more often - like we need excuses to do that!

Pat

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Should there be any amounts of smoke coming from the door and the lid?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This will likely continue. I've cooked on mine for many years and still get this. It absolutely does not matter. The cooker is not designed to have a perfect seal and utterly does not need one. Stable temps are quite possible without.

While it is true that some smoke around the lid and door is normal, what is not normal is that you are holding temp with all three vents closed. You do have an air leak. Personally, I would look at the door a little closer and see if you can bend it (a LITTLE) bit to seal up the leak.

Also, the lid and door smoke is normal, but it usually subsides for me pretty quickly into the smoke. Usually no smoke after about 1/2 hour (except for the top vent).

I think time (gunk build up) will help some, but make sure the middle section is seated into the bowl well and do a little work on that door and I think you'll need to open a vent to get up to and hold temp.

Does your charcoal go out if you close all four vents? If not, then for sure you have a leak.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry N.:
While it is true that some smoke around the lid and door is normal, what is not normal is that you are holding temp with all three vents closed. You do have an air leak. Personally, I would look at the door a little closer and see if you can bend it (a LITTLE) bit to seal up the leak.

Also, the lid and door smoke is normal, but it usually subsides for me pretty quickly into the smoke. Usually no smoke after about 1/2 hour (except for the top vent).

I think time (gunk build up) will help some, but make sure the middle section is seated into the bowl well and do a little work on that door and I think you'll need to open a vent to get up to and hold temp.

Does your charcoal go out if you close all four vents? If not, then for sure you have a leak. Does your charcoal go out if you close all four vents? If not, then for sure you have a leak. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No...my charcoal does not go out with all the vents closed and I can't even get a very significant drop in temp with all the vents closed.

Now, I may have not given it enough time, I believe I closed all the vents when finished and checked after about 15 minutes and there was very little temperature drop.

Edit: I just got off the phone with Weber Customer Service and told them about my temperature issues and they are sending me a new door!! Fingers crossed that this helps with the issue. I agree that having all three bottom vents closed isn't right.

Weber has good customer service, but you can easily bend the door to fit better if that is your problem.

15 minutes is a little quick for checking to see if the fire is going out with all vents closed, but after an hour, my temp is usually pretty close to the bottom of my thermometer's temp range. The real test is whether or not you have any charcoal left the next day (or did it all burn up).

Basically, fiddle with the door, push down on the middle section and get it seated and make sure there are no air gaps. You'll get there.

Nate, Good luck with the new door. Make sure that it's not the middle being out of round also. I usually will spin the top cover during the smoke for two reasons. First, The condensation on the lip of the lid will form a natural gasket so by spinning the lid it seems to even it out creating an almost airtight seam. Secondly, I try to have the Vent positioned moved throught the cook because that is where the hot air will escape and I like to even it out. I also use a Guru which Pushes the air as opposed to the natural draft. Hope this Helps.