Water and Alternatives

Hi Mike,

A number of us have had difficulties with our WSMs maintaining even 225ºF with a full water pan and vents at 100% regardless of the fuel being used.

Mostly folks at high altitude have this complaint but ambient temp and mass of meat being cooked are factors too.

I'm in Calgary at 3500ft but it's often below 50ºF when I'm cooking overnight and I often cook with top and bottom grates full. Surely I'm not as likely as someone who lives on say the gulf coast to need the heat sink and it fact it seems a heat sink at times has made my WSM run below my desired target temp.

To offset this many of use only foil balls, sand, clay saucers and other alternatives to water in the water pan.

Some people don't use water simply to save fuel and have no concern about temp fluctations. (Why spend money turning water to steam right?)

In this context I was suprised to see a larger water pan in the 18" WSM.

Was there an awareness of this issue in the redesign, were alternatives looked at in the process?

Are there compensations to improve the situation in the new design that may not be apparent?

Do you personally use water or something else?

Sure do like the the access door improvements, water pan hang tabs and lid thermo!


Thanks

Well like you mention, it is a heat sink.

Forgive me if you have covered these, but I begin to run down my mental list.. Have you tried warm or hot water at the start? Less water? Propping open the door open? Was the food at room temp when placing it in the smoker? That large mass can soak up heat too.

Perhaps the heatshield will help a little? I'm guessing without any real data. I smoke year round when it's well below 50, but I think you are clearly seeing altitude effects.

I think what often happens is products try to meet as many needs as possible, but there are always a few that cannot be gathered in. A lot of people were asking for more water while some need less.

I have no idea if the old pan will remain available.

Keep us updated on your experriments. I'd suggest starting out with a 4hour cook with a possible solution and see how the temps maintain. Then a 6 or 8 hour cook. If you see consistency, then you can build on what is working and adding value and what is not.

Hope that helps,
-Mike

OH!! Also.. I though about this more. it sounds like a lot of standing heat and no movement.

I do not recommend taking the smoker apart once you have it up and running -ever. But if you can get in there to brush off the coals, that may help. You don't want to stir it, otherwise you'll get ash on the food. But just enough to stoke the fire a little and get surface of the coals exposed.

Also check that your vents aren't closed with ash.

(Again, my apologies if I mention things you've tried.)

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Durso:
... I do not recommend taking the smoker apart once you have it up and running -ever ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>One of the members, Bryan S I think, came up with a term for that, he called it the 'hot squat' . I've done it, it's kind of stressfull with dogs running around my feet, sandals on and stuff all over the deck, lol! I really try to avoid doing it.

Here's a good example of not being able to run at temp: the first winter I had my WSM, I did a chuck roll cook in -30F (-40ºF with windchill) just to see how it went, with a full Brinkmann pan and a Guru smoking jacket on. I had a very hard time keeping it above 200ºF at the top grate and the cook went on for some 28 hours I think. Some time later it became obvious if I was having trouble getting to temp there was no need for a heat sink, it was a hindrance.

Thanks for your suggestions. I tried many things, I even added three stock bottom and two top vents to my WSM, but ditching water was all I really needed to do to get above my usual of around 215ºF. Now I either use foil balls covered with foil to catch drippings and reduce dripping smoke, or a foil covered clay saucer pot in the water pan.



Anyway, it seems mostly people at or above 5000ft complain about this problem, and would seem the larger water pan will make things worse for them. I certainly understand though the larger water pan for those who wanted more water to reduce refilling, many (myself included) bought larger third party pans, like my Brinkmann pan that is around 2 US gal for just that reason.

It would be great if Weber could fix this in the future ... the first thing that comes to my mind is larger vents or vents from the 22 on the 18 (or alternate water pan contents/use instructions). One should still have the same great control, like those who need to keep the fire low, but better draft capability for those at altitude and who want to use water in the pan, as intended. It would also let one run the WSM hotter if desired.

yup. No water really almost has to be a standard for me (at least i much prefer it). I run w/ water often enough to use the pan, but the fuel consumption is generally horrible, and often my wsm is full throttle and purposly set in the sun, lol.