From 18.5 to 22.5 - Trouble holding low temp without water in the pan.


 

JoeR

TVWBB Member
As the title says, upgraded in size primarily to avoid having to get creative in fitting what I want on the smoker. Having a very hard time keeping the temp from getting away from me though. Working with a terra cotta disc replacing the water pan. Right from the start, can't get anywhere near 250 with two closed vents at the bottom, third has the flame boss, top vent about 2/3 closed. I've experimented with bricks in the middle, "fuse" style charcoal layout, but its still running hot and my goal is to get some snooze on an overnight cook.
So I went with the cajun door everybody talks about, nah. Worse fit than the stock one. So I bent it up a lot by hand & added a gasket, still leaks but think its ok now. Ton of smoke still comes out where the lid meets the mid section.
So I added gasket there. Better, but still runs really hot. I can add a gasket at the bottom section too, but this is getting a bit silly. Am I on the wrong track, & the 22 can't be run dry? Do I need to close the top entirely? Is the 22 a completely different animal than the 18?
Happy to entertain ideas & opinions.
 
How many lit coals do you start with? Whatever amount that is, have you tried a lesser quantity? Can you maintain 250 without the Flame Boss? Do you choke the intake where the FB is, assuming it has a means of doing so? If you can do 250 without the controller, are you turning it on too soon? In other words, perhaps you should wait until you reach 250--or near that temp--and then start the controller.
 
I've tried starting with just a handful of coals, gives a slow start but eventually runs away. At 225 the flame boss shuts off, but the temp keeps rising. The flame boss holds one vent open and doesn't have a flapper, so when the fan shuts off I've got one bottom vent open. Haven't tried shutting the top yet, might have to.
 
If 225 is your target you might consider not turning on the controller until you manually reach that temp.
 
I would most certainly follow Mr Fletcher's suggestion. But I would add that you take a close look at the flavoring wood you are using. If the wood is somewhat dry and you placed it directly on top the coals, it will flame and drive up the temperature something mad. Try burying the wood chunks in the unlit pile of charcoal so that only part of the very top of the smoking wood is visible.

Also, review where you are placing the Fire Boss pit probe...
 
Why do you want to cook at 225 ?

IMO, ya get better smoke from charcoal / chunk barbecue , if you cook at higher temps, like 275. The wood burns cleaner.

IDK of many people these days, who still cook at 225 or even lower than 250.
 

 

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