Do you use one vent or all three?


 
J

Jamie Ward

TVWBB Member
I wanted to just get a feel for what most people do to control temp.

You you use all three bottom vents an equal amount to control your pit temperatures or do you close two of them and just use one to control temp? I will assume that you all keep the top vent open 100% like I do.

Thank you!
 
I've only used mine twice and both times end up with 2 closed and one open about 1/4 of the way.It is really going to depend on how your fire is burning and as to whether or not you need to increase or decrease the temps.Where I usally use mine there is a slight breeze almost the whole time.If I may add a question to your question,when you have your WSM assembled,do you place one bottom vent opposite the lid vent or doesn't it matter?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Reed:
If I may add a question to your question,when you have your WSM assembled,do you place one bottom vent opposite the lid vent or doesn't it matter? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

For me it doesn't matter where the lid vent is. I just want to be able to see the temp. gauge on the lid. Not that I'm using only the lid temp gauge. It's just one of three that I refer to. Now others may have some thoughts on that subject. I've had my WSM for all of 24 hours now. I can't imagine it would make that much difference however.
 
By the time my WSM settles in, I only have one vent open about half way. That pretty much locks it in at about 250-275.

As for my set up, I set it up just like the pictures (old 18" - top vent in line with door in line with one bottom vent). I'm sure it doesn't make a difference in any way, but that's how I roll (I mean smoke).
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You'll probably find that your WSM works better (able to "throttle" it more effectively with the vents) once it collects a little crud on the inside and seals air leakage better.

I use all three vents and usually try to set them all approximately the same, in order to get a more even-burn of charcoal inside it. For shorter cooks, this is probably not quite as important.
 
I only have about 6-8 WSM cooks under my belt (just bought it in March). I usually use lump (which doesn't always burn as evenly as briquets) and always use the Minion Method.

I use all three bottom vents. If one is hotter than the other 2 (just based on touch), I close it a little more, if another is cooler and I need a hotter fire, I open it more. Mostly, all 3 are about the same, but if there is a strong wind (had a lot of that this Spring) the windward side is probably closed more.

Top vent is always 100% open, as you note.
 
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