HELP!!! First smoke, temps out of whack!


 
A

Allen S.

TVWBB Member
OK...I got home this morning from the road at 3am, fired up a cigar and then commenced to fire up the new WSM that I got THIS MORNING! Got the RO lump in there, made a hole for my K briquetes that I started in the chimney, put in some Cherry chunks (about 4) and poured the coals in when they were white hot. Put water in the pan and put the racks and lids on. Temp started rising and when it got to about 240, I closed the vents down but it just kept going UP! Hit 250 then up to 275 and stayed there. Closed the vents all the way down except the top one and it's just not coming down. How can i get the temp down on this thing? Got a fatty in there just to have something to smoke.

Its holding steady at 275 (on the lid thermometer - didn't hook up the mavericks). All vents closed...what do I do to get this temp down?

Thanks!
 
Keep the water pan full, cold water.
Keep the vents closed and wait.
Remeber that WSM will take it's time after any adjustement.

Recommend to start closing the vent's to 30% open around 200F already to get steady 225-250F or so.

Also, brand new WSM will run hotter than used one with gunk inside the device from earlier cooks..

These just few advices to start with.

read this as well:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/tempcontrol.html
 
OK...Im just gonna let t roll and keep the water pan full of cold water...just a fatty on there, if it isn't good, who cares?
 
It just might be that your fatty will turn out to be OK
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
Some ideas for temperature control.

Start closing vents down when the temps get to about 200. Don't wait until it gets to 225-250 before starting to close it down. There's some serious lag time between vent adjustments and temperature change.

Are the WSM seams/door leaking a lot? Those air leaks can tend to 'water-down' the vent adjustments.

Remove some of the fuel? A new WSM can run a tad hot until it gets a 'layer' on it.

Next to last ditch effort is to start closing down the top vent if the the bottom vents aren't getting it done. Watch temps carefully as they will start to drop pretty quickly as you are actually putting the fire out.

The very last ditch effort is to give the outside of the WSM a small spritz of water to help suck out some of the heat. It needs to be a fine mist and only a little bit. It should evaporate immedately and not run down into the seams. Again, completely last ditch effort.

Russ
 
275 is not a problem. But I understand that you want to be able to control it.

Antti is right: if you want a lower cooktemp you have to start closing vents much sooner. The WSM usually settles 25-40 degrees higher than the pint you started closing them. If you waited till 240 it worked like it usually does.
 
If you want to run low temps, my advice would be to add less hot coals and to add them only in one spot at the side of the coal ring. That way the fire is low to begin with and spreads slowly. That along with all the other advice above and you should be cool.

Mark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top