Problem getting up to required temperature

[RScobey]

I've had a problem getting my grill temperature up to the desired temperature on my WSM the last few times I've used it.
I'm using a stoker from Rock's BBQ, the fan is working fine. I've got some slight leaking around the top and the door, but I don't feel that it is enough to be the problem. It is up to the temperature where I want it now, 325, but it took about an hour with the fan running most of the time.
I've got plenty of charcoal in it. I started it with approx 20 red hot briquettes in the middle.
I don't remember how far open the top vent should be. I started with it almost fully open, but now have it opened up about 1/2 to 1/3 of the way. All of the others are closed except for the one the fan is attached to.
Anyone else experiencing a slow run up to the desired temperature?

 

[Jerry We]

I have a WSM 18" and use a DigiQ. I cooked a whole turkey yesterday at 325 with no issues. I think the outside temperature was about 35 or 40 degrees. I dumped one full chimney of unlit Kingsford then another full chimney of scorching hot Kingsford then assembled the grill. It quickly overshot the 325 but came back down when I put the bird on. The DigiQ did its job and maintained 325 for 3 hours. Also used a Smoke for the remote receiver and both units were within 10 degrees the entire cook. Also used an empty water pan covered with foil. Bottom vents closed and top vent open about 1/4 inch.

 

[Michael Richards]

If you want to cook 275 or below 20 hot briquettes is perfect to start, if you want cook 300 or hotter go with the one unlit chimney and one lit and put your blower on and you should be good to go.

 

[Bob Bass]

... I'm using a stoker from Rock's BBQ, the fan is working fine.
... I don't remember how far open the top vent should be. I started with it almost fully open, but now have it opened up about 1/2 to 1/3 of the way.
... Anyone else experiencing a slow run up to the desired temperature?

Howdy.
Being an ex-Rock's Stoker user (since late 2011/early 2012) hopefully this helps...
From past experience, when wanting to run at higher temperatures, more lit coals do help. Found that spreading the coals on top of the unlit does help speed up the initial temperature increase. More lit coals are in contact with the unlit coals as opposed to when using the center dump method. I always kept the top vent fully open, unless there was a serious temperature overrun.
Enjoyed using the Stoker for all of these years.

In the postings above, not sure where this 'one unlit and one lit' bit of information started. It totally ignores the length of time the user may want / need to cook.

 

[Jerry We]

In the postings above, not sure where this 'one unlit and one lit' bit of information started. It totally ignores the length of time the user may want / need to cook.

Correct, I should have been more specific that my response was only for cooking a turkey at 325 for 3 hours. Every cook is different and depends on many things including the length of the cook, the outside temperature (Illinois vs. California) as well as the temperature you are going to cook at.

 

[MartinB]

If you want to cook 275 or below 20 hot briquettes is perfect to start, if you want cook 300 or hotter go with the one unlit chimney and one lit and put your blower on and you should be good to go.

Yup. ^

You can't light too many coals if you want to get over 300
If you want to hit 350 you're going to need the full chimney. What you experienced was it took an hour to light enough coals to get the temperature up to that level. Then, there's the situation where the airflow from the blower actually is cooling off the smoker, and to get the temperature up you need to cut the blower off and see where it goes to naturslly.

With an ATC, tthere is no reason to light a certain number of coals. Or use a minion method.
Light a full chimney spread it out on top.... And let the ATC and do its thing. The fire will adjust to the amount of air thats supplied..... unless you're blower drafts too much air thru when it's not running . in that case you need to investigate getting a blower/damper, so that airflow is closed off completely.

When targeting temperatures over 300 it'll be there just about instantly. it may need to cool off to get back down to your set point if it's a little bit high.

Even for temps normal cooking in the 250 to 300 range at least 3/4 chimney.