BFletcher
TVWBB Honor Circle
Fireboard must have somehow picked-up on your knowledge because they recommend when using their ATC setup to slightly open the exhaust.
Running an empty water pan
- Thread starter Rob JJ
- Start date
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
I empty the water into the compost and chuck the foil. EZ Peezy. However I do want to try getting the pizza tray to cover the water bowl to keep it clean.
Tony-Chicago
TVWBB Wizard
I worry aboit the water gettong under the foil andn bl oiling up a mess. Mt saint hellen style
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB All-Star
Always keep the top vent 100% open
That is likely your problem right there. Not the pan or the amount lit/unlit or anything else.
Top vent 100% open is SOP when running without an ATC. But that doesn't work so good when using an ATC. Or at least my ATC (Billows) on my 18 WSM. Here's the instructions for the Billows. Can't see any reason why this would not apply equally to any other blower:
"Exhaust Vent. Start with the exhaust vent ⅛ of the way open. This can be adjusted later if necessary."
When running manual, my top vent is always 100% open. When using ATC, my top vent is always 25% or less.
Sometimes I use a little bit of water, but mostly cook without. With the ATC, I use a lot of lit -- 1/2 to 3/4 chimney. No problem running steady at 250-275F with the ATC. Of the 9 holes on the bottom (3 holes times 3 wheels), 8 are completely closed. 9th hole has the blower in it. Top vent mostly shut.
The ATC seems to work better when there's plenty of lit coals to blow on. Doesn't work so well when the lit is restricted to the 10-15 coals I'd use for a manual Minion burn. The ATC (with a mostly closed top vent) is a much more controlled oxygen environment. So even with a lot of lit, you should not have to worry about an extended temp spike. If the fan doesn't blow, there's almost no oxygen. So the temp has to start dropping.
That is likely your problem right there. Not the pan or the amount lit/unlit or anything else.
Top vent 100% open is SOP when running without an ATC. But that doesn't work so good when using an ATC. Or at least my ATC (Billows) on my 18 WSM. Here's the instructions for the Billows. Can't see any reason why this would not apply equally to any other blower:
"Exhaust Vent. Start with the exhaust vent ⅛ of the way open. This can be adjusted later if necessary."
When running manual, my top vent is always 100% open. When using ATC, my top vent is always 25% or less.
Sometimes I use a little bit of water, but mostly cook without. With the ATC, I use a lot of lit -- 1/2 to 3/4 chimney. No problem running steady at 250-275F with the ATC. Of the 9 holes on the bottom (3 holes times 3 wheels), 8 are completely closed. 9th hole has the blower in it. Top vent mostly shut.
The ATC seems to work better when there's plenty of lit coals to blow on. Doesn't work so well when the lit is restricted to the 10-15 coals I'd use for a manual Minion burn. The ATC (with a mostly closed top vent) is a much more controlled oxygen environment. So even with a lot of lit, you should not have to worry about an extended temp spike. If the fan doesn't blow, there's almost no oxygen. So the temp has to start dropping.
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Mark Foreman
TVWBB Wizard
I almost always use water. The WSM is a water smoker and I find it works better that way. However, I never refill the water pan. i guess I am dabbling in both worlds.
Chad-Burnt to a T
TVWBB Super Fan
That's why I use the spent ashes in the leftover water. To each their own.
Jeff Boudman
TVWBB Wizard
Tons?
Kevin L (NKY)
TVWBB Diamond Member
I use a clay saucer wrapped with foil and no water pan. Works great easy clean up. Good heat sink also.
Bill Thompson
TVWBB Member
Here is what I found when running my cyberq and I just cover my water pan with foil. First I sealed the wsm door and lid to middle section. I start with the can method and like 3 hot briquettes. I will ramp my temp up so I don't overshoot, if it does, it's really tough to get back down. Basically start with opening all vents fully, open fan vent fully and set temp at say 150, then 200, then 215 and close bottom vents here, 225 (close fan vent to normal setting here) to start maintaining and I set mine for 235. I can do the different temp settings from the house lol. I found that the fan was pushing temp out the vent and not letting the probe see it because the fan was not stopping to let heat settle while raising a drastic amount of temperature.I always UNPLUG MY FAN anytime I'm opening the lid. Fan running with lid open really brings temp up. I also don't leave my lid off, I open lid, remove or put in grates and close. I do all my meat work on a table beside grill with bricks to hold it up.
Ryan Burke
TVWBB Fan
I have an 18.5" WSM and use the heat shield wrapped in foil and sit that on top of the water pan. Easy clean up. I also start with maybe a dozen lit coals in the center. My first few times I used my WSM I ran water and dumped it out behind my shed. Only problem is the dog would be over there every time I let him out licking the ground.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
That's why we have our compost on the other side of the fence.
EricV.
TVWBB Guru
In my opinion there are pros & cons to this highly debatable topic. Using the water is messy & it does require more fuel for the cook, however you can dial in temps fairly easily. The flip side, no water is what I have went to. I have a ceramic clay saucer in the water pan with a foiled water pan cover, see link below. In addition to this set-up I do use an ATC (Automatic Temperature Controller) which I believe is the key to proper charcoal management & maintaining temps in an almost "set it & forget it" environment.
Amazon.com : Water Pan Cover, Smoker Accessory Compatible with WSM 18/18.5" Smoker : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com : Water Pan Cover, Smoker Accessory Compatible with WSM 18/18.5" Smoker : Garden & Outdoor
www.amazon.com
I just don't find it to be that big a deal. Let the fat congeal on top of the water, skim off and place in trash, run the water down the drain, wash the pan with hot soapy water. Done and done.
Except that some of the manufacturers like ThermoWorks recommend partially closing the top vent when using their temp control device and blower. As others say, I'd start with less hot charcoal and partially close that top vent.
I'm not a fan of sand in pan. Either go with water or empty. You don't need a heat sink.
Using A Water Pan In Weber Smokers - The Virtual Weber Bullet
Using a water pan in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker: When to use it, what to put in it, and how to clean it.
www.virtualweberbullet.com
John K BBQ
TVWBB Wizard
I agree with most other members here on keeping the top vent mostly (less than 1/3 open) when using an ATC. When using a bbq guru party q (now discontinued 
) or a T-works billows, I normally light off with a small amount of charcoal* and assemble the smoker and let my ATC bring it up to temperature and stabilize for 10 or 20 minutes before adding the meat. I always run my pan dry, or use a fire dial.
*a small amount of charcoal for me means that I fill the charcoal ring, put a tumbleweed right in the middle, and light it up. After about 10 minutes, I have a small amount of charcoal, perfect to begin a low and slow cook. After about 20 minutes, I have enough coals lit to start a hot and fast style cook.
You may also want to check the size/output of your ATC's fan, and how it operates. The Party Q had a 6.5 cfm blower that ran on or off depending on the pit temperature vs set point, and, although BBQ guru said it was too small to work on a 22" WSM, it worked great on the 22" WSM in warm weather/good conditions (225, all day long, +/- 2 degrees). The party Q runs the fan continually and monitors rate of change until temperature starts ramping up pretty quick and/or approaches set point and then shuts off, and gives little puffs of air to "sneak up" on the set point.
A system with different control logic and/or an oversized blower may not work as well. My guess is a 6.5 cfm fan would be plenty ro run an 18" WSM. If the fan is much bigger than 6 cfm, I'd look for a way to restrict the fan's air intake, or the output nozzle. This is an option for the T-works billows, and is standard on most "new" bbq guru blowers.
This being said, lighting off too much charcoal, even with an ATC with the right sized blower will definitely cause one to overshoot temps;/have temperature control issues.
) or a T-works billows, I normally light off with a small amount of charcoal* and assemble the smoker and let my ATC bring it up to temperature and stabilize for 10 or 20 minutes before adding the meat. I always run my pan dry, or use a fire dial. *a small amount of charcoal for me means that I fill the charcoal ring, put a tumbleweed right in the middle, and light it up. After about 10 minutes, I have a small amount of charcoal, perfect to begin a low and slow cook. After about 20 minutes, I have enough coals lit to start a hot and fast style cook.
You may also want to check the size/output of your ATC's fan, and how it operates. The Party Q had a 6.5 cfm blower that ran on or off depending on the pit temperature vs set point, and, although BBQ guru said it was too small to work on a 22" WSM, it worked great on the 22" WSM in warm weather/good conditions (225, all day long, +/- 2 degrees). The party Q runs the fan continually and monitors rate of change until temperature starts ramping up pretty quick and/or approaches set point and then shuts off, and gives little puffs of air to "sneak up" on the set point.
A system with different control logic and/or an oversized blower may not work as well. My guess is a 6.5 cfm fan would be plenty ro run an 18" WSM. If the fan is much bigger than 6 cfm, I'd look for a way to restrict the fan's air intake, or the output nozzle. This is an option for the T-works billows, and is standard on most "new" bbq guru blowers.
This being said, lighting off too much charcoal, even with an ATC with the right sized blower will definitely cause one to overshoot temps;/have temperature control issues.