Smokey Joe Platinum issues


 
Peter McNeill

Peter McNeill

New member
I hope someone can offer a tip for me. I have a Weber Smokey Joe Platinum. My wife and I bought it at a yard sale in 1998 for $15!

We really like using it, however, it doesn't seem to stay hot for very long at all. I fill my charcoal chimney until it's almost overflowing. It's white and ashed over before I dump it into my kettle. I usually have enough heat for a few hot dogs or maybe a steak but it really seems to cool off and doesn't not retain heat for very long at all. I heard some comments about the vents being on the sides, and this results in the loss of heat. Or more to the point, the coals never really get that hot to begin with. Does anybody have any suggestions? Other than drilling holes into the bottom of it, I am kind of at a loss on what to do. Oh, while I think of it, the barbeque itself if oxidized/faded. Is there any way to get it nice and shiny black again?

I attached three pics to show the barbeque and the vents. I do notice that the vents are higher in the kettle than the charcoal is.

Thanks for any help!

Peter M
 

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Can't really offer any suggestions except to trying a different brand of charcoal. I have a SJ also but with the single bottom vent and don't have any issues with temps or times with it. I'm not familiar with your model.
Hopefully someone will have an answer for you.
 
I use Kingsford briquettes. The charcoal lights very easily in the chimney, but once I dump it into the kettle it doesn’t stay hot.
 
Steve-G said:
Dumb question (because I don't own one), but is there supposed to be a charcoal grate in the bottom to lift the charcoal off the floor?
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Nice observation Steve, sure doesn't look like there is a charcoal grate in that picture.
 
Rich Dahl said:
Nice observation Steve, sure doesn't look like there is a charcoal grate in that picture.
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Yes there is. That is an old picture before I purchased the grate. Thanks for the suggestions, I've tried just about everything. I don't think it's the charcoal I'm using. I just think it's a design flaw with this particular model. I'll keep using it but will maybe one day get a newer version. Thanks.
 
Because I am not really familiar with this model, please don't be insulted by this potentially dumb question . . .

From the 1st picture, it looks like the air vents are above the charcoal, does your charcoal grate sit above those vents?





BD
 
Bill D-NC said:
Because I am not really familiar with this model, please don't be insulted by this potentially dumb question . . .

From the 1st picture, it looks like the air vents are above the charcoal, does your charcoal grate sit above those vents?





BD
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It does not! And I think that is the design flaw. If I raise the grate higher, then the coals are too close to the grill. So it’s a lose lose situation
 
I know that design helps make it easier to pack up and leave with your grill without so much worry about hot ashes, but intuitively it doesn’t make a lot of sense. From the beginning, Weber vents were BELOW the charcoal grate where they belong to supply air flow to your fire.
 
Michael Chen said:
If you’re comfortable drilling into your Smokey Joe, you can add the bottom vent: https://www.grillparts.com/weber/weber-charcoal-grill-parts.asp?product_id=65461
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Thanks, and yes I did think of that. I would need to also have an ash catcher too, because once I drill into the bottom, then the hot ash will fall on the ground. I don't really have an issue with doing the drilling, just need to decide if I want to jimmy it or not. It's a really deep kettle, and much bigger than the Smokey Joe's that you get today. It would likely be a big improvement!
 
I have that model and there is supposed to be steel pieces on the handle that you can adjust or dampen the vents on the side with.
Mine have broken loose and don't work anymore...not sure if having those vents wide open all the time have an effect on your issue.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I have that model and there is supposed to be steel pieces on the handle that you can adjust or dampen the vents on the side with.
Mine have broken loose and don't work anymore...not sure if having those vents wide open all the time have an effect on your issue.
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Yes there are dampers on both sides. One of mine went missing so I jimmied a piece of metal for that side (you don't see it in that picture :) . I found though, that these dampers make no difference regardless whether they're open wide, half closed or completely shut. And that's because they are lower than the charcoal would ever be, so oxygen is not feeding it. I was hoping one day to try the snake method for smoking a brisket or ribs but I don't really want to do that for fear of the fire dying completely within a couple of hours.
 
There is a youtube vid out there where a guy smoked a whole packer brisket on an 18" Joe......
Lots of work but it is doable I guess.....look into that before you start making crazy decisions......
 
Peter McNeill said:
It does not! And I think that is the design flaw. If I raise the grate higher, then the coals are too close to the grill. So it’s a lose lose situation
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That's what I was thinking. It's not very effective to have the only air source above the charcoal.

If you do add holes at the bottom, an option would a Pizza Pan as an ash catcher.





BD
 
Bill D-NC said:
That's what I was thinking. It's not very effective to have the only air source above the charcoal.

If you do add holes at the bottom, an option would a Pizza Pan as an ash catcher.





BD
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I contacted Weber to ask them about it, or if they were aware of the flaw. But they don't even make it anymore, and this could be the reason why. So it's doubtful that they're going to reply to me. But who knows, maybe they'll toss in some accessories as an act of goodwill! We'll see. I wouldn't mind making the mods, but if you look at the bottom of the kettle, it's very close to the ground already, so there isn't a lot of room for a pizza pan but maybe a small insulated bowl or perhaps a ceramic pan or something like that. I'll be sure to post some pics if/when I do.
 
Let's see if I have this correct....
You've had the grill for 25 years.
You have cooked on this grill during those 25 years.
Now you're asking for an "act of goodwill" from Weber ????
 
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