Stable Temps


 
Marty W

Marty W

TVWBB Member
One of the reasons I purchased a WSM was for the supposed temp stability. I have now cooked on my new one 3 times and I am constantly chasing the temps. They will start to trend down so I will go out and make an adjustment. The temp will recover and I think it is going to stabilize but it will eventually climb higher then I want. So I go make another adjustment and down the temps go. It is a frustrating ordeal. Is this just a thing with it being so new? I don't think I am making the adjustments to quickly but maybe I am. For example, on my last butt I wanted to run right around 250 +- 10 degrees but I wouldn't make an adjustment until it was +- 20. My concern is if I try to do an overnight cook the temp will either spike up or down on me. The first two cooks were with a full water pan and this last one was with a foil wrapped empty water pan. I am using KBB as a fuel and start with a full charcoal ring and 12/13 lite to start it off in the center.
 
They do drift sometimes, for many reasons, but I generally have a pretty easy time getting it stabilized at my target temperature.

I use a foiled clay flower pot base in a foiled water pan now, I find it easier to control the temperature than using water.

I start with a full charcoal ring, with my wood chunks mixed in. I start my burn with a high output propane torch, in a couple of places, and let the cooker come up to temperature slowly.

Make adjustments to your vents in small increments and wait a bit between adjustments.

Good luck,

Bob
 
When you adjust the vents are you changing all 3 or just one? Bob's right about small adjustments. I'll just change one vent at a time. Sounds like you are over adjusting.
+/- 25 of your target @250 wouldn't make too much of a difference in the finished product. It will just change the cook time. Have you tried just kicking the bottom to get some of the ashes off the coals when the temp drops instead of adjusting vents? I have noticed that on K vs lump charcoal.


FYI I don't think I got the temp control down until cook 5 or so when the WSM got good and seasoned.
 
Things will get better with a few more cooks. I find I like to either only start with two open, or if I do start with 3, will shut one down around 200, then start adjusting the other two to around half at 225, they work my way to having only one cracked the closer I get to my target.
 
Thanks guys for the suggestions. I have been dumping the lite coals in the middle and I have all three vents open. I assembly the cooker and let it come up to about 235 when I am shooting for 250. I then completely close 2 of the vents and the third one about 50%. Then when I get close to the target temp of 250 I close the third down to about 25% open. It seems to settle in around 250-260. I let it sit there for a while and put on whatever I am cooking. That is when the trouble starts with the temps climbing and falling. I understand it will drop some because of the cold meat but it appears to recover pretty quickly but it just continues to climb. That is when I get in the problem of chasing the temps. When I make the adjustments it don't move it very much maybe a 1/4 to 1/8". Should I be tweaking the top vent as well?
 
Top vent stay wide open. Try adjusting vents sooner. If you are already up to 235 the coals are pretty hot since it takes are lot of heat to get the smoker up to that temp with water.
 
I generally only use one bottom vent,and I line the top vent up so that it's directly across from the bottom vent I'm using. Just using one bottom vent works for me and makes it a bit simpler.
 
Might be interesting to try a little experiment to rule out possible issues. When the temperature takes off, take a look at your wood chunks to see if any are flaming. At the end of the cook, with all vents closed, how long does it take to put out the coals.
 
Tom_M said:
I generally only use one bottom vent,and I line the top vent up so that it's directly across from the bottom vent I'm using. Just using one bottom vent works for me and makes it a bit simpler.
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I did my last cook. I found that I could control everything off of 1 bottom vent. I didnt line the vents up though. Top vent was wide open the whole time, and I had one bottom vent open about 1/3rd. It held between 220 and 235 most of the cook. 252 was the highest it got and it fell to 201 at one point. After a tap on the side to knock some ash off the coals, it settled back in at temp. My total cook time was 15 1/2 hours for an almost 9lb butt. I use a waterpan foiled and filled about half full of sand. This method works great for me!

Good luck!
 
After my first couple of cooks in my new WSM, I noticed I was chasing temps a little bit too - not as much as you appear to be experiencing, though. What I found out was a couple of things that worked well for me.
1. Check your access door. Mine was really "flat" rather than rounded to fit the contour of the smoker. I just bent it a little by hand and it seals much better now.
2. I keep my access door on the leeward side of the wind when I set up. Not having that ginormous relatively leaky opening facing into the wind seems to contribute to more stable temps. I also keep the top vent away from the windward side, and will turn it into the wind periodically to help stablize temps.

These seem to work for me. I cooked last weekend and once it settled in at 235, it made no difference what I did, it stayed there.
 
Cooked on my new 18.5 WSM this weekend twice and had no issues with temps. If you're waiting to 235 to start adjusting the bottom vents, you're going to have a hard time IMO. Start adjusting the bottom vents at around 200 and you'll find it much easier I think.

My first cook was a test run Saturday afternoon in which I cooked some chicken quarters. Went on the high side and smoked them at 260-270 with no problems. Then that night I was able to hold a steady 245 temp from 11PM til I woke up at 7 the next morning. I was wanting to shoot for a tad lower than 245 but was happy with the end product.
 
I found that having some rule like once you change a vent, don't even look at it for 20 minutes is very helpful. You definitely shouldn't be touching the temps more often than that.

And definitely agreed that you want to start closing things down about 50 degrees from target. If you overshoot it's hard to get it back down. Much better to end up low than high.
 
Not sure if this helps but I had a 22.5 for a short period of time, 5 cooks. I used the water pan and filled it. It takes a lot of energy to bring three gallons of water up to temp. I started with hot water. I found by the time I was approaching temps I had a lot of coals burning down there and slowing it down was difficult. I could never seem to get below 260. I used a lot of fuel too. I would start with less water or as others have done use another heat sink like a clay saucer or sand or just foil the water pan that way temps come up a little easier and you can start shutting down sooner. Some members on here complain about not being able to snuff out the 22.5. That's a big door on these units and if it does not fit correctly it will contribute a lot of air to the fire.
 
You can check all of the things mentioned (and you should) but don't be surprised if nothing helps. I had the same problem when I first started cooking on my WSM. I don't know what changed - I don't think I did anything - but now it will hold temps rock solid for well over 10 hours. I do just what you said you do - start with all vents open and then fully shut down two and control temp with one. I do hold about 250 with one vent about 3/4 open so with yours only 1/4 open, your WSM may be a little loose. Do whatever you can to tighten up the door and make sure there are no bad air leaks and I bet you'll do better after a couple more cooks.

Question - when you close all the vents, does the fire go out pretty quickly? If so, you don't have a bad air leak. Some wsm's leak so bad at first that their owners can shut all the vents and the fire never goes out.
 
Jerry N. said:
... Question - when you close all the vents, does the fire go out pretty quickly? If so, you don't have a bad air leak. Some wsm's leak so bad at first that their owners can shut all the vents and the fire never goes out.
Click to expand...

Wonder how Marty's cooks (and tests) are doing...

Jerry, that is exactly the issue I had initially. Way out of round conditions causing major air leaks. (and Yes, wood chunks do flame very well under those conditions) Tried 'reforming' without much success. Ended up using the nomex gaskets. Even gasketed some leaks at the stoker fan & adapter. Has been a joy to use ever since!

I'm up for a 'Cool To The Touch' challenge. Any takers ? :wsm:

Bob
 
Hey Bob I haven't had a chance to use the WSM again. Planning on a rib cook this weekend. My coals do go out rather quickly when I shut all the vents so I don't think I have a major air leak. Someone suggested putting a light inside at night and that will help identify where you are leaking bad. Maybe I am not waiting long enough to stabilize after an adjustment. Maybe I am shooting for to narrow of window. I am thinking the WSM will stay +/- 10 degrees of my desired cook temp. Maybe its just my inexperience with the WSM. I will report back after my rib cook this weekend.
 
Marty W said:
Hey Bob I haven't had a chance to use the WSM again. Planning on a rib cook this weekend. My coals do go out rather quickly when I shut all the vents so I don't think I have a major air leak. Someone suggested putting a light inside at night and that will help identify where you are leaking bad. Maybe I am not waiting long enough to stabilize after an adjustment. Maybe I am shooting for to narrow of window. I am thinking the WSM will stay +/- 10 degrees of my desired cook temp. Maybe its just my inexperience with the WSM. I will report back after my rib cook this weekend.
Click to expand...

That +-10 degrees is asking for too much..and more than many indoor ovens. You will need an ATC to get that kind of assurance. As your smoke wood lights there may be a temp spike.

The WSM will flucuate.. I target 275 as my cooking temp for most foods (higher for chicken) and +- 25 degrees variance before making any adjustments. That way if it gets to 300 or 250 ... no problem those temps aren't going to hurt anything.

Also when you get a chance, evaluate the temperature variances of your indoor oven. You will be surprised to also see variances of 10-30 or more degrees.
 
Hi Marty. I think you are getting your temps up too quickly. I have the same trouble as you if I'm impatient and start with too many lit coals. Start with 6-8 with all vents open. It'll take longer to climb of course... Close all bottom vents when 40 F shy of target temp. If temps start to drop, crack one of the bottom vents a bit and see if that does it. Adjust accordingly. It should be an easier, and ultimately quicker fix to stablize temps. BTW, I use a foil-wrapped terrcotta flower pot base, no water. Let us know if it helps you out. Best of luck.
 
Two cooks ago I ran 275 and snuffed out when done in an hour. First time for that. Last cook I had a had time keeping temps below 285 with all being equal. And was hard to snuff out. Only think I can attribute this two was a slight breeze entering in top vent. I like the light idea to check the door gap
 
Marty,
Sounds like you're on the right track. That light test sounds excellent. Great idea.
Best of luck in this coming weekend's cook.

btw, we do expect pictures and, of course, samples ;)

Bob
 
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