temp zones


 
T

Troy B

New member
Howdy,

I have been using the WSM for about 5 years now and I love it. I also have to give this website and its contributors a huge amount of credit for helping me on my way.

I originally used a previous model of the 18.5" without a dome thermometer. I used a maverick et-73? to monitor the meat and the smoker temp at the top grill level.

I was given a newer model smoker with the thermometer. I am consistently seeing that the temp at the dome height is 20 degrees less then my probe temp at the top grill level. I can understand that zones would have different temp.

However, my question is "what would the temp be at the lower grill level consistently, if I use my probe at the upper grill level?" Would it always be hotter (closer to the fire) or cooler (closer to the heat sink of the waterpan)?

Thanks,
Troy
 
I've only cooked on the lower grate with water and found the temp to be lower. I think it may be hotter if you don't use water. That will get you thinking until an experienced Q meister gives a better answer.
 
Regarding temp zones, first think of an empty cooker. The highest temp is gonna be around the outside of the bottom grate between the cooker wall and the edge of the water pan. The lowest temp is going to be at grate center, bottom rack. That's obvious, but think of what it would be like to measure temps at different points in vertical spots above those two locations. The higher you go up the cooker wall, the temp falls. The higher you go above the center of the bottom grate, the temp rises some as it mixes with the higher temps. It's gonna be different right at the top of the dome though...higher at the dome vent for sure, but opposite that where a gauge would be the temp measurement is outside the stream of circulation so it's a little cooler there.

The thing is though, meat on the bottom grate is gonna affect the temp on the top grate. It's uncanny how many times butts of about the same size are done at the same time on seperate grates, and this is why. Although the bottom grate center is cooler above the water, the meat cooking there is a heat sink for meat on the top rack. This might not be as much a factor with smaller cuts, but it is at least if you use larger cuts like 8-9lb butts and 12 lb briskets.

Since you have an 18.5" and the grate is often crowded with meat, you might try a therm in the dome vent so you're measuring in the stream of circulation. (I've got an '09 wsm, but the OE gauge is an ornament.)

Regarding what's gonna get done first though and where, I generally just stick my therm probe in the smallest butt, for instance, and that's probably gonna be on the top grate by another butt. A third butt will be on the bottom grate and a little larger, and it'll take a little longer since the two on the top rack are crowding the grate and soaking up a good bit of the outer heat zone.

If not using water though, meat on the bottom grate cooks faster, 10* or so, although a clay pot base in the pan should about even it out from what I hear.
 
Thanks for the detailed info guys. I plan on still using the independent probes for my cooks, but it was odd to suddenly have a dome temp that was so different than what I was used to seeing on my probes.

Thanks,
Troy
 
ThankYOU, Rick. My observations are probably pretty close to Chris': http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/temptest.html

Of course, he's an engineer. Me...not quite.
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