Top Vent Dilemma


 
Todd Brazil

Todd Brazil

TVWBB Member
Using my DigiQ for the first time tonight to smoke a shoulder. Should I leave the top vent on the WSM wide open during the cook?
 
Thanks for the feedback Brad. The shoulder has been on since 4:00 with the top vent wide open. The DigiQ seems to be holding the 225 temp perfectly. It's like a RONCO product = set it and forget it!
 
When I used to use a Guru I had mine at ~30-40% open. Any more and it didn't work right.

Because of the forced draft one need not worry about restricting the lid vent. If you need to for your ATC to function well, feel free. If not, so be it.

I used to run the Guru's damper at 30% open. Once at temp it would cycle on for aout 1 second every 6 seconds.
 
Todd,

I use a Stoker on my 18" WSM. I've always left my top vent at 100% open unless high winds become an issue. Manufacturer suggests closing the top to 25% but I've never had an issue.
 
Using the Stoker, I set my top vent to 50% open. This ensure the blower has better control. I found that with the vent wide open ifI got a temp spike it took to long for the smoker to drop. The temp spikes were more common as well.
 
Thanks everyone. The overnight cook was a great success. I left the top vent wide open during the entire cook. The DigiQ is an incredible device. It held 225 until around 5:00 AM Sat morning when the WSM started to run out of K. I'm sad to report I had to finish the 8 lb butt in the oven. It was just way too cold (and too early) to fire up a chimney on the Perfomer. I'm already looking forward to another overnight cook with brisket this weekend!
 
Todd - glad your over nighter went well.

How long was your cook? While using my Stoker I can run 225 - 250 on a full charcoal ring started with the Minion method, for almost 20 hours.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Hunter:
Todd - glad your over nighter went well.

How long was your cook? While using my Stoker I can run 225 - 250 on a full charcoal ring started with the Minion method, for almost 20 hours. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I used the Minion method with a full ring of K and she burned for ~ 13 hours at 225. The outside temp was hovering around freezing during the night. Is there a trick to longer burn times? 20 hours would be fantastic.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Todd Brazil:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Hunter:
Todd - glad your over nighter went well.

How long was your cook? While using my Stoker I can run 225 - 250 on a full charcoal ring started with the Minion method, for almost 20 hours. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I used the Minion method with a full ring of K and she burned for ~ 13 hours at 225. The outside temp was hovering around freezing during the night. Is there a trick to longer burn times? 20 hours would be fantastic. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

A windbreak or some form of insulation will go a long way toward conserving fuel, in my experience. I did a 14-hour cook in conditions a bit warmer than yours with a BBQ Guru Smoker Jacket over my 18.5" WSM a couple weeks ago, and had enough coals left to probably go another 10 hours or more. Anything you can do to keep the cold air - especially if there's any wind at all - from stripping the heat off your cooker will extend your cook times for a given amount of coal. I've used a makeshift plywood "hut" to achieve the same result.
 
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