Top vent


 
O

Oli P

New member
Hi,

Since it's getting cold up here (already below freezing point) I'm wondering if I partially close the top vent on my 18 WSM, if it will help to keep some heat inside?

Thanks!
 
In a word, no.
That top vent provides the, well, the vent to keep the airflow going to the fire. It comes in through the bottom vents and out through the top.
If keeping it hot is a concern, you might consider giving it some shelter from the wind.
Build a baffle or some sort of shelter, perhaps.
In more extreme cases, you can insulate the WSM. Search the forums, there are a few threads about exactly that.

Good luck!
 
To generate more heat you need more fuel to burn. You need more air , not less . Open the bottom vents more & keep the top open.
 
Oli, #1 on above. Open your door a bit for more air, look in the modification section also. I would and did add another top vent. Wrap that sucker up and keep her warm.

Mark
 
Oli add another top vent more exhaust equals more heat. Of course u are going to burn more fuel.
 
Guys, I admit I was skeptical about cracking the lid to get higher temps but boy I was wrong...
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I tried it this sunday while cooking ribs... I couldn't get higher than 215F so I tried cracking up a little bit the lid and after about 30min the temp was at 275!!
thanks guys for the tips!!
 
Look at it this way:

There are two and only two reasons why Weber put a closable vent on top:

#1. Allows you to choke-out your fire when fully closed

#2. Keeps wasps and other assorted critters from moving-in when the WSM is not in use.

In either case, it should be either 100% Open or 100% Closed
 
The number one thing to do in the winter (or any time of year for that matter) is find a way to cut down the wind. It can be well below zero and if it's not windy, you won't notice much difference in your WSM's performance. I cooked nine slabs of ribs one New Year's. I think it was about 20 degrees but it wasn't windy. The only thing I noticed to be different was that I didn't stand by the WSM and watch the thermometer as much as I do in the summer.
 
Don't feel bad about asking such a queastion. Yeah, if you do a little reading you can learn a lot about how grills and smokers work, but even a "retired automotive engineer" who "under(stood) thermodynamics" posted just a while back how his coals would die and it didn't occur to him that the top vent needed to be open.
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I can't verify it from experience because I've kept my top vent open, but I've been told that if you cut the air flow by closing or partially closing the top vent, you run the danger of producing carcinogenic creosote on your food. Carcinogenic or not, I don't like the taste of creosote. Rich
 
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