Trouble Maintaining 250F+ in WSM 18


 
T

TJStanley

New member
Hi All,

about 10 cooks in now and enjoying my WSM. One of the issues I’ve been having is maintaining 250+ degrees Fahrenheit on it. I’m using a digital thermometer in the grommet to read temps but it’s different than what the dial says at the top. For example, if the digital thermometer says 240F the dial will read just about 250F. I’ve never been able to get my WSM to 275F let alone be able to hold that temperature.

I’ve been using a 50/50 mixture of Kingsford briquettes and royal oak lump charcoal, sometimes I use either or. I fill the fire ring about 3/4 full and light it using the minion method.

Usually once it gets going I’m able to hold temps between 225F-245F for the duration of the cook. I’ve noticed it holds certain temps for around 10-20mins and slight movements to the WSM unit itself or opening the door or lid will affect the temp by up to 15 degrees.

I usually leave all the vents open but sometimes when it gets above 240 I will dial down all of vents on the bottom to just cracked open with the top vent fully open.

I’m wondering if anyone has any ideas on what’s preventing me from holding higher temps. Is it the charcoal? I’ve heard Jealous Devil charcoal can burn quite hot and for a long time too.
 
Typically you should be able to increase the temps by adjusting the dampers. (Top one should always remain open and just use the bottom three.)
You should know that the stock temperature gauge on the WSM is almost always off in some capacity. A question:

Are you using a water pan with water in it? This will bring your temps down to keep you with that ideal smoking temp of 225-250 F. Also, is your water hot when you’re adding it to the pan? (If you’re not using water, disregard.)

Have you considered a multi-probe thermometer? You can measure the temps at the grate while monitoring the inner temps of your meat(s). Sticking a digital thermometer in the side grommet is fine, but with a mix of lump and briquettes, your temps might fluctuate. Which leads me to my last point.

Jealous Devil is awesome stuff. You can definitely smoke with it, but be aware- the pieces vary in size and density and could cause heat spikes in your smoke. Unlike briquettes that are uniform in size and burn evenly. Is it possible the lump pieces of Royal Oak are too small or burning up too quickly?
 
Are you inserting the air probe in the side of the grommet or are you running a probe through the grommet and clipping the air probe to one of the gates?

If you insert the probe just through the grommet you will be measuring the hot air as it flows up the sidewalls of the WSM. I have been experimenting with this and I find measuring through the side runs much hotter than when the probe is clipped to a grate near the meat (especially early on). The side measurement has more variability as well. If a piece if wood catches on fire (or goes out) the temperature seems to fluctuate a lot.

I suggest you try measuring at the grate level and compare to what I think you are doing just to see. Ultimately I doubt it's really going to make much difference. You'll get used to a certain method and go with that.
 
Another issue is the wind. I used a folding table and turned it on it's side to make a temporary wind break. My last cook I could not get a steady temperature until I did this.
 
TJ, I’d try a cook without the water pan and see if that helps get your temps up. During cold weather I can’t get enough air in my WSM to maintain a good temp, so I burp the lid a little to increase the airflow.,
 
I wish I had your problem. My WSM likes to run hotter than I want. Maybe you should try starting with more lit charcoal. With minion method it's a big dangerous to have the lid off too long. That increased amount of oxygen will cause a massive temp spike if you aren't careful.
 
I believe that each WSM has its own 'sweet spot' where it likes to run. For mine that is about 250 degrees. I can get it above or below that, with extra effort. I have found that most of the things I smoke work well in that sweet spot. Just keep smoking and getting better acquainted with the personality of your WSM.
 
To get higher temps you need more air. To hit higher temps I lay a metal skewer between the mid section and lid creating a gap. Basically, it creates a larger chimney so it pulls more air in the bottom vents as the heat and smoke escapes.
 
I think you are running too cool because you're over-concerned about an overshoot. And thus choking down the fire too much. So...

Use all briqs and no lump. Fill the ring completely. Make a donut by removing 50-60 briqs. Light those briqs in a chimney (should be half full or slightly more). Dry pan. Let the cooker run with all vents 100% open until it hits 300F.

Then add your meat -- which will drop the temps a bit. Wait. Then slooooooowly dial back the vents. Close one vent and leave two open. Wait. If needed, then close a second vent. Wait. It will be plenty hot -- maybe too hot.

P.S. Measure in the center of the grate. Measuring via the side grommet and lid are less reliable.
 
Bradley Mack said:
Typically you should be able to increase the temps by adjusting the dampers. (Top one should always remain open and just use the bottom three.)
You should know that the stock temperature gauge on the WSM is almost always off in some capacity. A question:

Are you using a water pan with water in it? This will bring your temps down to keep you with that ideal smoking temp of 225-250 F. Also, is your water hot when you’re adding it to the pan? (If you’re not using water, disregard.)

Have you considered a multi-probe thermometer? You can measure the temps at the grate while monitoring the inner temps of your meat(s). Sticking a digital thermometer in the side grommet is fine, but with a mix of lump and briquettes, your temps might fluctuate. Which leads me to my last point.

Jealous Devil is awesome stuff. You can definitely smoke with it, but be aware- the pieces vary in size and density and could cause heat spikes in your smoke. Unlike briquettes that are uniform in size and burn evenly. Is it possible the lump pieces of Royal Oak are too small or burning up too quickly?
Click to expand...
So basically you're saying if I go with Jealous Devil XL pillow briquettes I'd be making a really good choice.. hehe.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
I think you are running too cool because you're over-concerned about an overshoot. And thus choking down the fire too much. So...

Use all briqs and no lump. Fill the ring completely. Make a donut by removing 50-60 briqs. Light those briqs in a chimney (should be half full or slightly more). Dry pan. Let the cooker run with all vents 100% open until it hits 300F.

Then add your meat -- which will drop the temps a bit. Wait. Then slooooooowly dial back the vents. Close one vent and leave two open. Wait. If needed, then close a second vent. Wait. It will be plenty hot -- maybe too hot.

P.S. Measure in the center of the grate. Measuring via the side grommet and lid are less reliable.
Click to expand...
Trust me, I'd be happy to see an overshoot at this point. Highest temp I measured on the dial or the digital thermo was 267F. I have still yet to see 275F.

And I do use a water pan, albeit cold water from my garden hose usually. I tried a dry pan one time and the smell the dripping fat made when it fell onto the pan was just terrible. I don't know if I could do that again.


That being said I'll try these methods you've recommended for the vents. I'll just pack the fire ring with briquettes to the nines next time.
 
using a fullish water pan will regulate your temperature around 250, in my experience.

you may test using less quantity of water with more frequent top offs or something else to catch your drippings.

a foiled pan can be used to create an air gap that reduces some of the instant grease vaporization.
 
Agree with Andy.

It is basically impossible to exceed 275F with a full water pan. Even with all vents fully open.

Since you are closing some vents AND using a full pan of cold water...yeah you are going to run cooler than 275F. Simple as that.
 
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for this very reason is why I am considering putting another exhaust vent in my 18.5, 250- 275 is the norm... If I want higher temps then I prop the door open by 1/4" ....my sections and door dont leak alot of smoke, if any after lots of cooks and carbon build up in the cracks
 
So I fired up the WSM using tips you guys gave me here for a beercan chicken today.

kingsford blue briquettes, no water in the water pan and covered the top of the pan with foil.

well, I got the WSM hot…. A little too hot. Temp was holding nice and steady and after I opened the lid one too many times the firebox caught a draft and was off to the races. Temp kept climbing and climbing up past 360F. Something seemed off so I took the top off it and some of the cherry wood chunks had completely caught fire. Tried closing all the lids top and bottom but it was still getting hotter so I took the top off and just doused the fire ring in water.. enough to get it to hold steady again around 225F which is where it’s still at now for the past hour or so.

But man oh man, whoever said these WSMs are just set it and forget it must’ve never used one before. Cause they require a lot of attention.

I was seriously thinking about getting a temp controller for my WSM but after today this thing is definitely a fire hazard if left unattended too long and I don’t trust leaving it alone without at least 5-10 minute checkups.

it seems that the steadiest I’ve been able to keep it is with a nearly full water pan just as Weber intends it to be (which I guess is a good thing since I want to try and do a brisket on it and that don’t need more than 205F).

I will also add that there were wind gusts up to 45mph today where I live, not sure if that’s enough to set this off but there were miny twisters in the back alley of my place with how windy it was.
 
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TJStanley said:
So I fired up the WSM using tips you guys gave me here for a beercan chicken today.

kingsford blue briquettes, no water in the water pan and covered the top of the pan with foil.

well, I got the WSM hot…. A little too hot. Temp was holding nice and steady and after I opened the lid one too many times the firebox caught a draft and was off to the races. Temp kept climbing and climbing up past 360F. Something seemed off so I took the top off it and some of the cherry wood chunks had completely caught fire. Tried closing all the lids top and bottom but it was still getting hotter so I took the top off and just doused the fire ring in water.. enough to get it to hold steady again around 225F which is where it’s still at now for the past hour or so.

But man oh man, whoever said these WSMs are just set it and forget it must’ve never used one before. Cause they require a lot of attention.

I was seriously thinking about getting a temp controller for my WSM but after today this thing is definitely a fire hazard if left unattended too long and I don’t trust leaving it alone without at least 5-10 minute checkups.

it seems that the steadiest I’ve been able to keep it is with a nearly full water pan just as Weber intends it to be (which I guess is a good thing since I want to try and do a brisket on it and that don’t need more than 205F).

I will also add that there were wind gusts up to 45mph today where I live, not sure if that’s enough to set this off but there were miny twisters in the back alley of my place with how windy it was.
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high winds plus taking the lid off = high smoker temps, once you learn how to control the temp through vent adjustment the wsm is set it and forget it...if you have any gaps in the cooker sections can cause temp spikes as well, if you build a fire and close all the vents down but the fire isnt dead within an hour you have a leak somewhere
 
You are learning.

You now know what makes the cooker run very low. And what makes it run very hot. And that high winds can really mess with the cooker.

Next step is to get the cooker to run constant somewhere in between. So just turn the dials to about 5 rather than 1 or 11.

I really like my ATC, but it totally is not necessary. Just like how I can drive my car on the highway at 75 mph using my foot. But for a long trip, the cruise control is nice to have.

WSM really is designed to run sideways for hours on end with minimal attention. Most of us on here are able (assuming no wind or other crazy weather) to easily sleep through overnight cooks without a China syndrome or dead fire. I do sleep better though with my ATC hooked up.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
You are learning.

You now know what makes the cooker run very low. And what makes it run very hot. And that high winds can really mess with the cooker.

Next step is to get the cooker to run constant somewhere in between. So just turn the dials to about 5 rather than 1 or 11.

I really like my ATC, but it totally is not necessary. Just like how I can drive my car on the highway at 75 mph using my foot. But for a long trip, the cruise control is nice to have.

WSM really is designed to run sideways for hours on end with minimal attention. Most of us on here are able (assuming no wind or other crazy weather) to easily sleep through overnight cooks without a China syndrome or dead fire. I do sleep better though with my ATC hooked up.
Click to expand...

thanks for the reply. I live in quite a Windy City so that’s where I’m getting the whole “the WSM isn’t a set and forget smoker” since the wind here can really mess with a cook.

I’ve been thinking about getting a FlameBoss 400 temp controller but I have a question about temp controllers in general. My question would be how they actually go about decreasing the temp. Is this accomplished by the fan spinning in reverse and drawing oxygen out of the fire? To me that’s the only thing that makes sense aside from just stopping spinning which is also a potential way to decrease temp with controller.
 
Not how it works. The fan blows (either by pulsing or variable speed) to maintain/boost the temp. When it gets too hot, the fan stops and the temp gradually comes down.**

The thing you are missing is that, when you use an ATC, the overall airflow is much much more tightly controlled than when running manual. To use the Billows ATC on my 18 WSM, you completely close down 8 of the 9 bottom vents, and you close the top vent down to like 1/8th open. The fan goes into and completely covers the 9th vent hole.

The fan will generally stop when the temp is just a few degrees above the target. Without the fan blowing, there is very little new oxygen going into the cooker. So the temp quickly stops rising and starts to decline. When the temp gets a few degrees below target, the fan comes back. Rinse and repeat.

Using an ATC is not a complete cure for wind problems. But it helps a lot, because so many of the entry points are closed down from wind effects. Out here in the mountain west (like you), even with an ATC I still need some kind of wind break when it is howling.

**There are a few cookers out there that use a cooling fan. But that is typically used as a shut down mechanism or for the few charcoal grills that boast the ability to go rapidly between very high and very low temps (e.g. Spark Grill).
 
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TJ....
It is said that if you can not control your pit manually, you will not be able to control it with an atc. Whatever is creating your manual out of control needs to be corrected.

If I may, I would suggest you get the wind issue under control first.

Create a wind block. There are multiple posts on this site regarding such a device....
 
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