Water Getting in the Bottom Bowl of Weber 18" SMC - Where Does it Come From?


 
K

Ken Hendrix

New member
I have an 18" SMC. The original Weber cover was rather worn and after finding water in the bottom bowl of the cooker after a couple of rainstorms it was obvious the original cover was leaking so I replaced it with a new Ravenna cover from Classic Accessories. However, since replacing the original cover I am still finding water in the bottom bowl of the cooker even with the new cover. Not as much as before when the original cover was on it but there is still some water. I have made sure that the seam between the bottom bowl of the cooker and the middle section of the cooker is covered when the cover is in place so I know its not leaking in from there. I have had the SMC for a few years now and I really don't remember finding water in it previously, or if there was water before I was unaware of it. Any ideas as to where the water is coming from and how to stop this from happening?
 
Chris has an article on this under perating tips I believe. He says it is due to the cookers design and rain water getting in. A couple of recommendations he makes is to put the center section on upside down when storing it, or put a waterproof garbage bag under the cover you use which is what I do. I haven't had any problem with water getting in. Hope this helps Ken.
 
Is there any possibility of keeping it on a covered porch when not in use? Just a thought.
 
JRAiona said:
Chris has an article on this under perating tips I believe. He says it is due to the cookers design and rain water getting in. A couple of recommendations he makes is to put the center section on upside down when storing it, or put a waterproof garbage bag under the cover you use which is what I do. I haven't had any problem with water getting in. Hope this helps Ken.
Click to expand...

JR- Thanks for the reply. If water is getting in somehow under my brand new cover then that is even more baffling. As for putting the center section on upside down Im not sure how that would resolve the issue since it is basically just a big hollow cylinder that is open on each end. I will look for the article you referenced.

Bob Ivey said:
Is there any possibility of keeping it on a covered porch when not in use? Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Bob- Unfortunately, I don't have a porch to store it under but I wish I did.
 
Ken. You could look into using large rubble bags, (the type that builders use to put building waste into).
I've used them in the past, & they work perfectly & last a long time.
 
It's a bit counterintuitive, but since I started keeping the lower and upper vents open when covered, I haven't had water in the bowl. I'm sure it's getting in, but it can also escape.
 
Tony- thanks for the tip. I've got a new cover so I will make note of the rubble bags and when its time to replace this cover I will give the bags a try.

Michael- good idea about keeping the vents open when covered. I have always closed the vents when I am through cooking to kill the fire and left them that way until the next cook. I will leave them open from now on when I am getting ready to cover the SMC for storage.
 
What I do is the day after a cook I open the bottom vents about 50% to prevent condensation. I got this tip from the Low & Slow book by Gary Wiviot.
 
Ken Hendrix said:
JR- Thanks for the reply. If water is getting in somehow under my brand new cover then that is even more baffling. As for putting the center section on upside down Im not sure how that would resolve the issue since it is basically just a big hollow cylinder that is open on each end. I will look for the article you referenced.

Bob- Unfortunately, I don't have a porch to store it under but I wish I did.
Click to expand...

With your WSM set up with the midsection in the normal cooking position rain water runs in because the top sits to the inside of the lip of the midsection. When you flip the midsection the top will sit to the outside, thus water runs over it and down the outside instead of running directly into it. Flipping the middle is all you need to do to keep your WSM dry inside. A cover winds up being for cosmetics only if you get in the habit of turning the midsection over.

The WSM was designed that way so that any condensation will run down the inside of the smoker when it is in use. Otherwise the outside would become a gooey black mess.
 
Bit frustrated by the water getting in and the resulting mess in cleaning out and inability to reuse remaining good coals. I see elsewhere the following"

Q: Why does water collect in the bottom of the cooker, even when the vinyl cover is in place? Why doesn't the lid overlap the middle cooking section like other Weber grills?

Seam sealer
Photo 3

A: Despite what you would think, the vinyl cover is not waterproof. Water leaks in through the seams in the cover and runs down the lid, entering the cooker where the lid meets the cooking section. Once inside, the water collects in the charcoal bowl.

...
There are several ways to deal with this problem. In my opinion, the best solution is to prevent water from getting though the vinyl cover in the first place. Move the cooker to a sheltered location, if you can, or place a large plastic garbage bag or tarp over the vinyl cover. WSM owner Jake McCready suggests applying seam sealer, a product sold at camping supply stores, to the vinyl cover (Photo 3). "I've used this for decades on many tents and had great success with it," says Jake. "One application lasts for years."

...

Finally, if you like power tools, you can drill a small weep hole in the bottom of the charcoal bowl...not so large as to affect temperature control, but big enough to allow any accumulated water to escape.

I was thinking about the third option drilling a hold before finding this thread, but concerned about warranty void and would this cause premature rust starting at the hole. I do not have a means currently to cover my grill and it's unlikely that I will in the near future due to the limited patio space. I would consider a different cover, but again I am guessing they need to breath to keep from trapping Houston moisture inside the cover. What suggestions are out there? The water in the spent charcoal bowl is a big problem [odor, flies, mosquitoes and concern over premature rusting]. Thanks!

Also, the Weber cover included with my Weber smoker seems entirely too tight [circumference] to fit the unit. It is extremely difficult to get it over the protrusions. Perhaps having switched covers to an aftermarket larger cover wasn't in my best interests, but has been easier to remove and cover.
 
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