I got a WSK last week and I am having a bit of trouble keeping the temps stable. With my burn-in I lit a full chimney, let it get rip-roaring hot. I ran it for about 45 minutes at 500+. I wanted to check it for air leaks so I locked it down and tried to snuff out the coals. It stayed over 400 until the coals were expended about 2.5 hours later, the coals were spent and I was unable to shut it down. Next burn I was determined not to overshoot my target temp but I did want to run a full load of coals to try and get a handle on temp control and simulate a 15 hour brisket cook. I have a WSM, so I used the charcoal ring and filled it. I nestled one tumbleweed in the center of the coal basket, I lit it and let it burn until it was expended (about 5 minutes) with the lid open and bottom vents full open. I then closed the lid and left the bottom and the top vents open until the temp raised to 200, at that point I move the bottom vent to the smoke position and opened the top vent about half way. It shot right past my desired temp to about 325 and wanted to stay there. Not wanting another uncontrolled overshoot, I shut it down (top and bottom vents). I opened the lid to let the heat escape, brought temps back to 200, at that point the coals started to die (about 10 minutes) , I could tell because they started kicking off the smoldering white smoke. I would gradually open vents and it would eventually overshoot again. I repeated this process many times, I eventually got to the point where the bottom vents were only a quarter of the way between shut and smoke and the top vents were open maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch and it still wanted to sit at 300+. At that point I got tired of messing with it, it was getting late and I wanted to go to bed. I hooked it up to my fireboard and went to bed. I set the fireboard to 275 and left the top open 1/4 inch. I used a pit viper fan with the internal fan damper only half open and the fan set to run no faster than 50%. I didn't want to overdraft the coals. The fireboard struggled with controlling it as well. After about 2 or 3 hours of yoyo-ing around 300-325 the temp finally settled in at 275, it ran that way for 14 or 15 hours until the coals were expended. Why am I having such a problem getting it to low and slow? Air leak maybe?
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WSK temp control issues
- Thread starter Dan Smith
- Start date
DanHoo
TVWBB Olympian
@Dan Smith you wrote:
I lit it and let it burn until it was expended (about 5 minutes) with the lid open and bottom vents full open. I then closed the lid and left the bottom and the top vents open until the temp raised to 200
My guess is the top and bottom vents were open too long which allowed too much coal to start burning.
What I do is start with a very small amount of coal being lit and I make sure it is started with the lid open. I use paper towels and fat or oil and once the flame of the paper towel burn out and I'm sure the coal has started I close the lid and set the bottom vent to smoke. top vent down, top vents fully open.
The "throttle" is intake air at this point and I'll watch it creep up to my target temp.
I have another suggestion but need to find a pic first.
I lit it and let it burn until it was expended (about 5 minutes) with the lid open and bottom vents full open. I then closed the lid and left the bottom and the top vents open until the temp raised to 200
My guess is the top and bottom vents were open too long which allowed too much coal to start burning.
What I do is start with a very small amount of coal being lit and I make sure it is started with the lid open. I use paper towels and fat or oil and once the flame of the paper towel burn out and I'm sure the coal has started I close the lid and set the bottom vent to smoke. top vent down, top vents fully open.
The "throttle" is intake air at this point and I'll watch it creep up to my target temp.
I have another suggestion but need to find a pic first.
DanHoo
TVWBB Olympian
here's a thread with some suggestions.
in post #10 I included this pic where I marked with a sharpie the settings of the lower vent compared to the opening inside the WSK.
The leftmost mark is fully closed. The second mark about an inch to the right is when the "P" portion of the vent inside is fully opened. To the left of that mark means it is closing off the "P". to the right of that mark the vent is starting open the larger part of the vent. My point in this picture is a small movement past the mark opening the P opens a lot more inlet air than just the P portion. I hope this makes sense.
I encourage you to check your lower vent alignment and mark where the P is completely open then you'll have a good starting point for smoke temps.
in post #10 I included this pic where I marked with a sharpie the settings of the lower vent compared to the opening inside the WSK.
The leftmost mark is fully closed. The second mark about an inch to the right is when the "P" portion of the vent inside is fully opened. To the left of that mark means it is closing off the "P". to the right of that mark the vent is starting open the larger part of the vent. My point in this picture is a small movement past the mark opening the P opens a lot more inlet air than just the P portion. I hope this makes sense.
I encourage you to check your lower vent alignment and mark where the P is completely open then you'll have a good starting point for smoke temps.
Brett-EDH
TVWBB Olympian
you're all gas and no brakes.
tis easier to get to temp then to choke down to temp.
light 3-5 briqs with a greased paper towel with lid open for 5 minutes and bottom vent wide open.
then once you have a stream of smoke, install your deflector and grates and close the lid.
dial top lid to 50% and bottom to just above smoke setting.
after 10-15 minutes, add your brisket, fat cap down and cook away.
you'll get to 230-250F and the cook will run 7-9.5 hours depending on your brisket starting size.
i've extensively documented many brisket cooks here on tvwbb.
you can read through them and glean what you need.
the wsk is the easiest cooker in the weber charcoal family. it'll just take some relearning to use her but once you do, you'll be set for life.
tis easier to get to temp then to choke down to temp.
light 3-5 briqs with a greased paper towel with lid open for 5 minutes and bottom vent wide open.
then once you have a stream of smoke, install your deflector and grates and close the lid.
dial top lid to 50% and bottom to just above smoke setting.
after 10-15 minutes, add your brisket, fat cap down and cook away.
you'll get to 230-250F and the cook will run 7-9.5 hours depending on your brisket starting size.
i've extensively documented many brisket cooks here on tvwbb.
you can read through them and glean what you need.
the wsk is the easiest cooker in the weber charcoal family. it'll just take some relearning to use her but once you do, you'll be set for life.