Adding gas assist

[shooterrick]

If smok n Steve or anyone else has a pic or diagram of adding a propane gas assist to a Lang fire box please share with me. I am considering such a mod to my 48 mobile. Would like to conserve wood after 4-5 hrs of smoke when not at the house or camping. Wood is heavy and bulky to transport for longer burns.

Rick

 

[cheech]

I am not adding gas assist to the trailer smoker but it is not a Lang. What we are going to do is take a burner from a turkey fryer. I will get pictures when I get it done

 

[jet_deck]

Maybe one of these two ideas will work for you. I did the turkey burner thing, but not the "log lighter" yet.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/jet_deck/DSC00958.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/jet_deck/DSC00956.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/jet_deck/DSC00955.jpg

http://http://www.hobartwelders.com/...ad.php?t=28224

Just be sure the "make up" air comes from the outside of the cooker.

 

[fatback joe]

Have you considered the Afterburner kit? http://gassmoker.com/index.htm

Or jsut wanting to go homebuilt?

 

[tn_bbq]

You could also buy one of these propane torches (often used to start those stick burners) and just place it in the firebox.

I think this goes for about $20 at Harbor Freight Tools (worth it if you only use it simply to start your smoker and/or burn away weeds in the yard)

 

[shooterrick]

I had thought about something more permanant than the propane tourch. I use one of those things to light the smoker with though. Works good for that. I have thought about using a cast iron distubution tree and running one line in cast to the fire box and attach burner , then I would have another port to hook my camp chef stove to and a port to hook mobile propane tank to. Just not sure how to configure in the fire box to not have ash clog the thing . Hmmmm

 

[tn_bbq]

You might want to mount it more vertically or sorta sideways or with some type of cover/damper.

Another thought is to section it off with some type of grated guard or surround it with those lava rocks...or even an empty can of beans.

Also might try running your hose to a grill burner (arent' those things built in such a way to prevent clogging?)

Clearly, I have no first hand experience at this. My mind is just coming up with different ideas of things I might try if I were doing something like this.

 

[shooterrick]

Use a tube type burner off the floor of the fire box but under the wood grate. Mount so the orifices are at a 45 degree angle. In other words the holes of the burner are pointed to the side of the fire box not directly up. Would this allow wood ash to fall past and not clog burner?

 

[7outof10]

i have seen that done but you have to make sheur that they are off the bottom of the fire box so if you go for the really long smoke that they will not be coved up wiht ashes

 

[smok'n steve]

The propane system I added to my Lang model 60 includes 2 restaurant burners for frying, 1 cast iron tube style restaurant oven burner for the firebox, a 25 gallon propane tank storage holder, a quick disconnect plug to feed propane from the house, and valves to either select the house or the small tank, plus another valve and quick disconnect to feed a gas grill from the smoker manifold system. There is also a valve to inject gas into the firebox burner as needed.

Each burner requires a typical restaurant style adjustable valve with an orifice drilled out for the proper size to match your regulator. A restaurant equipment dealer can help you with this, especially some one who deals with fixing used equipment. If you want to deal with the guy I dealt with, I can ask him if he is willing to ship out of state:-) The burners are solid cast iron and will last forever. The tube burner in the firebox works well for me and hasn't clogged with ash so far. If it does, I can remove it easily, and dump it out or vacuum it out.

The manifold system is made from 1/2 inch black iron pipe and gas valves screwed together with pipe dope only, no teflon. The burner area has a wind shield that is similar to a coleman camping stove. It folds down when not in use. Also, for additional wind protection, I cut some metal paint buckets and put them under the ring burners. I probably didn't explain this very well, but ask me questions, and I will try to help:-)


Steve

 

[shooterrick]

Thanks for the info and pics-especially your time. I have a good idea how I want to proceed now. Simple compaired to yours but the basic idea same. I have located several tube burners with a top angle protecting the burner from ash just in case. Shaped simiar to a A frame. I have the black scedule 40 gas pipe on hand-a freebe for the pipe. I have a dual burner high output campchef stove so side burners I will forgo. I will probably use a distubution tree on the bulk propane tank to simplify things since there are times I would use the stove and not the smoker. BTUs? I will have to look back and see if you mentioned. Thanks again.
Rick
2 ? The larger housing holding the burner in your firebox. What is it? TThe flex gas line from the pipe to burner- Any problems or concerns when towing? Thanks

 

[yard dog]

Outstanding rig Steve. I thought the pics were great and showed plenty of detail. All I can say is, beautifull, simply beautifull

 

[smok'n steve]

The larger housing is simply a black iron fitting that reduces from one pipe size to the next with a close nipple threaded into to small end. This made it easy to weld on the inside of the box and I feel that the nipple reduces the chance of cracking the firebox. The tube burner fits real nice in the fitting and I just drilled and tapped it to make the clamp holding the burner in place. The other end of the burner is supported by another nipple just to keep it level under the grate. For cleaning ashes, I just remove the grate, and brush them away from the burner then scoop em up with a dust pan.

The flex pipe hasn't been a problem, but if you were worried, you could add some sacrificial plastic tubing to the outside of it or something especially if you haul her on a lot of gravel roads? The only reason I installed the flex was to allow me to remove the burner easily if needed.

BTU's---I am not sure, I only drilled one orifice hole and got a nice blue flame, and never tried a bigger hole after. I can get my deep fry oil to 375 in about 8 minutes or so. It is much more powerful than my gas stove in the house! I think there is a way to test it---if anyone knows, let me know:-)


For safety, my only concern is that my burner valves don't have locking stops(push & turn) to keep them from turning on if someone just hits one, so I keep bunji's on them. I guess many restaurant ranges are built without a safety lock.

Steve

 

[shooterrick]

Are any of the two burners I have pics of here suitable in your opinion? They are 15.5 inches long and would fit my fire box as far as the lenght goes. ??? The;y are both cast iron.

Attachment 9967 Attachment 9968

Rick

 

[smok'n steve]

I think so, you will have to design a system to make them fit--I am thinking the first one will be easier to do that with so that it will be removable. I think that ashes would be less apt to get into these styles compared to mine:-)

Go for it, its almost as fun as cook'n!!!!

Let me know what other questions you might have:-)

Sincerely,

Steve

 

[shooterrick]

Ok sound great. I will order the 1st burner this weakend. I assume I will have to figure out a system to attach venturi and control valve and the manner it will be inserted into the fire box from the back side. Also I will need a main shutoff and the means to connect to LP tank. This will be low pressure system? Yes No. Rick

 

[shooterrick]

The cast iron burner I am considering fits most charmglow grill valves and orifices are available pre drilled for propane. The question now is how to retain a burner assembly in the fire box and reducing my black pipe to size needed to connect valve to main line. The valve I am looking at is threaded on both in and out. Thought that may make it easier.
Does this sound correct?

 

[hdsrob]

At a former employers we had 3 Lang 60's all with gas in the firebox only. If I remember correctly it was basically just a pipe with no end on it that protruded about 1/2 way into the fire box, and sat a few inches off of the floor. I believe that the local propane company did the install and it was plumbed similarly to Smok'n Steve's. We only used the gas to get the sticks going, and then turned it off for the most part, but we didn't have to do the whole smoke in the Lang, just a finish smoke since we "two staged" our stuff in a Southern Pride. It worked very well though for getting the smoker up to temp quickly, and getting the sticks going.

 

[shooterrick]

It dawned on me that with gas assist a flame out not noticed could be well, the Q would have an impact to say the least. Is there a way to have auto shut off in this situation?

foiled again> The burner I was going to use does not have long enoegh tube supply for gas to instal venturi outside fire box. Back to the drawing board. Steve if you are there pm me your guys name and number. Rick

 

[smok'n steve]

I am at a camp smok'n up some goodies, but the wife had a laptop and there is internet here, so I will try to do some research in between cook'n and get back to you.

I was wondering if that tube would fit through the wall far enough. Other things to think about are your grate-- it will warp quicker and you want the grates square tubing off center so the flames can go through the grate. I primarily use mine for startups and at the end of a smoke to save wood. I always make sure there is something burning (flames) so that there is no flame-outs. You can hear it too. my biggest concern has been forgetting to turn it off but I soon figure it out because you can see the extra moisture in the cooker from the burning propane!


SMS