Bottom Venting of Electric Smoker

exhaustedspark

Smoking Fanatic

May 12, 2011

515

12

Springdale Washington

• Sep 18, 2011

• #21

Here is a picture of the lid i made for sawdust or chip smoking.

It works fantastic.

You can use a pan or dutch oven or what ever you would.

Karl

 

exhaustedspark

Smoking Fanatic

May 12, 2011

515

12

Springdale Washington

• Sep 18, 2011

• #22

If you go here you will see the ball valve i used. It is 1 1/2 in dia. Much to big, Much to expensive and i have not even used it yet. When doing the sausage i just have the holes in the bottom side open.

If i don't want all three holes open i just slide a Refridge magnet over the whole or partially over.

You have a much better insulated smoker going there. I rally believe the key to a good smoke for jerky and or sausage is volume of air.

You will also see a homemade pellet smoker that works great. I use it for smoking my cheese and jerky now that i cook the meat before drying. Jerky that is. Not the sausage.

Karl

http://photobucket.com/wx7dx

 

Last edited: Sep 18, 2011

mnmulisha

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Original poster

Thread starter

Aug 5, 2011

46

11

Lincoln, NE

• Sep 18, 2011

• #23

The bottom plate that the heaters are attached to needs to be better insulated.  Right now, I have both burners on and can only reach a temp of 197 in the smoker.  The burners are red hot, but the bottom plate is hot too.  Also, has anybody used any type of heat deflectors?  Maybe I can make something that deflects the heat to the top of the smoker instead of it leaking out the bottom.  Right now there are 6 holes in the bottom, all of them 9/16 of an inch in diameter.

I like the dutch oven idea for a chip holder.  Are there any holes in the bottom of it?  Right now I have a small bread loaf pan and I drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom of it, then just covered it with tin foil and poked some holes in that too.  

 

tjohnson

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Dec 29, 2009

5,600

139

Savage, MN

• Sep 18, 2011

• #24

You may have to raise the heating elements and place a hollow metal box under them.  This will give you the insulation you are looking for, and not a heat sink.  Something simple like a full size cookie sheet, turned upside down.

The metal of your loaf pan is too thin.  You need something like cast iron for a better heat sink.

How many watts are the elements?

Todd

 

Last edited: Sep 18, 2011

venture

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Aug 1, 2008

6,948

73

Central California

• Sep 18, 2011

• #25

If you drink enough beer and eat enough snacks while you smoke, bottom venting will be no problem?  Plus, the sweet smoke smell will cover your tracks!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

exhaustedspark

Smoking Fanatic

May 12, 2011

515

12

Springdale Washington

• Sep 18, 2011

• #26

I have no holes in the dutch oven or the fry pan. Just the lid. I have heat deflectors under my heat elements as i use the hot plate that also is in the group of pictures.

How many watts are in the elements you are using??

Karl

 

mnmulisha

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Aug 5, 2011

46

11

Lincoln, NE

• Sep 20, 2011

• #27

The elements are 450w a piece and I am using two of them.

 

tjohnson

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Savage, MN

• Sep 20, 2011

• #28

They may be kinda small for the box

I was thinking more like 1,500 watts total

Do you have access to a Hotplate?

A hotplate is usually 1,000 watts - 1,500 watts.  Just to see if this is enough heat try one inside your box.

TJ

 

mnmulisha

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Original poster

Thread starter

Aug 5, 2011

46

11

Lincoln, NE

• Sep 20, 2011

• #29

I fired the smoker up in the garage and the temp went to 230 fairly easily.  I smoked a pork butt this weekend (pics to follow) and the smoker only attained 190 degrees.  It was raining while I was smoking so that might have had something to do with it.  I noticed that on the outside of the smoker, the bottom half of it felt almost hot to the touch, while the top seemed almost cool.  It's as though the heat is staying in the bottom of the smoker.

 

roller

Smoking Guru

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Mar 10, 2010

6,040

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N.E. Louisiana

• Sep 20, 2011

• #30

Thats going to be a cool smoker...

 

exhaustedspark

Smoking Fanatic

May 12, 2011

515

12

Springdale Washington

• Sep 20, 2011

• #31

MNmulisha said:

The elements are 450w a piece and I am using two of them.

Click to expand...

I would definitely change out the heaters and go for a hot plate. The good thing about the hot plate i you can find them at most garage sales and you can take out for cleaning also you can remove and replace with propane or wood. That way you can have it all.

Here is mine and i got it from a free box at a garage sale.

I actually have 3 of them now.

This one is 825 watts. My smoker is uninsulated. I still think it is on the lite side and when i find a heat unit closer to the 1500 i will get it.

It is perfect for the sausage cooking as i am not interest in going above 170*

I use the propane one for if i am BBQing. and need anything above 200* to 300*.

Happy smoken

Karl

 

wipper36

Newbie

Jan 15, 2012

5

10

• Jan 15, 2012

• #32

love the name. still in Minnesota myself, just threw a pork shoulder into my new Smoke Hallow Electric absoulutely love this side of cooking. Best venison ive ever eaten and i havent a clue as to whatim doing lol.