my uds and vent ?'s

chris thornburg · Nov 16, 2011

Sorry still trying to figure out posting on here so this is the best i could do anyways this is my uds.first 2 pics are of my vent that i have questions about.the next one is the top of the barrel i cut off and is 3 inches or so from bottom with holes drilled in it used it for burning out barrel and not sure if i should take it out or not have to see how it works .the last is it after i just painted it with rustoleum ultra bbq paint

so my question is how much ventilation do i need for intake/ I have 11 3/8" holes for my vent and think i will need more

I was also wondering how much you guys open your ball valve to maintain 225 and what u do to hold 275 and so on tried searching but couldn't find it

as i was just typing i thought of putting the two close nipples on the sides with caps i can take off if needed and i can also cut my vent to just one big opening instead alot of small holes just need some input thanks

chris thornburg · Nov 18, 2011

can someone at least tell me how they set there intake valve and caps at certain temps. like 225,275 and 350 or something like that so i can get an idea how much intake i need would really be appreciated

solaryellow · Nov 18, 2011

Hey Chris! Just noticed your post and if I had noticed it before I would have replied earlier. My UDS has a 2" intake on it but when it is running it is maybe cracked 1/8" of the way open. The ones I have built for friends since then have had 3 sometimes 4 3/4" intakes with a single ball valve on one of the intakes. They are usually cracked open about 1/4 to 1/3. We all use lump charcoal and that does burn a little hotter.

I would remove the lid that you placed in the bottom if it were mine. I just don't see any value to having it in there unless you have a specific reason or thought as to why it should be. Your charcoal basket should stand a few inches off the bottom of the drum to allow ash to settle and air to move under the basket.

chris thornburg · Nov 18, 2011

thank you.

i think my problem is my basket didn't have enough flow was using my ecb basket with holes drilled in it.I didnt make my basket yet and had a chicken i wanted to smoke. so i'm gonna take out the lid in bottom and make a basket from a weber charcoal grill and expanded metal sides

rbranstner · Nov 18, 2011

I have (4) 1" air intakes. (3) have caps on them and (1) has a ball valve. Once everything is up and running I only need to run my ball valve at around 1/2 to 1/4 of the way open normally.

chris thornburg · Nov 18, 2011

what are your exhaust's at i just have a weber lid not much exhaust

solaryellow · Nov 18, 2011

I use a Weber knockoff.

rbranstner · Nov 18, 2011

Well I have to lids. The first one is a flat lid that is the lid on the original drum and the other lid is a knock of of a weber lid. The flat lid has two bung holes one which is around 2" and the other is around 1" and they are on the outside of the lid. And the dome lid has just one exhaust on the top of the dome which is around 2". Both lids run pretty close to the same.

chris thornburg · Nov 18, 2011

then i should be good

solaryellow · Nov 18, 2011

For the charcoal basket I used a Weber 18.5" grate and some 3/4" expanded metal along with some 4" bolts as the feet.

Search

Search

my uds and vent ?'s

chris thornburg

Newbie

chris thornburg

Newbie

solaryellow

Master of the Pit

chris thornburg

Newbie

rbranstner

Smoking Guru

chris thornburg

Newbie

solaryellow

Master of the Pit

rbranstner

Smoking Guru

chris thornburg

Newbie

solaryellow

Master of the Pit

Similar threads

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Our Second piece of Heaven, Little piece on the Atlantic Ocean

Non fat dried milk

How Do I Get Rid of These Armadillos?!!

Getting to the bottom of what happens to cure in smoked sausage

Calling pity party of one….Pity party of one!