Fan in Offset Smoker?

toekneemac · Jan 29, 2012

Right, a convection smoker. And remember, it does not have to be a high CFM fan either, just enough to move heat down a little. Plus, no modifications! And, it would be more efficiant. You can tune your heat down as the unit is equalized, instead of one hot area and one cooler area, and maybe even prolong your fuel source, in theory. Is there anything like on the market?

Chef JimmyJ said:
I think the fan is an interesting idea after all everytime people replace an old oven or upgrade their kitchen a Convection Oven is on the top of the list...The idea is to even out the Oven temps and cause a faster heat exchange with the food.The same may hold true for a Smoker...As far as Smoke flavor, I'm not sure what difference there will be. Without a fan random particulate smoke attaches to the meat, with a fan more particles are moving around and can bump into and attach to the meat unless the fan is positioned to blow the smoke away from the meat...The problem I see with the Ecofan is the electricity is generated be a Heat Differencial between the very hot base sitting on the stove and the cooler top of the fan about 9" above the surface. I don't think there would be enough of a differencial in an enclosed space like a Smoker...Maybe it would work on top of the first baffle/tuning plate closest to the fire box...JJ

cliffcarter · Jan 29, 2012

Toekneemac said:
Berninga87, thanks for the input. First, the fan I was looking for was a slow mover, just enough to pull hot air to the far end of the smoker. 2) I heard that ceramic was an insulator. If so, wouldn't it prevent radiant heat and just guide the flow of hot air? 3) I removed all tuning plate mod except for the baffle, but it is not really doing much. Everything worked great. Now, I am in trouble if I want to load up every square inch of the smoker, as the temps are different. I am going to raise my tuning plate level and just use a 16 in X 24in sheet metal as a tuning plate. My problem was that I wasn't allowing enough hot air into the smoke chamber. It just wasn't going into the chamber. 4) My dial thermometers mounted in the smoker door are not accurate in their present location. (grate level about 4 in's from either end) So, I disregard them and stick with the internal, digital thermometers. I would recomend to everybody to either disregard theirs or only use them as a reference. 5) The way I had things set up before, I think a fan would have been the best method to achieve equality. Under my soon to be set up, a fan isn't neccessary. The old time hilljacks didn't need one, and neither do I! LOL

I think berninga87 is on to something. The large ceramic pieces that you have will store and radiate heat, that's how pizza stones work. Ceramics have been used as electrical insulators and there are various spun ceramic insulations that can be used to insulate in a high heat environment, such as BBQ pits or the space shuttles. I think you should change the initial baffle to metal at the very least.

The other thing that I see is that you have extended the exhaust directly to the cooking grate, this is too low IMHO as it will keep the heat flowing under the cooking grates rather than across the top of them. It may be a good idea to take off that extension and extend the exhaust stack to improve the draw, if this helps you may not need your fan.

doctord1955 · Jan 29, 2012

Find a long shafted motor and mount it on the exterior of smoker drilling a hole for the shafte and mount a fan blade in side ur smoker!

Use a piece of black stove pipe for s shroud. Space it out from the wall using angle brackets!

toekneemac · Jan 29, 2012

cliffcarter said:
I think berninga87 is on to something. The large ceramic pieces that you have will store and radiate heat, that's how pizza stones work. Ceramics have been used as electrical insulators and there are various spun ceramic insulations that can be used to insulate in a high heat environment, such as BBQ pits or the space shuttles. I think you should change the initial baffle to metal at the very least.

The other thing that I see is that you have extended the exhaust directly to the cooking grate, this is too low IMHO as it will keep the heat flowing under the cooking grates rather than across the top of them. It may be a good idea to take off that extension and extend the exhaust stack to improve the draw, if this helps you may not need your fan.

Wait, in all the websites where it shows what mods to do, they all say to do this. But you disagree?

toekneemac · Jan 29, 2012

doctord1955 said:
Find a long shafted motor and mount it on the exterior of smoker drilling a hole for the shafte and mount a fan blade in side ur smoker!

Use a piece of black stove pipe for s shroud. Space it out from the wall using angle brackets!

I agree with this design.

doctord1955 · Jan 29, 2012

Put a dimmer switch for a ceiling fan on it. I have this design in my upright freezer conversion and for regular smoking barely run it enought to circulate air so no hot spots then when i want to dry for jerky or to dry casings turn fan up!

chef jimmyj · Jan 31, 2012

doctord1955 said:
Put a dimmer switch for a ceiling fan on it. I have this design in my upright freezer conversion and for regular smoking barely run it enought to circulate air so no hot spots then when i want to dry for jerky or to dry casings turn fan up!

I would like more info here...Do you have a make, model and source on your fan...JJ

doctord1955 · Jan 31, 2012

Chef as far as make and model and source of fan i wish i could tell u but I cant find the info. Found it at a used motor place online has a 7in long shaft as my smoker walls are 2 1/2 in thick it sets in the middle of my smoker right above my drip pans. My drip pans are metal bent in to pans and they over lap each other -_- just like that. Like i said i use it different for different types of smoking. I think i paid $19 for it and $6shipping. Have a ceiling fan control on it.

daveomak · Jan 31, 2012

Toekneemac, morning... I'm a little late here so bear with me.... I have read most of what has been said and here is my opinion....

In this picture, the grate and ceramic tile are blocking air/heat flow to the cooking chamber.... Open up that passage for better flow.....

The use of tile... well, others have said it is an insulator... they are correct... change the tiles to some mild steel plates

Cliff suggested raising the exhaust farther from the grate..... Cliff is correct... the extension you have put on the stack is blocking air

flow due to it's proximity to the grate.... If need be, cut a hole in the grate for improved air flow while keeping the stack at a lowered height in the smoker....

If those are drip pans in the smoker, they are blocking the heat radiating off of the tuning plates you have in the smoker... use smaller drip pans if necessary

and locate them under the meat only so they don't block the entire cooking surface....

alelover · Jan 31, 2012

Is your charcoal basket raised up or just sitting on the bottom of the firebox? It's hard to tell from the pic.

midi459 · Mar 24, 2013

i believe the idea is to have a fan inside the smoke area for circulation.

not to pull or push air thru the box.

the object here to have uniform temprature thru the smoking area.

sounds like a great idea to me ...dont need diffuser plates

just kick the fan on

i would mount in the middle pointing up and create the spin effect

pushing the heat all around the smoke area and let the rest of the operation proceed as normal

no we are not pulling air in or out of the box circullation only fan that can handle the smoke temps and greasy air

any ideas ? convection smoking

dcarch · Mar 24, 2013

1. I have a muffin computer fan in the smoker that I am building. I don't plan to smoke higher than 170F. A few of these fans will fail around 150F.

2. You can use a shaded pole motor (not expensive) fan. It can take higher heat.

3. You can remote mount the fan blades inside the smoker, and the motor outside.

4. You can check eBay for high temperature motors.

5. I believe many commercial smoke houses use circulating fans to promote faster smoke penetration and even smoking.

6. Moving air over the fire box can create a furnace.

dcarch

daveomak · Mar 24, 2013

A properly designed offset smoker doesn't need a fan... Using two air inlets to the fire box, one for heat control and the other for air flow control to the cook chamber is satisfactory..... Commercial smokers use fans to act like a convection oven, cooking the meat faster than stagnant air, and circulating the smoke to all sections of the smoker... The commercial meat and sausage plant I worked at had smoking chambers 12X16X8'.... and they needed the air circulation for uniform cooking etc.... Dave

midi459 · Mar 25, 2013

take a look at this

tell me what u all think

http://sayu.en.alibaba.com/product/718108085-0/long_shaft_motor.html

if it is mounted on the end as it is more of a flat area.

dont think theres much worry about a gummed up fan blade easy to clean

dcarch · Mar 26, 2013

midi459 said:
take a look at this

tell me what u all think

http://sayu.en.alibaba.com/product/718108085-0/long_shaft_motor.html

if it is mounted on the end as it is more of a flat area.

dont think theres much worry about a gummed up fan blade easy to clean

Not sure about the power rating, one is 2 hp, and another is 25w.

Not sure about its RPM.

The voltage is 220V.

Also for high power motors, vertical motor bearings may not be OK for horizontal mounting.

I think a fan blade circulates air better than a squirrel cage blower and easier to clean.

dcarch

midi459 · Mar 27, 2013

read there specs they do have 120 v models i may have posted some thing inadvertantly ..but they do have a verry interesting motor on a 5 inch shaft and a cage fan ..my info has it at 150 cfm

doctord1955 · Mar 27, 2013

Fasco Mfg. made for Milton Roy Co.

Aquarium Pump Motor

HP - 1/22
RPM- 3000
Volts- 115 AC
Amps-2.2
Single Phase
Shaft Dual 1/4" Diameter x 4-3/4"Length 1" flatted end
Bearing- Sleeve
Mount 2 - 8/32" threaded stud on shaft side
Dimensions: 3-1/2" H x 3-1/2" W x 8-1/2" D
Wt. 3 lbs
Surplus Shelf Worn
Qty Fasco Motor 71214113: $22.50
Qty Cord & Male Plug: $5.50

this is the motor i have in my smoker ! It is mounted outside of smoker drilled a small hole through smoker and mounted fan blade! installed a ceiling fan dimmer switch on it! Mounted a 6" starter collar around blade spaced out from wall of smoker so it would draw air the push it around smoker!

midi459 · Mar 27, 2013

ok i am game but where is it sold at??????? i cant find it . i keep getting shoved into grainger

doctord1955 · Mar 27, 2013

electric trading co.

they r used motors ive had 1 in my frig conversion now for 3 yrs

dcarch · Mar 27, 2013

If you already have a fan blade, make sure you know which way the motor rotates, clockwise, counterclockwise.

It looks like the kind of induction motor which is not reversible.

dcarch

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