More Issues with my ECB

You're getting too much heat, correct? I think you are using too much charcoal? Give it a try and I think you will keep your temps down. That should be enough for a 3-4 hour cook. I'm gonna try and find the snake method pic and put it here too. (if your temps start to drop off, and some more briquets. Much easier to add to increase the heat than it is to bring it down. 

I think the thing to remember is that this is a smoker and not a grill. A charcoal grill needs a pretty large amount of heat and a smoker needs a lower heat. 

Mike, refer back to this post. It is towards the end:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/144558/ecb-gasket-question/20#post_1034879

That is a huge charcoal basket, but if you do something similar with 20 briquets and snake them around the edge of your charcoal pan they will light up gradually and not all light up at once. I would probably lean the briquets on each other a little bit and run them in two rows. 

Mike65 said:

 
Do you think the square grate is ok?  Each time I go and purchase the round grate momma says

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Can you take a pliers and bend the corners so it will fit down inside the charcoal pan? I would still recommend the round grate and if you use it with the square one you have (after you make it fit down inside the pan) I think that will work.

PS I am shutdown from smoking for a week or so. My dogs and a skunk had a misunderstanding right next to my ECB and the skunk won. That whole area up where my smoker is, will need to be left alone for awhile until the smell dies down. 

Mike65 said:

SmokingGMA,

I'm currently using Kingsford charcoal. I do have a small damper but most of my smoke was leaking out around the gasket I have on the lid.

If I didn't like smoking so much and enjoy the outdoors, this ECB would be a nice planter or space shuttle project.

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I hear you. One thing you could have done is to use your water pan with water. I keep using my ecb but I am building myself a mini wsm.

Mike65 said:

Pic of cans for smoking

image.jpg

• mike65
• Sep 3, 2013

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I have read about people just wrapping wet chips with foil paper and poking holes with a pencil to them. Maybe you could experiment and see if that changes / help with your ecb.