Char-Griller XD mods update and success!

[Chasdev]

Earlier I posted that my experments had failed but this afternoon I tried something different and it works.
I put the charcoal tray back in under the lower cook grate but this time I slid it all the way to the left and positioned the baffle plate on the very end of the tray on the outside of the handle.
My first cook and my some of my experiments had the baffle on the other side of the handle with the tray slid to the right all the way.
I also removed the firebox grate and placed the fire on bare metal so the coals could form an ash layer.
Lastly I ran with a large water pan on the lower right side cook grate above the baffle plate area.
I found that the temps were pretty even everywhere and that I could run up to 350 and close off the inlet and exhaust to around 1/4 open and the temps dropped right down to 250/275.
I played with vents for two hours (allowing time between changes so it could stabilize) and the cooker responds very well to adjustments.
Not a done deal until I cook meat again, brisket flat and two dino bones, this weekend.
First pic is the baffle in the "wrong" position.
Second pic is baffle in the "wrong" position, inside view.
Third pic is baffle in ""better" position.
Fourth pic is baffle in "better"position interior view.
Hanging the baffle is tricky, the tabs it hooks on are short and hard to locate AND it's hard to get it to stay where it belongs.
It does stay there once it's placed though.

 

[Redicans]

Yeah that's how my baffle is also. Something to consider is the rutland fire bricks. You can lay them on the bottom and they insulate the box a bit but they also keep all that heat off the metal and should increase the life span by not burning out the box to badly. Happy to hear you have a good system going.