A Longhorn mod I haven't seen before

[Bumppo]

So I'm cooking with a newer style Longhorn, and have done all the standard mods and am having really good success, but this cold weather is killing me.

My last cook was in 40ish degree weather with some wind, so I knew I was going to burn a lot of wood to keep it hot enough. But one thing was happening that I wasn't expecting was getting a good draft out of the stack and causing me to have dirty smoke from the cold. Even with my temps around 250, I could easily wrap my hand around the stack and it was barely warm. I was even getting some creosote running back down the stack. I know the cold and wind is causing that, because I have a single wall stove pipe at deer camp and have been dealing with it for years.

I know its common to wrap the cook chamber to keep it warm, but has anyone tried a double wall or insulated stack? I'm thinking about wrapping it with a piece of welding blanket and then sliding a section of 4" stove pipe over the existing 3" stack. What do you think?

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I look at it that once the smoke leaves the cook chamber, it's gone along with any heat. So not sure what the benefit would be. If it's cold just wrap the cook chamber is my thought. But if you do, report back on your findings...

 

[DougE]

What Charles said. Once the smoke and heat leave the cook chamber, it has no effect on down the line. Insulating the stack isn't going to do much, if anything.

Concentrating on keeping the heat generated in the firebox from dissipating from the cook chamber too quickly is more productive.

 

[Bumppo]

Here's my thought process. If the cold air is hitting the stack and effecting the draft by cooling the smoke, then it's not really leaving the cooking chamber like it should be. So rather than the smoke just flowing over the meat, it's just sitting in the chamber.

There is a very noticeable difference when the wind hits it versus when it's calm. It instantly goes from the coveted free flowing thin blue smoke to heavy gray smoke coming coming out slowly, plus having it leaking out of anywhere that isn't perfectly sealed.

 

[DougE]

Here's my thought process. If the cold air is hitting the stack and effecting the draft by cooling the smoke, then it's not really leaving the cooking chamber like it should be.

Heat rises so no matter how cold the stack temp, the hotter air/smoke will exit up the stack. May be even be better for draft with the stack cold.

 

[Bumppo]

I'm going to have to do more research. Because I know for a fact that's one of the main purposes of a double wall pipe for a woodstove. But on the other hand, maybe there's a reason why I can't find any examples of this for an offset.

 

[DougE]

2 different things. On a woodstove, the main purpose of the double wall flue is to limit heat loss, but the length of the flue is what creates the draft. On a smoker, the stack is much shorter so limiting convection by insulating the stack is going to cause air flow issues.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I can see having the wind swirl and go down the stack causing issues with chamber temp but not the cooling effect of the stack that you are talking about. I had issues one time when it was windy and as soon as I figured out to rig something to deflect the wind around the top of my stack everything leveled out. This was most noticeable when I was working in 30 and below air temps

 

[Bumppo]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'll probably cancel the idea.

I have a small carport from harbor freight that I might get set up before I get too much more snow. Should solve this problem and then some.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I think you're on to something. The air is cooling faster as it travels up the stack and either slows or stops completely.

I think wrapping the stack in some kind of insulation can't hurt anything and that's the only way you can know for sure. Its worth a try.