Besides using a needle valve.....

[cmayna]

.....What other mods should one address if wanting to run cooking temps down to 140-160* in a propane smoker?    Instead of using my Big Chief smoker, which I mainly use solely for Salmon,  I want to consider starting to smoke beef jerky in my Masterbuilt gasser which has a needle valve already installed.   I remember seeing some people building a wind guard around the bottom of their smoker.  Is this to prevent strong winds from blowing out the flame when running low temps?   Would it though possible choke the airflow to a AMNPS if that was used?   Any other mods one might suggest?

Craig

 

[theshrimppimp]

I built a metal wind skirt for my smoker and it works great! I'm not too sure how the Masterbuilt is designed? But, if a skirt is doable it will make a big difference. It enables you to run a much lower and very stable flame. With the skirt I can easily choke the temp's down to the #'s you mentioned without a needle valve. I just run the standard valve back the other way past the detent towards the off position until the flame is where I want it. About the only time I do that is for hot smoking fish under 160 degrees.

 

[cmayna]

AJ,

Thanks for the reply.  Guess I'll be busy today making a skirt (wow, that sounds so girlish!)

Craig

 

[eight433]

I made a jacket from reflectix foil insulation and duct tape and put in a 1500 watt heating element and a Johnson controls thermostat. I suppose that's considered cheating though. But it works for me! I have made 20+ pounds (raw weight) of jerky in one day with this method in my Smokey hollow 44"

 

[dirtsailor2003]

A skirt works well as does a small chunk of plywood propped up against the side of the smoker! Keep inundated the propane requires more air to keep running than wood or charcoal. So make sure your skirt has good clearance from the intake vents.

I use the AMNTS and it works great in my GOSM.

 

[cmayna]

Here I made a simple cardboard wind screen and can't believe how well it worked with a AMNPS in place, running at a avg temp of 160.

Enough fabricating and testing.....Tomorrow is the big day.

Tapayakin' from my iphone

 

[theshrimppimp]

Looks good man! You will be amazed at how well it works when you crank the propane down low.... Massive difference!

I can put my smoker out in the middle of the yard when it is blowing 20 to 30mph now, and it is unaffected. Just keep the back to the wind and all is well!

 

[wbsurf87]

I used stock 10" high roof flashing ($10, Home Depot) to make the wind skirt for my Masterbuilt. Comes in a 10ft spool. The 10" height is perfect and you don't need to trim it. Cut them into trapezoidal sheets and bolt them in.View media item 294377

 

[eight433]

Very similar to the wheels I put on mine too. Good job man! I'll be going to get some flashing if I can't find any around the shop this weekend!

 

[aeroforce100]

 
AJ,

Thanks for the reply.  Guess I'll be busy today making a skirt (wow, that sounds so girlish!)

Craig

But you will be using metal, and tools, so that makes it OK!