Camp Chef DLX Issues?

[Tyler Green]

Hey everyone have a question on my brand new smoker. I broke it in a 350 degrees for little over an hour. Saw temp swings from 315 to 370. Doesnt seem that bad. But now I placed a couple racks of ribs on, set at 225. I am seeing as low as 180ish and high as 270ish. That doesnt seem normal to me? I am using a bag of Traeger Pecan pellets. Also, puts off a ton of ash as well as a lot of smoke leak coming from the lid and the lid is on nice and straight with no visible eye gaps. Is this normal?

 

[kruizer]

The temp swings seem a bit extreme but the smoke leakage is normal. You can get a seal kit at Amazon that will help with that. Call Camp Chef CS and ask them about the temp swings. There is one question though. How far open is your exhaust stack? that can cause temp problems if it is not open far enough

 

[Tyler Green]

The temp swings seem a bit extreme but the smoke leakage is normal. You can get a seal kit at Amazon that will help with that. Call Camp Chef CS and ask them about the temp swings. There is one question though. How far open is your exhaust stack? that can cause temp problems if it is not open far enough

I've messed around with the stack a few times during this first smoke and right now it's at about an inch. What about the ash everywhere? Even looks like there's some on my ribs... I've read some not so good things about the Traeger pellets. Wonder if they aren't helping my issues?

 

[Morry Sade]

Following because I have the same smoker and same issues!

 

[kruizer]

I use the Camp Chef pellets in mine. There is some ash but never in the food. Don't forget, you have a fan blowing in the fire pot and that will make flying ash and you have to clean the bottom and fire pot out periodically.

 

[Shootr]

I've had this model for about 3 months now.

I bought some black fuzzy seal for the lid and I like that 95% of the smoke is now coming out of the chimney. My lid was nice and flush - but still smoked like crazy.

I too was getting large temp swings at first, but last several cooks it seems to have settled in nicely - 20-30 degree total swing. That's measured/logged with a Tenergy remote probe/wifi temperature probe unit.

I had to vacuum out the bottom a couple times, the ash cup isn't ever full. But no ash in the cooking area, only around the fire cup and along the pellet tunnel.

Being new to all this - and doing a bunch of online research, I feel I made great decision with it. The tool works - the tool user is the one that needs seasoning! But practice has never been so fun!

 

[kruizer]

I just knew you would get it sorted out.

 

[hammick]

During my first two cooks my CC SmokePro ZD from Dicks was running hotter than I would like. However, cooking chicken last night it was very close to set temps with minimal swings. Not sure if it was the warmer weather, vacuuming the ash pot or having food on it.