control the temperture in reverse flow

[jeff burns]

G-day Team

Just looking for some guidance/advice on my smoker. I have tried to build it according to Feldon calculator. Still not sure i nailed it with the CC to FB opening. Anyway I have fired it up 2 x and both times if i leave the stack wide open and the FB vents wide open it reach's 300 degrees, but when I try to start to shut things down (even slightly)it drops to 200 or just below. I have a plate inside to send the heat to the left side of the smoker. Should I have holes drilled in it. Would these few things have bearing on temp control. No fire proof gasket on doors and it is quite a loose fit, my grease trap is not sealed, i find i get quite a bit of ash in the bottom of the fire box and I am sure it reduces air flow. I will attach some photo's. looking forward to reading your thoughts/suggestions.

Thanks in advance

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• jeff burns
• Oct 24, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 24, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 24, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 24, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 24, 2014

 

[smokedstanley]

Can you post a pic of your baffle plate and firebox vents. The opening between FB and the cook chamber looks a bit restricted, could just be the picture though. 

 

[jeff burns]

Will do, but will be a couple of days as I am away.

here are the numbers

CC 14.5 inches diameter and is 33 inches long

FB 11.75 diameter and 16 inches long

Chimney is 3 inches diameter and 12.5 long (but also has that 5 inch horizontal elbow

I have 4 x 1.125 hole drill in bottom of fire box (i will get some photo's up)

The baffle plate lays just above the chamber opening I haven't welded it completely up the sides, but it is welded all around the round part of the tank and about 4 inches running into the tank

I have attached my template that shows how big the opening is 4 inches high and 8.5 inches across. To be honest, i was very confused as to whether I had done this properly

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and thanks heaps

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• jeff burns
• Oct 26, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 26, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 26, 2014

 

[jeff burns]

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• jeff burns
• Oct 27, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 27, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 27, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 27, 2014

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• jeff burns
• Oct 27, 2014

 

[smokedstanley]

Jeff, looking at feldons pit calculator it says you need 5.23 intake holes. So I would either make the four holes you have bigger or add a couple more. Looking at your reverse flow baffle I would make it go as far as your cooking grate and I would also cut out the firebox steel that is going into the main chamber to increase air flow. I definitely think your lack of temperature is from to much restriction of air flow and with a short baffle plate the heat is coming back to the stack to soon. I hope that I have helped. Keep us posted on your progress.