Custom reverse flow not working as planned

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jaybeerman

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 21, 2022
13
1
I bought a homemade reverse flow from market place for what I thought was a steal (500$ 1/4 steel). I’ve spent the past few days doing practice burns and I’m stumped. The FB side of the CC is always 40+ degrees hotter and I can’t get the middle of the CC over 200 even with a inferno in the FB.

I know the FB door could be an issue. The door doesn’t seal great and it’s a cheap door never meant to be on a smoker in the first place. Anyone have recommendations on what to replace my current door with? Could this be my only problem?? Anyone see anything else obviously wrong? Thanks
 

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To me it looks like the opening from the FB to the CC is too small. Have you run your smoker dimensions through the calculator?
 
To me it looks like the opening from the FB to the CC is too small. Have you run your smoker dimensions through the calculator?
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I did measurements this morning and the only thing that is off is the size of the fire box. The opening from the FB to the Cc is 12 in long and 4in high.
 

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IMO I see a a few things wrong.... Looks like the heat is going right over the top of the food out the stack and the cooking surface looks too low in the CC. First easy thing i would do is add an extention to the smoke stack and make it lower into the chamber. Use a peice of aluminum flashing and shove it up into the stack. This will help push the heat down and fill the chamber before it exits. If that doesnt help the firebox and plate look too low in the chamber and the CC doors vertical opening looks to big. That may need some more in depth modifications.
My 2 cent
 
Last edited:
IMO I see a a few things wrong.... Looks like the heat is going right over the top of the food out the stack and the cooking surface looks too low in the CC. First easy thing i would do is add an extention to the smoke stack and make it lower into the chamber. Use a peice of aluminum flashing and shove it up into the stack. This will help push the heat down and fill the chamber before it exits. If that doesnt help the firebox and plate look too low in the chamber and the CC doors vertical opening looks to big. That may need some more in depth modifications.
I’ll try extending the stack into the chamber. How far into the chamber should I extend the stack?
 
I would try just above the cooking surface. You can adjust it up or down. also try dampering your stack too. Use a jar lid and test.
 
Some better pictures with some light would help
 
So your plate is not fixed and you slid it over to show the opening to the FB. IMO that opening needs to become larger. If the FB is even with the top lip of the openeing the FB needs to be moved up higher and the opening made bigger.
I see there is a damper installed so youll have to find a way to get around that for the extension.
 
So your plate is not fixed and you slid it over to show the opening to the FB. IMO that opening needs to become larger. If the FB is even with the top lip of the openeing the FB needs to be moved up higher and the opening made bigger.
I see there is a damper installed so youll have to find a way to get around that for the extension.
Giving it a try now. The FB side of the CC to 300 and the right side to 250… Would adding another baffle plate help with the radiant heat from the FB?
 

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IMO The RF plate needs to be welded in so no heat escapes. I can see the fire through the plate. that should increase the temp near the firebox side. All the heat should flow under the plate to the other end. fire managment would also help. A blazing fire will heat one side hotter. Be patient and get a good bed of coals going and add small dry splites of wood and keep the fire down. The firebox side should be a little higher but not more than around 20° F

 
Giving it a try now. The FB side of the CC to 300 and the right side to 250… Would adding another baffle plate help with the radiant heat from the FB?
And yes my plate is removable
IMO The RF plate needs to be welded in so no heat escapes. I can see the fire through the plate. that should increase the temp near the firebox side. All the heat should flow under the plate to the other end. fire managment would also help. A blazing fire will heat one side hotter. Be patient and get a good bed of coals going and add small dry splites of wood and keep the fire down. The firebox side should be a little higher but not more than around 20° F

do you think I’d be better off (or easier) to move the stack and convert it to a conventional offset? Seems like it’s easier to dial in a conventional offset.
 
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