Exhaust Extensions

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

ov10fac

Fire Starter
Original poster
Nov 29, 2024
46
29
Omaha, NE
Ok, so my new Oklahoma Joe arrived yesterday. As soon as the weather warms up above 20 degrees I'll season it. In my search for videos on how to season I ran across one or two suggesting exhaust extensions for better air flow. I have a MS in Aeronautical Engineering but have no idea about controlling air flow in HVAC systems. So I don't fully understand how adding an extension to the exhaust can cause an increase in air flow. If in fact it does, is that a good thing or a bad thing for temperature control? I would think if longer exhaust stack were beneficial the manufacturer would have included it.
So any ideas/suggestions or recommendations on adding an extension to the exhaust stack and why it would be a good thing or bad for temp control, which I think is what its all about I think.
One benefit might be that the smoke will be vented higher so my wife won't complain so much about me "smoking the house :emoji_laughing: !!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brokenhandle
Can't give you a technical reason, but a longer chimney will change the draft and increase it I would think. As long as you have or get good air flow once you start using it I don't see the need to... unless you need to stay in good graces with your wife lol! But I wouldn't be smoking that close to the house to be an issue.

Ryan
 
My OKJ Highland runs fine as is. It does like to settle in around 280°, which is fine.
Keep the stack vent wide open and look into doing the "V" grate in the firebox.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gonna Smoke
All I can do is tell you my experience with an Old Country Brazos.

I put analog temp gauges on both ends of the cook chamber. And I put a 2 foot stack extension on it. It was easily removable.

I got the smoker temp balanced , end to end , without the extension on the stack. Then I put the extension on the temps on stack end of the cook chamber went up.

I take the extension off, and the temps balance out again.

My explanation, the stack extension increased the draw through the cooker. But it caused air/heat to build on the stack end. Because it could not exit as fast as it entered.

So to balance out the temps, I cut down the air flow with the damper on the firebox.

Bottom line, it did no good to increase the air flow with the stack extension if I had to cut down the air flow at the firebox.

The only way to increase the air flow was to open up the exhaust with a collector. And I decided that was not worth the effort.
 
the taller stack just draws harder and therefore burns fire hotter. im guessing to season it youll want it really choochin and that could help!
 
A taller stack does increase the draw like others have been saying.
My suggestion is to season it and run it as is for awhile and see how it cooks before making any mods to it or any smoker. Try a biscuit test on it is the best way to see how it cooks.
 
The other aspect to the Okie Joe, is it exhausts at the top of the cook chamber. They're bottom up cookers. Air/heat is flowing up around the meat and out.

The reasoning behind increasing the air flow in any offset, is to increase convection. But I don't see how increasing air flow on a bottom up cooker is going to alter convection. The bottom of the meats are gonna take the brunt of the air flow, the tops pretty much protected.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Hot Threads

Clicky