Grand Champ XD smoke stack and mini temp test

[Chasdev]

I'm out to proove my wife is right in her opinion of my addiction (BBQ that is).
So, I'm trying an extension on the stack but went back to completly stock on the inner grill basket and deflector positions, but I left some fire bricks in the firebox.
I paid good money for the bricks, so by gosh some of them stay in there!
Started a large charcoal fire and added a stick or two to get a "too large" fire going so I could see how well the firebox damper worked and if the temps could be kept even.
In the beginning the extension seemed like a miracle cure for temp spreads and the inlet damp worked well to alter/adjust the cook chamber temp, but as the heat built up the even temps went away and it was too hot on the right side and too low on the left..again.
Next up (still waiting on it to be delivered) is a tuning plate set up, sold by BBQsmokerMods.com. (made by LavaLock).
Can't wait to see how it works in conjunction with the exhaust stack mod.
I'm also testing how much heat Gorilla tape can withstand, so far so good.

 

[JLeonard]

Addiction? When it perfecting your art is it really an addiction?

Jim

 

[Chasdev]

Got the baffle plate installed, running test now.
Early indications are that the bottom right are still too high and the upper is pretty uniform left to right.
Still way early, temps are low.
Today's experiment starts with a small charcoal base and two small sticks, so I can try to get it to 275 and keep it there without the standard runaway temps.
Test procedes and with BBQ Geebus looking on I hope to succede.

 

[Chasdev]

Test completed.
Temps ran hot on the right ends, both upper and lower racks.
I removed the upper fire bricks, I could not see the fire without standing up and looking down into the firebox.
What did seem to work a small miracle is adding a large water pan to the right lower cook grate.
Temps stabilized across both cook grates, with the upper running hotter than the lower.
Fire life was extended, much more than with stock set up.
Tomorrow the pastrami I've been brining for 9 days, gets cooked.