Has Anyone Tested the Adjustable Baffle From BBQHQ?

[Its_Raw]

Hello, all!

Has anyone tried or tested the adjustable baffle from BBQHQ for the Brazos?

Baffle

If so, is it worth trying?

Thank you!

 

[forktender]

I have not, I've always used a piece of 1/4'' steel plate that I lean up against the opening between the firebox and chamber. It covers about 75% of the opening, I just lean it up against the wall and angle it out on the bottom. It's cheap and easy, much like me!!!

If you have an old griddle, even a pan you could try it out.

Good luck.

 

[BigW.]

I guess I don't understand it. Website recommends you install that then get the $168 stack extension for more draw??? I think they want your $.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I guess I don't understand it. Website recommends you install that then get the $168 stack extension for more draw??? I think they want your $.

Yep, cut the air flow down on one end, and then increase the air flow at the other. Both ends working against the middle.

 

[Chasdev]

I think the idea is solid, if it slows down at the inlet you need speed it up at the exit.
If it spreads the heat out evenly, I'm a supporter.
Quick and dirty exhaust extensions are a real thing, not spending extra money is also a thing.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I think the idea is solid, if it slows down at the inlet you need speed it up at the exit.
If it spreads the heat out evenly, I'm a supporter.
Quick and dirty exhaust extensions are a real thing, not spending extra money is also a thing.

So you hook up your water hose to the faucet. Then you cut the inflow down 1/2 .

How you gonna speed up outflow at the other end ? There's only so much water in the hose.

 

[Smokin Okie]

My stock, standard, un-modified Brazos ....................... only adjustment is damper on firebox door.

 

[chopsaw]

So you hook up your water hose to the faucet. Then you cut the inflow down 1/2 .

How you gonna speed up outflow at the other end ?

They tell you to buy a bigger hose .

 

[forktender]

They tell you to buy a bigger hose .

Story of my life!!!

 

[Its_Raw]

Well, cannot say this thread has been helpful.

 

[forktender]

Well, cannot say this thread has been helpful.

Why because you didn't hear what you wanted to hear?
One person that owns the same smoker stated that it's not needed, and myself offered up a cheap and easy fix to your problem.

 

[Smokin Okie]

IDK what Brazos you have, there's at least three different models now. But I had the original. Bought it used in 2017, I think. I put a stack extension on it before it was cool to do so. Nobody was doing that. Proof of that is the archives of this forum. I was learning and asking questions here about the Brazos before the backyard stickburner explosion took place.

What I found on my own, was that improving the draw did little because the exhaust port is so small. I believe its 4.5" .

I could easily take the stack extension on/off. I would get the temps even end-to-end with stack ext off.

I put it on, and heat would build on the stack end. I could watch the analog temp gauge go higher.

Then I take it off and the temp drops back down and evens out.

It needed the stack end completely redone if I was going to improve the air flow. The air/heat could not exit as fast as it was coming in.

How does that relate to the baffle ?

I found it was a low air flow cooker. I had to cut the intake at the firebox door way down, my sweet spot was the damper 1/2 open, so that heat would rise as soon as it passed under the baffle.

If I tried to increase air flow, like opening the firebox door, things got crazy in the cook chamber. Because the baffle directed air/heat downward and created a venturi effect, and the exhaust was at grate level, most of the air/heat was flowing under the cooking grate and right out the exhaust.

I considered cutting the stock baffle out. But I concluded that if I open up that end by removing an air flow restriction, I gotta open up the stack end also. The two are very much related.

Aaron Franklin talking about the design of his backyard smoker, says he started on the stack end. He got it right first. He says the firebox end was far more difficult. Says he went through 20 someodd iterations of the firebox door to arrive at the right air intake.

And he did not put a baffle in the cooker. He has a shelf that acts as an air disruptor and creates turbulence, but its not a baffle.

What are you trying to gain with the adjustable baffle ?

 

[Smokin Okie]

And I'll add about the Franklin smoker. Open the firebox door and it acts totally opposite of the Brazos. The temp in the cook chamber cools almost instantly. It has strong air flow that pulls in cool air and it flows out as fast as air comes in. If my fire gets too big, I can open the firebox door and cool down the cook chamber. I can almost use the door as a thermostat.

Open up the firebox door on the Brazos and the cook chamber heats up. Air can't exit as fast as it enters. All kinds of crazy stuff happens in there.

 

[Its_Raw]

I was not “looking to gain” anything. I simply asked if anyone had any firsthand experience with the adjustible baffle and was hoping they could share an objective opinion.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Sorry, you find none of that helpful. I did my best.

Good luck with your Brazos.

 

[Chasdev]

They tell you to buy a bigger hose .

Not to whip a dead horse but the smaller diameter will increase velocity while decreasing flow.
How that would effect the cook grate/s temp I have no clue.
But there is a more or less invisible balancing act going on inside every offset between radiant, conductive and convective heat and the size and shape of the meat being cooked and I presume the holders of this arcane knowledge don't spill their beans on internet forums.
Perhaps it would turbulize the airflow and creat more "friction" or "better" interacction between the smoke particulates and meat?
Just guessing of course.

 

[Smokin Okie]

To me, it boils down to how much air flow a person wants. And that seems to vary from person to person.

But IMO, one of the primary reasons for cooking with an offset is to get better air flow. To my thinking, if people want to shut down the air flow, by adjusting the stack damper and putting dampers and baffles on on the other end, then they may as well be cooking on another type of cooker.

Its very much an individual thing, each person has to learn on their own. What they like ......... and what they don't like.