Horizontal Smoker- Cant get temp up

[shields]

I have the Char Broil Silver smoker.  Its fairly well modded up.  Lowered the chimney to grate level, I have the baffle, and tuning plates extend about 3/4 the length of the bottom.  For the life of me I cant get the internal temp to go above 225 or so.  Even with those mods in place I am seeing 40+ degrees diff from firebox side to chimney side.  

If I can get the temp up, i can deal with the temp difference.  I started with 2 full chimney fires, and added 3 more fully lit since.  Firebox vent is full open, chimney vent i have experimented with going from open only a little, to full open.  Im kinda stuck here.  I started with a charcoal wire basket, but dumped it, thinking that the wire was too close together and was causing little airflow.  Now the charcoal is on the grates and I have seen little to no change in temp.  

Suggestions?  I just figure its an O2 issue?  

 

[Brackness]

what temp gauges are u using? ur not using the one that came on there are u? i had a CG that  i added different temp gauges that gave a more accurate read.. and  the only mod i did was make a charcoal basket.. i would fill it half full with unlit charcoal and than add about a chimney full lit on top of it.. and usually 225-250 is were i could stay for bout 6 hrs. depending on the weather.. if it was really cold or windy.. maybe about 4 hrs...

 

[shields]

Sorry I never responded.  I have 4 temp gauges.  2 at grill level and 2 digital inside.  The temp was right.  Looks like I had airflow issues.  I fixed it soon after the post, shoulder turned out great.

 

[shields]

Sorry I never responded.  I have 4 temp gauges.  2 at grill level and 2 digital inside.  The temp was right.  Looks like I had airflow issues.  I fixed it soon after the post, shoulder turned out great.