How many intakes are needed? How aobut exhausts?

[inkjunkie]

Your BGE is ceramic isn't it?

That get hot and acts like a heat sink.

That's my opinion anyway. Maybe I am wrong.

Problem with that is it held 330* for close to 3 hours. Only way to get it to drop was to limit the exhaust flow.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Now I am beyond confused. The view from my side of the street....
that when going low and slow you have a wide open exhaust and control the temperature with the intake side, correct? Which is exactly what people claim is done with a BGE. Tried this with our BGE today. Had the top wide open. Bottom vent open about .500". Temperature slowly climber to almost 350*. Shut bottom vent completely. Temp dropped to 330* and held steady. Only way to get temperature to drop was to throttle back the exhaust. Went from about a 4 inch or so exhaust to 1/8". Was then able to control the temperature with the bottom.
Can someone please explain to me why a 3-4" exhaust is needed on a UDS? With my experiment on the BGE today I don't see how low and slow will be possible with that big of an exhaust....controlling on the intake side alone just doesn't seem to work...

We need more explanation on how you light your BGE.

I for one light all my charcoal rigs the same. I fill the basket will charcoal. Too with smoke wood (3-4) 2"-3" chunks. Then I use a torch to light 3-4 briquettes or pieces of lump on one side. I let the pit temp rise. When I get 15 degrees below my target temp I start throttling down the intakes. I let the smoker go 15-20 degrees over my target temp then put the meat on. The temp usually will drop 10-20 degrees where I want the temp. As it gets back up I throttle down the intakes until it's where I want it. Over firing is the main cause for not being able to get lower temps. To many. Lit coals to begin with.

 

[inkjunkie]

We need more explanation on how you light your BGE.

I for one light all my charcoal rigs the same. I fill the basket will charcoal. Too with smoke wood (3-4) 2"-3" chunks. Then I use a torch to light 3-4 briquettes or pieces of lump on one side. I let the pit temp rise. When I get 15 degrees below my target temp I start throttling down the intakes. I let the smoker go 15-20 degrees over my target temp then put the meat on. The temp usually will drop 10-20 degrees where I want the temp. As it gets back up I throttle down the intakes until it's where I want it. Over firing is the main cause for not being able to get lower temps. To many. Lit coals to begin with.

Please don't take this as disrespectful..not real sure what how I light the BGE has to do with temperature control some 7 hours later.
Today I filled the chimney to the middle hole

20150225_170408.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

with Chunk charcoal. Used half of a

20150225_170608.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

to light the chimney which was placed on a spot that was cleared out on the charcoal plate of the egg. After the chunks were glowing the chimney was dumped into the BGE and was stirred into the remaining chunks.
Put the place setter in with the grate on top of it. BGE was wide open on top and bottom for a few minutes. Closed the bottom Vent down...left it about A half inch open. Dome temp. Stayed in the 235-250* for 2 hours. That point it slowly crept up over the next hour or so. Topped out at 350 or so. Shut the bottom vent to this point

20150225_130055.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

only to have the temperature drop 20* or so after close to an hour.
Once I put the daisy wheel on and set it so there was only about an 1/8" was open on the vents The temperature started to drop...

 

[inkjunkie]

At 5:00 with the Daisy wheel set at

20150225_165942.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

and the bottom at

20150225_165948.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

the thermometer read 251, which is where it has been sitting for an hour. Took the,daisy wheel off, after 20 minutes thermometer read 270. Will check it again at 5:45.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

So ditch the chimney. Or if you use it put 3-6 briquettes in it. Light those add to your unlit. Regulate your vents earlier, if you're lookin for lower temps. You can leave your top vent open on the BGE and still keep the temps low and slow.

 

[inkjunkie]

So ditch the chimney. Or if you use it put 3-6 briquettes in it. Light those add to your unlit. Regulate your vents earlier, if you're lookin for lower temps. You can leave your top vent open on the BGE and still keep the temps low and slow.

Have not changed anything from 5 p.m. other than taking the daisy wheel off. At 5 the bottom was set at

20150225_165948.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

and the top at

20150225_165942.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

the thermometer read 251. Took the daisy wheel off at 5, didn't touch the bottom. 45 minutes later the thermometer read 312. The temperature can't be controlled using only the bottom.
I don't see how I lit this thing 7 hours ago has anything to do with what is happening now.
I also don't see how you folks with a 3 inch exhaust on the UDS can cook low and slow...which is the point of my ramblings...lol...

 

[inkjunkie]

Since putting the daisy wheel back on about an hour and twenty minutes ago the temperature dropped from 312 to 223...without changing the bottom vent....

 

[timberjet]

 
This is on the intake side, correct?

si senor

 

[timberjet]

Have not changed anything from 5 p.m. other than taking the daisy wheel off. At 5 the bottom was set at

20150225_165948.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

and the top at

20150225_165942.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 25, 2015

the thermometer read 251. Took the daisy wheel off at 5, didn't touch the bottom. 45 minutes later the thermometer read 312. The temperature can't be controlled using only the bottom.
I don't see how I lit this thing 7 hours ago has anything to do with what is happening now.
I also don't see how you folks with a 3 inch exhaust on the UDS can cook low and slow...which is the point of my ramblings...lol...

Magic. Sorry, couldn't resist. Honestly I don't know. It just does.

 

[timberjet]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the UDS has no R value to speak of. While that ceramic thing is insulated to the max. Also the chamber in the Egg is quite a bit smaller correct? Totally different dynamics in there than in a drum. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[inkjunkie]

 
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the UDS has no R value to speak of. While that ceramic thing is insulated to the max. Also the chamber in the Egg is quite a bit smaller correct? Totally different dynamics in there than in a drum. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Fine.....be that way.....

Gave up for tonight....going to try it again tomorrow....

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the UDS has no R value to speak of. While that ceramic thing is insulated to the max. Also the chamber in the Egg is quite a bit smaller correct? Totally different dynamics in there than in a drum. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Which leads me back to how you are lighting the BGE! To many hot coals too fast too early. I'm done with this thread. Yes it can be done on the egg, never said take the vent cap off, just leave it wide open... Just like a WSM ither smoker that has a vent on top, open it up.

We can control the BGE at any temp with just the lower vent, when lighting as I have mentioned already.

 

[inkjunkie]

Which leads me back to how you are lighting the BGE! To many hot coals too fast too early. I'm done with this thread. Yes it can be done on the egg, never said take the vent cap off, just leave it wide open... Just like a WSM ither smoker that has a vent on top, open it up.

We can control the BGE at any temp with just the lower vent, when lighting as I have mentioned already.

Sorry if I have upset you in some way. Just don't understand how the thing was lit has anything to with temperature control 10 hours later. Especially being that it held 230 or so for a well over an hour right after it was lit.

I did get the temperature down, after it climbed,  by closing the top off. Once I opened it back up the temperature climbed right back up. Sorry if I don't see how it was lit 10 hours earlier have anything to do with it. If I never got the temperature down I would be in agreement with you.

You are not the only one done with this thread.

I apologize to anyone who I may have offended...

 

[timberjet]

 
Sorry if I have upset you in some way. Just don't understand how the thing was lit has anything to with temperature control 10 hours later. Especially being that it held 230 or so for a well over an hour right after it was lit.

I did get the temperature down, after it climbed,  by closing the top off. Once I opened it back up the temperature climbed right back up. Sorry if I don't see how it was lit 10 hours earlier have anything to do with it. If I never got the temperature down I would be in agreement with you.

You are not the only one done with this thread.

I apologize to anyone who I may have offended...

Case is just relating his experience with his egg. Maybe yours is a little different or maybe the draft in your smoking area goes right down the top vent or something. who knows. We are talking a bout uds's and yes, you have to be careful how much lit coal you start out with or you will have a very hot drum in short order. I can't remember what kind of coal you are using but if it's lump, lump burns hotter than KBB for sure.

 

[inkjunkie]

:deadhorse:
Case is just relating his experience with his egg. Maybe yours is a little different or maybe the draft in your smoking area goes right down the top vent or something. who knows. We are talking a bout uds's and yes, you have to be careful how much lit coal you start out with or you will have a very hot drum in short order. I can't remember what kind of coal you are using but if it's lump, lump burns hotter than KBB for sure.

I understand this was supposed to be about UDS's. I was trying to figure out a couple of things. One being this whole "control with the bottom" thing. When Jeff wrote an article on the BGE he used both vents . More than 75% of the Web stuff I have been reading says to use both. What I was after was an answer to how much exhaust is needed to control the UDS. And whether or not it will need a way to be choked back.
I have a feeling that I was not getting my point across. I understand that if a barn burner is lit it will be hard to cotrol. But as I stated, numerous times, I did get the temperature down low & Slow zone. And I think this was missed....once the temerature is under control what difference does it make how it was lit.
I am truly sorry I started this thread. Did not mean to piss anyone off.
I still am not satisfied in my search of my exhaust and temperature control for the UDS. Will start looking elsewhere.
Again, sorry that my quest for an explanation and my gathering of info has pissed anyone off...

 

[timberjet]

I understand this was supposed to be about UDS's. I was trying to figure out a couple of things. One being this whole "control with the bottom" thing. When Jeff wrote an article on the BGE he used both vents . More than 75% of the Web stuff I have been reading says to use both. What I was after was an answer to how much exhaust is needed to control the UDS. And whether or not it will need a way to be choked back.
I have a feeling that I was not getting my point across. I understand that if a barn burner is lit it will be hard to cotrol. But as I stated, numerous times, I did get the temperature down low & Slow zone. And I think this was missed....once the temerature is under control what difference does it make how it was lit.
I am truly sorry I started this thread. Did not mean to piss anyone off.
I still am not satisfied in my search of my exhaust and temperature control for the UDS. Will start looking elsewhere.
Again, sorry that my quest for an explanation and my gathering of info has pissed anyone off...

I am not offended and I haven't even had my coffee yet. Just trying to help. I will say that on very hot days I close down my smaller vent because sometimes i do get a draft from the top down on my uds. Here is a pic on a 100 degree day of what I do.

butt 2.jpg

• timberjet
• Jan 20, 2015

Notice the tea cup. Now there was no smoke coming out that hole to begin with that day. It was drawing air down from that bung hole. So yeah that is something to think about. You want to be able to cap your exausts, all of them when you are done smoking anyway to choke out the fire fast and save coal for next time. Plus you don't want a whole bunch of Box elder bugs down in there having a party. Hahahaha.... I am no engineer. I just know what has worked for me since I have had mine.

 

[inkjunkie]

Cleaned out the Egg today. Refilled it. Stuck half of one of these

20150225_170608.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 27, 2015

in the front of the Egg and lit it.
Place setter and grid put on. Clamped probe on to grate.

20150226_113133.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 27, 2015

on the bottom and wide open on the top. Temp was 135. Checked every 25 minutes. Temps were 135, 167, 191. Closed the bottom to about a credit card width. 25 minutes later was 195, 25 minutes later was at 215. I was convinced, based upon my experience with my BGE that it was going to continue climbing. Daisy wheel was put on, set so that the vents lined up

20150226_143852.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Feb 27, 2015

bottom was set to a quarter inch. For the next 4 hours it sat right at 210. My conclusion. ..my Egg can not be controlled by the bottom vent alone. That my troubles from yesterday had nothing to do with how I lit it. What does this have to do with a UDS? Makes me wonder what to do about for the exhaust on my UDS build.
Again, if I got under any ones skin I do apologize. In the future I will think twice before asking this type of question.