Lower gas smoker temperature

[bill1]

If you shake it and they come loose, yeah you'll probably need to get the next size larger screw. But if you just can't screw them snug, they'll probably still seal well enough.
And once you apply gas, you'll little red and blue flames if they're truly too loose.
The 3 screws visible in your posted picture look to me like they'll seal just fine.

 

[DougE]

Some screws felt tight but would continue to turn when installed. Do they need to have enough pressure where they stop turning?

I will not get to test it until tomorrow, I need some bolts to mount the burner.

Wait til you light that sucker up. If those screws that didn't tighten up enough don't have enough of a seal, you'll see some flame coming around the screws. I'm thinking you'll be fine since there isn't really much pressure there.

 

[Nefarious]

I replaced original hose an now I have 125F

If I turn the gas too low, the flame goes out. I can get to 140 without having to worry. Any lower I have to watch it too close.
My plan is to replace the nozzle and then close off a bunch of the holes in the burner. It is my only smoker for the time being so I have to wait.

 

[bill1]

putting 3 pieces of cardboard around the legs in a way that deflects the breezes at your location may also help keep that fire going a bit more reliably.

A few sheets of toilet paper work well at determining wind direction.

 

[Nefarious]

The gas valve is fully open. Please see attached photos in the post. The second valve is doing the trick.

I have a needle valve before the burner valve and after the propane tank valve. All of the valves except the needle valve are fully opened. The needle valve controls everything. At below 140° there is so little gas the flame at the holes in the burner is so small that it flickers on its own. I prefer the strategy of closing off some of the burner holes so the flame is larger at the burner holes and I don't have to worry. My plan is to be able to go down to 100°.

 

[cmayna]

I also am running a needle valve and also like the idea of closing off some of the burner holes to increase the size of the remaining flames.

 

[zwiller]

Get on FB Marketplace and grab a used MES. Can be had CHEAP.

 

[OldSmoke]

My plan is to be able to go down to 100°.

With the current weather, you will need to refrigerate it to get it down to 100.

 

[Nefarious]

With the current weather, you will need to refrigerate it to get it down to 100.

Ha ha, you are correct

 

[Nefarious]

Get on FB Marketplace and grab a used MES. Can be had CHEAP.

Why would I need a MES?

 

[zwiller]

Excels at the low temps you want.

 

[DougE]

Why would I need a MES?

I think zwiller said that because the MES will run the lower temps you're trying to make the smoke vault run at.

 

[DougE]

Excels at the low temps you want.

lol I was posting my reply at the same time you were.

 

[indaswamp]

For a propane smoker, close off half the gas jets on the burner. This will roughly half the BTU's and you will get a lower temp. You can run a higher flame through half the jets which will give you better control to dial in the heat low.....

 

[Nefarious]

For a propane smoker, close off half the gas jets on the burner. This will roughly half the BTU's and you will get a lower temp. You can run a higher flame through half the jets which will give you better control to dial in the heat low.....

Thanks for your response, I haven't thought of this project for most of the summer. I have been overwhelmed with landscape projects, haven't made time to even post any of the few cook projects i've done.

My thoughts on this project are that the orifice on the smoker burner regulates the gas into the burner. If I close half the holes, which I intend to do, then for a specific valve opening the same amount of gas will be ignited and the temp will be the same. The difference is, the flames will be higher. To get a lower temp, I would have to reduce the amount of gas into the burner.

I did an experiment in early summer and at 150° I marked the dial for the valve and then turned the valve completely off. There was less than 1/8 of a turn from 150° to off, not much control.

I figure I will give this a try, maybe in late November, when the landscape projects start to fade and the rain begins. If I don't have the control I want I will then change to a smaller orifice.

This is all just mental work, so I could easily be wrong/missing something.

I do appreciate your interest in the project. I can't wait to get back at it. For now, back to the shed.

 

[indaswamp]

Yes, changing the orifice would slow the gas flow down, but that is not what I wanted for my smokehouse. When I want more heat, I just pull the nails and run two rows of jets for boston butts and briskets...no problem getting up to 275-300*F then. But for low and slow micro fine control, one row works great!