Masterbuilt xl help

[smokinpo]

Ok this is my second time smoking with the masterbuilt xl. I'm still having issues with getting the heat up. I've switched out the chip pan for a ast iron skillet,filled the water pan with sand and covered with foil. I even sled the back vent closed Can't get it above 175 or so. Help

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Ok this is my second time smoking with the masterbuilt xl. I'm still having issues with getting the heat up. I've switched out the chip pan for a ast iron skillet,filled the water pan with sand and covered with foil. I even sled the back vent closed Can't get it above 175 or so. Help

OK, a few basics here that I see which could be effecting your peak temps:

A heavier smoke wood tray/pan adds mass. Filling the water pan with sand adds mass. Too much mass takes longer to heat to stable temps. Mass helps retain smoke chamber temps and reduces temp swings. Water in the pan controls high-temp spikes and adds humidity, but water vapor cools the smoke chamber.

The exhaust vent needs to be open to allow heated air to flow...if closed, heat cannot move through the smoke chamber and can cause reduced chamber temps as well as stale smoke/creosote.

You can experience performance issues due to windy and/or cold conditions and/or precipitation. If these are not major factors, you may have a faulty or stuck excess flow valve on the propane tank. To check for this condition, close the burner valve, then close the tank valve. Let it sit for a few minutes, undisturbed. Re-open the tank valve slowly for the first 1 to 1-1/2 rotations, then fully open and relight the smoker burner and leave on high to check peak temp. If no change is noticed, check the tank on another cooker, if available, to see if that cooker has performance issues with the same tank. If you have another tank to try, that can eliminate the possibility of the tank valve issue.

If the tank does not cause issues with another cooker, then you may have a faulty regulator or burner control valve on the smoker.

Also, check the color of the flame when on high...should be some blue close to the burner plenum with amber tips, and may be mostly amber. Also, check the flame height between low, medium and high flame positions on the control valve...there should be marked changes in flame intensity. If all amber and no blue when on high, the burner is getting too much gas and not enough air (rich burn). This can be caused by a plugged screen from grease, dust, bugs, webs, or improperly adjusted enrichment/mixture on the venturi inlet (mixing chamber where air enters the gas stream). Be sure the inlet is clean and there is a gap for air to enter, if the gap is small and can be adjusted, it needs to be opened more for a leaner burn.

This is all I can think of at the moment...let me know if everything you check fails to identify the problem...I may have missed something. I have pretty trouble-free use of every propane rig I own, so I don't trouble-shoot them often, but have helped others figure things out.

Eric

 

[cadillacman]

I am by no means an expert, but after making a few minor mods after reading multiple posts I would like to offer one suggestion.  Make sure the iron skillet is up off the metal housing that houses the flame.  I found that when I need higher temps I lift the factory chip pan up further away from the housing by putting one leg on the threaded portion coming up through the bottom and within minutes the temp rises.  See the posts on mods;

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/99373/masterbuild-xl-mods-post-your-mods-here

Picture taken from post from j4165y

post #57 of 133

6/30/11

The iron skillet may be too thick also, I still use the factory chip pan with lump charcoal, I just hammered down the raised portions to cut off the flames inside the pan to prevent the flame ups.  This allows the temperature from the flames to get the coals hot enough to begin to smolder and they actually get hot enough to run the smoker without any propane for a good length of time. 
 

 

[pigalicious]

Not sure if this is your issue but when I modified my chip pan on my XL, there was no longer a direct path for the heat to get in to the chamber as I had closed the vents through the pan.  I cut up an old patio block and put it under the pan's feet and raised the base of the pan off the burner...voila it jumped up to over 300F where I could not get it over 210F before raising the pan.  I'm going to stick with the factory pan for now with the foil blocking off the factory vents in the bottom of the pan but I'm going to drill holes in the feet and use stainless steel bolts so I can fine tune the spacing off the burner.  Working great as is as I did some chicken breasts, a porl sirloin roast, and a boston butt for pulled pork yesterday.

 

[tamarockstar88]

Agreed, the chip pan at the least needs to be foiled and raised up. The link to the mods page was very helpful to me. This is what I bought to hold my skillet


I haven't tried this yet I'm still finishing my mods but another user suggested it. Looks nice and should raise the skillet up properly. I found the chip pan smothered the flames too much and It gave me a bad burn producing nasty black soot. Eric also has a lot of great suggestions and things to keep in mind. Spiders love to nest in the venturi pipe and that can throw off your burn. Also play with your vents because air flow could be a huge factor. Some users have insulated their smokers but I find that my smoker has no problem staying hot, so I made the decision not to add insulation.

Check the thermometer too. Mine was calibrated properly and works but many people have issues with theirs. You can test it by putting it in boiling water, the temp should be 212* at sea level. I dont rely on the door thermometer itself either, temps inside can vary and having a second gauge is always helpful. Check the mods page as well!

 

[schmitzmoke]

My XL heats to 375 to 400+ with no problem at all, I have a huge water pan, 2 extra bricks inside for thermal mass and the old water pan filled with sand. I would say that your burner is out of wack big time.

The XL burner should heat your box to 400+ in 15 minutes or less set wide open. Read the instructions about adjusting the burner before using the smoker again.

Get yourself a good dual temp thermometer the one on the door is for ballpark reference only.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

One thing you might want to check too is the regulator. When I got my now ancient GOSM, the regulator worked great, I could get temps upwards of of 450*. Then one day the plastic coupling screw broke and I had to get a new one from the factory. Hardly could get 225*!!! So with a turkey sitting in smoker, thanksgiving morning, I had to improvise. I took the regulator off my turkey fryer burner. Tested it out and I was back up to scary hot temps, and fairly good control at really low temps. Search here for "needle valve". That should give you some good info on mods to make. Also get a calibrated remote temp to verify that your smokers temp gauge is right, most aren't! Good luck and have fun smoking!

 

[schmitzmoke]

That's a great point! the regulator should be checked also

 

[dewetha]

I have run into the regulator problem on my weber grill.

i couldn't believe the solution to reset it as given by the tech support but it worked. IIRC:

disconnect from the tank. for 5 mins or something like that.

make sure the grill is in the off position

reconnect

open value on tank all the way

open grill knob all the way 

light it.

 

[no peek n]

my MB XL used to light up and heat like a Cajun Kooker Blow torch, but this last smoke the flame on the last 2hs of cooking wouldn't geet any hotter or higher, so I called MB corp. and got a new Reg, and hose sent to me for free...Score.! i will check it again on the next Smoke to see if that was the Prob..

 

[gator1]

Must be the regulator . I have the opposite problem . I have to work at keeping it cool . She will run at 175 on the lowest setting but if I'm trying to run at 225 I always keep an eye on it . Once the water starts to evaporate it jumps to 275 real quick .

 

[smokinpo]

OK last night  i put my chip pan back in wrapped in heavy duty alluminum foil with the vents blocked. Took out the cast iron skillet and left in the sand. Worked pretty good. As a matter of fact it got too hot. I was trying my first brisket and the outside temp kept reading 225-250. But when I opened it up after a couple hours my inside gauge was over 300. Brisket was done and pretty dry. Lathered it with some KC masterpiece BBQ, foiled it, wrapped it in some towels and left it alone for an hour or so. Flavor was great but a little tough. Next investment is a good temp gauge. Bluetooth wireless style with a dual probe. My wife is already calling me a BBQ dork. I'm really gettin into it.

 

[no peek n]

do yourself a flavor, GET the Maverick ET-732, and be done with it, Get them here for a $60 clams or Amazon...I dont have to open the door on my Brisket or Butt unless I toss in a chunk of Hickory, Just sit back watch NASCAR, with the Mav on your lap and Chill...Best investment i ever made...

 

[mdboatbum]

do yourself a flavor, GET the Maverick ET-732, and be done with it, Get them here for a $60 clams or Amazon...I dont have to open the door on my Brisket or Butt unless I toss in a chunk of Hickory, Just sit back watch NASCAR, with the Mav on your lap and Chill...Best investment i ever made...

I agree 100%. Well, maybe not the NASCAR part, but with everything else. Nothing against NASCAR, I've just never gotten into it. Then again, I watch Golf on TV and everyone thinks I'm weird for that, so what do I know? But definitely get the ET-732. It' will make your life much better.