Mega WSM - think it will work?

[biaviian]

 
I had a highly modded WSM 18.5 with a hanging kit, was originally looking at a Insulated Cabinet Smoker like the Humphrey's battle Box or Backwoods G2 Chubby, after hanging Ribs and poultry I knew I would be better off with a Gateway or Hunsaker. I'm very happy with my choice and the more I cook on it the happier I am about my choice, my first cook on it was the middle of May and I already have a dozen cooks on it.

Just to be clear, you are using the Hunsaker fire box in a WSM or do you have one of their smokers?

 

[noboundaries]

 
That is very interesting.  You see those results in a 22" or what size?  I don't see anywhere near 10 hours even at 250, with a controller, in my 22".

What charcoal are you using?  Even with the current formula of Kingsford Original I can get 14-16 hours out of a full charcoal ring and wood chunks in my 22.5" WSM.  I haven't done a long smoke yet since I switched to Royal Oak Ridge briquettes last month, but I suspect I may almost double that based on several 7 hours smokes I've done with the RO Ridge.   

 

[biaviian]

 
What charcoal are you using?  Even with the current formula of Kingsford Original I can get 14-16 hours out of a full charcoal ring and wood chunks in my 22.5" WSM.  I haven't done a long smoke yet since I switched to Royal Oak Ridge briquettes last month, but I suspect I may almost double that based on several 7 hours smokes I've done with the RO Ridge.   

I am using one by Weber.  I am done with that and I am moving on to my two bags of Kingsford Original then I'm on to Royal Oak, once I buy it.

 

[gr8day]

I cook on a Hunsaker Drum. 

 

[kastur troi]

Since some of us have experience with the Hunsaker vortex charcoal box... any reason why thermometer temps on the side of my WSM and on the DOME shows 250-275 but my probe on the grate shows 325 at times? These are 3" Lavalock therms... all three past the boiling water test when I first installed it.

I even put a cast iron pizza pan on the lowest grate above the Vortex to act as a baffle. I was thinking the "spinning" heat (as it claims) is going to the middle of the cooker. But honestly I have no ideas...

 

[gr8day]

 
Since some of us have experience with the Hunsaker vortex charcoal box... any reason why thermometer temps on the side of my WSM and on the DOME shows 250-275 but my probe on the grate shows 325 at times? These are 3" Lavalock therms... all three past the boiling water test when I first installed it.

I even put a cast iron pizza pan on the lowest grate above the Vortex to act as a baffle. I was thinking the "spinning" heat (as it claims) is going to the middle of the cooker. But honestly I have no ideas...

I can't answer to what your problem is, I get even temps across my grates so much so I have a brand new ThermoWorks Smoke and haven't even pulled it out of the box yet. Been using the Tel-Tru therm to judge cooker temps and my Thermapen to check temps and tenderness. 

 

[biaviian]

 
Since some of us have experience with the Hunsaker vortex charcoal box... any reason why thermometer temps on the side of my WSM and on the DOME shows 250-275 but my probe on the grate shows 325 at times? These are 3" Lavalock therms... all three past the boiling water test when I first installed it.

I even put a cast iron pizza pan on the lowest grate above the Vortex to act as a baffle. I was thinking the "spinning" heat (as it claims) is going to the middle of the cooker. But honestly I have no ideas...

I have been talking to the owner the last two days, getting more information on the items.  He got back to me within a few hours after I submitted a request on his site.  I suggest you do the same.  I'm sure he will be willing to help.