Modified Smoke Vault

[Nefarious]

I used my modified smoke vault smoker for the first time since I modified it and found a significant problem. I was smoking two strip loin roasts on the same shelf and after the second hour of the smoke, one was 13° hotter then the other. I switched their positions in the smoker and when they finished after 1.5 additional hours they were even. Lucky for me I didn't have to pull one and hold it while the other finished.

The side that is hotter is the side that has the added stack. I assume the easy fix is to just add an additional stack on the other side. I imagine that will just lead to the new issue that it will reduce the inside pressure too much and just pull the smoke out of the chamber too fast.

Any opinions:. Would it be better to remove and plug the side stack and put a new stack in the center of the top. When I bought it, it only had a vent on top, no stack.

 

[tx smoker]

The heat exiting the stack will create a draw, just like the fireplace in your house. When the heat starts rising and the draw is created, it will by default pull heat that way making that side hotter. If your heating element is in the middle, adding a second stock to the other side should even things out I'd think.

Robert

 

[JLeonard]

I recently added a square exhaust stack for a UDS to my MB gasser. Centered in on the top. Temps seem to run higher in it now. Even with the control all the way down it still ran hotter than before. Guessing its drawing much better. A needle valve is in my future.
And I agree with tx smoker prob will need a second stack to balance.
Jim

 

[Nefarious]

The heat exiting the stack will create a draw, just like the fireplace in your house. When the heat starts rising and the draw is created, it will by default pull heat that way making that side hotter. If your heating element is in the middle, adding a second stock to the other side should even things out I'd think.

Robert

Thanks, the existing stack was added to try to create more cross draw for smoke from a failed mailbox mod.

What I am afraid of is that two stacks might be too much pull. I should have said this before, my intention with this smoker is to reduce the size of the gas orifice and plug many of the holes in the burner so it can operate at 90°.

 

[Nefarious]

I recently added a square exhaust stack for a UDS to my MB gasser. Centered in on the top. Temps seem to run higher in it now. Even with the control all the way down it still ran hotter than before. Guessing its drawing much better. A needle valve is in my future.
And I agree with tx smoker prob will need a second stack to balance.
Jim

Does the square stack have any flow control?

 

[JLeonard]

yeah i can close off the stack with a flapper.

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Jim