Need help with fire box

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pirk56

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 8, 2017
23
12
I'm having trouble keeping my pit at temp. With the firebox door closed and vent wide open, it's not getting enough oxygen to keep the fire burning, Smoking a brisket today, I had to constantly open the door to get the temp up. My thought is that the vent is positioned too high on the door where oxygen get under the rack. I've thought about cutting a new vent at the bottom. See pics for reference, thanks for your input in advance!
GALLERY]
 
To me it looks like you can use more air intake. Maybe put it lower on the sides.? Also it looks like you have a good ash buildup under the fire. That could maybe prevent it from getting up to temp. What kind of smoker is it? It looks pretty nice!
 
Yea I've got through some wood today, I'm using an old fire place grate, using bricks to support it. Wonder if that's blocking air, I can turn them side ways.

Reverse flow, thanks, my second cook and I love it, ready to get the heat figured out.
 
I'm having trouble keeping my pit at temp. With the firebox door closed and vent wide open, it's not getting enough oxygen to keep the fire burning, Smoking a brisket today, I had to constantly open the door to get the temp up. My thought is that the vent is positioned too high on the door where oxygen get under the rack. I've thought about cutting a new vent at the bottom. See pics for reference, thanks for your input in advance! [GALLERY="media, 520523"][/GALLERY][/quote]
[img]https://statich.smokingmeatforums.com/smilies/others/welcome1.gif  to the SMF pirk56. 

Judging from your pic, for me it looks like smoke is wanting to come out your door when you have it open, Correct? 

If so, that is telling me you have an issue with your exhaust and or your Smoker has cooled down to much and you lost the Drawing flow of your heat and smoke up and out of your chimney. In return causing the smoke from your fire to take the easiest path out and up when you open the door. More air intake will not fix this type of issue, I am guessing you need to look more at your path of exhaust flow out the other end of your smoker.

I just took a second look at your side pic of your rig. Gas fired on one end and wood fired on the other, is it open between the two or seperate compartments?

This information will help me with understanding your issue a little more clearly. Thanks Mike    
 
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:welcome1:  to the SMF pirk56. 
Judging from your pic, for me it looks like smoke is wanting to come out your door when you have it open, Correct? 

If so, that is telling me you have an issue with your exhaust and or your Smoker has cooled down to much and you lost the Drawing flow of your heat and smoke up and out of your chimney. In return causing the smoke from your fire to take the easiest path out and up when you open the door. More air intake will not fix this type of issue, I am guessing you need to look more at your path of exhaust flow out the other end of your smoker.

I just took a second look at your side pic of your rig. Gas fired on one end and wood fired on the other, is it open between the two or seperate compartments?

This information will help me with understanding your issue a little more clearly. Thanks Mike    

Some will come out the door but it does flow on out the exhaust.

It's not gas fired yet, the bottle is there to fuel me fryer, I want to install a gas fire eventually.

Smoke flows real good while cooking, I don't think that's the issue, but I'm not sure. When the door is wide open like in that pic, some smoke does come out the fire box, but I cooked with a 2"-4" gap and all smoke was flowing.

A good friend of mine told me to make sure the pit was level, that that can affect the flow. I've left it connecedt to my truck so the tail end has been way low
 
Next Question I need answered first before I can go further with your issue. Is your smoker open between the two compartment for smoke to flow from one end to the other, or closed off in the Middle? I see two separate exhaust stacks, that's why I am asking this question. Thanks Mike  
 
Yes, 6"-8" (I think) circle going from the pipe cook chamber to the smoke box / holding box. I'll take a pic when I get home from work

I've left both open during my cooks and smoke comes from both, haven't noticed more smoke coming from the other.
 
Ok, now we can get down to business with your issues. You try and post up a few more pics later if you can? and I will help explain a little theory behind why I think you are having the issues you are experiencing. Then you will have a little better understanding and maybe you will be able to pinpoint the issue looking right at you, maybe because you just weren't aware of it at first?
33.gif
 

A little TWEAKING in the right places and that Bad Boy will operate just like you want it to!
grilling_smilie.gif
 

I also encourage others to jump in and help and ask more questions also. 
yahoo.gif
 
Several things are relevant.  Proper calculations for openings based on Cook Chamber Cu. In. is a must  Looking at the pics it seems like you FB damper is a little high.

You need air flow under the splits. I also added a top damper in my FB door to really fine tune heat adjustment.

If leaving your door cracked improves the fire burning you have an air intake problem Larger Damper

Gary
 
Great pics 56 that helps, Thanks. From a closer look at your pics you must have just bought this or had someone build it for you? The steel appears really new and your pit doesn't look like it has had very much use, correct? 

From your pic of the round hole going from your warmer box into your main chamber, your stack opening is right above, correct? 

First I am not understanding the reason and or possible theory behind someone mounting the two stack the way they did on your pit? If You had only ONE stack on the far end of your Pit you would have a more even flow of the heat and smoke, in return giving you a more consistent temp.

I will stop here so you can tell me a little more info behind the history and build of your pit. Thanks Mike 
 
Great pics 56 that helps, Thanks. From a closer look at your pics you must have just bought this or had someone build it for you? The steel appears really new and your pit doesn't look like it has had very much use, correct? 

From your pic of the round hole going from your warmer box into your main chamber, your stack opening is right above, correct? 

First I am not understanding the reason and or possible theory behind someone mounting the two stack the way they did on your pit? If You had only ONE stack on the far end of your Pit you would have a more even flow of the heat and smoke, in return giving you a more consistent temp.

I will stop here so you can tell me a little more info behind the history and build of your pit. Thanks Mike 

I had the pit built by a local group, they have made several pits, but by know means pit builders. It's build damn well. They had never built one with a hot box like mine and when I got there to check it out during Fab they already had the 1 stack on the main chambe. I wanted to be able to smoke in the hot box too so I had them put the second. Not knowing any better. Smoke flows beautifully from both of them.

I've seasoned it and have done 2 cooks.

Yes the main cook chamber stack is right above the hole going into the hot box.
 
So if that is true, you do not have a reverse flow main cooking chamber and the heat and smoke flows right in and out the top, correct?  Your heat and smoke does not flow under your food first then back over the top and out, am then out your stack, correct? 

If this is true, are they still around to fix this problem for you? 
 
So if that is true, you do not have a reverse flow main cooking chamber and the heat and smoke flows right in and out the top, correct?  Your heat and smoke does not flow under your food first then back over the top and out, am then out your stack, correct? 

If this is true, are they still around to fix this problem for you? 

Yea it does work as a reverse flow, under the meat over the meat & out
 
If that is true, I don't understand the round hole cut on top of the cooking grate. Is there a hole under the grate also then, so you would have two hole cut top and bottom?  
 
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