Need help with my temp???

[kunkel3269]

Hey guys! New to smoking and new to the forum. I bought an old country wrangler smoker from academy last December. I have cooked maybe 10 times on it so far. I am having a hard time with the temps. I have a maverick digital thermometer on the grates. It's almost like its working backwards for me. When I close down on the firebox damper the temperature rise and when I open it they fall. I have the damper wide open on the stack as well. Can anyone explain this to me please. Thank you.

 

[joe black]

That is quite a conundrum. I'm sure someone on here has worked out that problem and can help. I have personally never seen that issue. Have you added a convection plate to your wrangler? I think that's a very important mod.

Good luck with your problem and with your wrangler, Joe

 

[cliffcarter]

Makes no sense to me, buy a cheap oven thermometer and put it on the cooking grate and check it against the digital.

 

[kunkel3269]

I may try that. Im doing a test run as we speak. I have another digital I am using as well. And reading about 5 degrees difference.

 

[kunkel3269]

Joe Black. Is a convection plate a tuning plate?

 

[cliffcarter]

I may try that. Im doing a test run as we speak. I have another digital I am using as well. And reading about 5 degrees difference.

There may be another answer to this problem

If the wind is blowing from the opposite direction to the intake vent of the firebox it can reverse the flow in the smoker and cut down the temp.

This has happened to me more than once, the solution is to turn the smoker so the wind is blowing into the fire box.

 

[kunkel3269]

Thanks cliffcarter. I will try that as well. It's like this smoker is backwards for me. Also the smoke stack side is hotter than the firebox side in the smoking chamber. Have any of you guys owned a old country smoker before?

 

[joe black]

"Tuning Plates" are individual plates, about 4-6" wide. You start off at the FB to CC baffle with a small space of about 1/2-3/4", then a plate then a 1" space, a plate, a1-1/2" space, another plate, a 2" space and another plate. Then you play with the spaces, etc. until you have a good balanced heat and smoke flow. A "Convection Plate" is a 1/4" thick plate that starts at the FB to CC baffle and goes about 3/4 of the way to the smoke stack end. This plate will have rows of holes across that start out about 1" in diameter and get progressively larger as they go. This works to produce the same effect as the plates. Personally, I like the convection plate best. That's what I have and it works great. I'm sure there are just as many folks who like the tuning plates. Maybe because they are easier to make and install.

Good luck with your temps, Joe

 

[hardcookin]

Thanks cliffcarter. I will try that as well. It's like this smoker is backwards for me. Also the smoke stack side is hotter than the firebox side in the smoking chamber. Have any of you guys owned a old country smoker before?

Never owned one. What model do you have?
Your not going to have even temps. In fact 5 degrees difference is pretty good.
Sometimes where you have your food placed will help even temps out.