Propane burner inside firebox

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Ringer

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Sep 10, 2019
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Chickamauga, GA
I need some advice on this guys. I've been mulling over putting a 10 inch propane burner in the firebox to help regulate temperatures some. The smoker is a 300 gallon tank and the firebox is pretty large. I built it according to the calculator but Temps are all over the place regardless of airflow adjustments. It is all sealed well.

My question is, if I put a 10 inch banjo burner would the stainless lp hose work or would I need to insulate it? I'm not sure what the stainless hose temp ratings are.

Thanks in advance
 
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I need some advice on this guys. I've been mulling over putting a 10 inch propane burner in the firebox to help regulate temperatures some. The smoker is a 300 gallon tank and the firebox is pretty large. I built it according to the calculator but Temps are all over the place regardless of airflow adjustments. It is all sealed well.

My question is, if I put a 10 inch banjo burner would the stainless lp hose work or would I need to insulate it? I'm not sure what the stainless hose temp ratings are.

Thanks in advance
smokin peachey smokin peachey has a burner in his as a lighting mechanism. He may know.
 

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Where did you get the build calculations from? At a quick glance it appears like your firebox is into the cook chamber to far. If you are going to put a propane burner in I would put it in from the end opposite the firebox.
 
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Where did you get the build calculations from? At a quick glance it appears like your firebox is into the cook chamber to far. If you are going to put a propane burner in I would put it in from the end opposite the firebox.
I got the calculations from a long time member here. It was a reverse flow calculator. I can't remember who it was.
 
It was daveomaks calculator.

Before I do this I may mess around one more time with the upper vents. I may have too much heat staying in the firebox rather than flowing through the cc as it should. That would explain why it eats wood like a pack of beavers on steroids.
 
I agree that it shouldn't require additional heat if things are right.

You shouldn't put a propane burner inside Unless you have a proper burner with thermocouple flame out protection. Otherwise you're building a bomb.

I have a propane lighter on mine but never have it on with the firebox door closed to contain the gas in case of a flameout.
 
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That upper air inlet on the fire box is what moves the heat from the firebox through the cooker, the bottom inlet feeds the fire itself. Never seen a middle air inlet before, so I would not use it.
Basically, control the CC temp with the upper air inlet, and manage the fire with the bottom inlet. How are you running it now?
 
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IMO, A burner in the firebox is'nt going to make any difference. The fire box looks to be 1/4 inch and the 300 gallon drum is 1/8 or less. There is not enough mass to get the cook chamber to hold temperature or to keep hot. That's why your burning so much wood. I would try installing a baffle on top of the stack and regulate there to slow the flow of hot air through the chamber. If I were to add a burner it would be in the cook chamber. My 2 cents

Boykjo
 
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Ok so I'm seeing that a burner is not the way to go here, at least not in the fb.

Truth, my cc is 1/8 steel.

I see 2 possible issues or a combination of the two.

1. not enough thermal mass.
2. Airflow

I will try a baffle on the stack.
I will try opening up the upper vents on the fb more.

would adding a coal basket inside the fb be a more cost effective/safer option?

would fire bricks in the cc be an option? Welding blanket?

in an ideal world, I would go get 2 sheets of 1/8 and weld them up but I do not have the resources to accomplish this.

thank you all for helping me get to the heart of the issue.
 
Ok so I'm seeing that a burner is not the way to go here, at least not in the fb.

Truth, my cc is 1/8 steel.

I see 2 possible issues or a combination of the two.

1. not enough thermal mass.
2. Airflow

I will try a baffle on the stack.
I will try opening up the upper vents on the fb more.

would adding a coal basket inside the fb be a more cost effective/safer option?

would fire bricks in the cc be an option? Welding blanket?

in an ideal world, I would go get 2 sheets of 1/8 and weld them up but I do not have the resources to accomplish this.

thank you all for helping me get to the heart of the issue.
Can you post a pic of the inside of your firebox? What do you place your wood on currently. How big are the splits you are using?
 
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The splits I use are probably in the 16-18 inch range. It's mostly red oak for firepits. They are pretty big.

The grate is 1/2 AR500.
 

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This all looks pretty good. Do you feel like heat/smoke is drawling though your cook chamber fairly decent?
Somewhat, I am new to reloading smokers, I don't get creasote meat at all, it just eats waaay to much wood and requires pretty much constant babysitting.

Here is a brisket that I did. I don't think the air is stagnant in there. My smoke comes out of the stack light to medium most times. It doesn't get very cloudy
 

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Somewhat, I am new to reloading smokers, I don't get creasote meat at all, it just eats waaay to much wood and requires pretty much constant babysitting.

Here is a brisket that I did. I don't think the air is stagnant in there. My smoke comes out of the stack light to medium most times. It doesn't get very cloudy
Brisket looks good. When you say a lot of wood how much is a lot? Are you talking like 2 wheelbarrows in 6 hours or a 1/2 a wheelbarrow ?
 
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Brisket looks good. When you say a lot of wood how much is a lot? Are you talking like 2 wheelbarrows in 6 hours or a 1/2 a wheelbarrow ?
So that brisket took roughly 18-20 hours and roughly 40 to 50 splits and 20lb of lump hardwood charcoal.

Cc Temps would dip down to 150 at times then shoot up to 350 or 375 when new splits caught.
 
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Looks as if your lid/door for the Cook Chamber does not seal well.... That is a MAJOR problem trying to control the temperature...
Is there a damper between the FB and CC ???
If the smoker is sealed air tight, meaning no air leaks, you do not need any adjusters other than the 2 air inlets on the FB....
Generally, run the upper air inlet open enough so the FB does not get HOT, which means the heat from the wood is heating up the CC and not the FB...
Adjust the lower air inlet to adjust the heat....
I really don't think 1/8" steel for a 300 gallon cooker, is doing you any favors.... Add welding blankets to the CC to help insulate it... It might take 2 blankets thick... If you want, you can "skin over" the CC and blankets with 18 gauge steel sheet... To protect them, hold them in place etc... Secure with self drilling screws to the CC.... and the door... etc.... until it's totally covered...
 
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