Propane burner inside firebox

[boykjo]

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...

I agree with Dave..... Also Like I said earlier try putting a plate over the stack and regulate it down. The hot air might be directed right up to the top of the cc and out the pipe.

Boykjo

 

[Ringer]

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...

daveomak
The cc lid seals well. I have felt closing the gap in the pictures. It is pretty much air tight other than the stack and vents. There are no dampers other than the vents.

So the welding blanket solution would essentially be sandwiching the layered blankets between some 18 ga steel on the outside of the existing lid?

I guess the sides of the "sandwich" would be left open, or would screwing the sides down close the gap?

Would you do top and bottom of the CC or just the lid?

Is there a particular brand, thickness, or material welding blanket that I should choose? Felt, carbon, fiberglass etc.

 

[Ringer]

Anyone have recommendations on which welding blankets to use for this skinning project?

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Anyone have recommendations on which welding blankets to use for this skinning project?

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[boykjo]

I dont think the welding blankets are going to do anything. They are just flame retardant. Not insulators.....
If your rig is not leaking you should be good
I would first dampen the stack with a piece of plate steel and run your rig and see how it does with some chicken thighs.
I'm assuming there is a reverse flow plate in the smoker. I didnt see one in your build pictures

Boykjo

 

[Ringer]

I dont think the welding blankets are going to do anything. They are just flame retardant. Not insulators.....
If your rig is not leaking you should be good
I would first dampen the stack with a piece of plate steel and run your rig and see how it does with some chicken thighs.
I'm assuming there is a reverse flow plate in the smoker. I didnt see one in your build pictures

Boykjo

Yes there is a 1/4 ar500 reverse flow plate that runs the majority of the CC. There is a 9 or 10 inch opening for flow and that was sufficient according to the calculator.

I will attach some pics.

I did add a tuning piece to the stack so that I can drip it down to grate level and adjust the smoke. Maybe this needs to be dripped all the way down?

I will give the stack damper a try to slow the flow a bit.

 

[boykjo]

OK.... everything looks good. What has to happen here is the heat needs to be contained in the CC. The only few ways heat escapes is out the stack, out the lid openings and dissipation through the steel. I regulate heat with the stack damper and fully open with the lower FB damper... Damper that pipe at least 50% and see what goes on. You should be burning 1 split every 45 min to an hr....

boykjo's reverse flow build 05/07/2015 update

Well..............I might as well jump in and build me one too. Picked this up for 200 bucks. I am guessing it should take me about a year to build. I'm not as aggressive as I use to be. Will probably be doing some measuring at the SELA gathering. Dont have any plans.... Just going to find one I...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Boykjo

 

[boykjo]

 

[Ringer]

OK.... everything looks good. What has to happen here is the heat needs to be contained in the CC. The only few ways heat escapes is out the stack, out the lid openings and dissipation through the steel. I regulate heat with the stack damper and fully open with the lower FB damper... Damper that pipe at least 50% and see what goes on. You should be burning 1 split every 45 min to an hr....

boykjo's reverse flow build 05/07/2015 update

Well..............I might as well jump in and build me one too. Picked this up for 200 bucks. I am guessing it should take me about a year to build. I'm not as aggressive as I use to be. Will probably be doing some measuring at the SELA gathering. Dont have any plans.... Just going to find one I...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Boykjo

Excellent, I'm trying this tonight. Thanks for your input.

As a side note I did open the top damper on the fb
and could see heat/smoke coming out rather than drawing in so I opened the one just under it. With that one open the heat does not come out.

My door is actually upside down on the fb, the 2 vents were supposed to be at the bottom for fire regulation...but I got in a hurry. It doesn't seem to be an issue though as it draws from the single vent just fine.

Thanks for the help.

 

[smokin peachey]

You could even lay a board on top of the stack and use it as a damper to see if it makes a difference. You can adjust the board to see if it makes a difference. If it helps bust out the welder and weld on a damper.

 

[Ringer]

You could even lay a board on top of the stack and use it as a damper to see if it makes a difference. You can adjust the board to see if it makes a difference. If it helps bust out the welder and weld on a damper.

Lol...exactly what I did tonight. It seems to be getting some longer burns now. I also added a grate with smaller holes to keep the coals burning rather than falling through. I'm going to get the damper cut tomorrow and hopefully put on this weekend sometime.

 

[smokin peachey]

Lol...exactly what I did tonight. It seems to be getting some longer burns now. I also added a grate with smaller holes to keep the coals burning rather than falling through. I'm going to get the damper cut tomorrow and hopefully put on this weekend sometime.

Awesome. I am glad you are getting it figured out.

 

[Ringer]

Awesome. I am glad you are getting it figured out.

Update below

 

[smokin peachey]

Looks great! How’s it working?

 

[Ringer]

Looks great! How’s it working?

I'll let ya know Friday.

I have 4 brisket and 5 butts going on for a wedding. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[boykjo]

Looks Good.......

Boykjo