regulator+needle valve on a 48"x 16" weston somker

[dave turner]

I have had the weston smoker about 5 years now been having troble getting above 160 deg. I was thinking new hose + reg.+made a needle valve (also cant get heat low to hot smoke) just wanted to know with 20.000 btu would that be a low presure reg ? Because i have some high presure regs laying around.Also i am going to do some mods on this smoker and would like some input.will have pic's soon looking for advice. Thanks Dave

 

[daveomak]

Dave, evening..... 20,000 btu's will heat a small house.....  See if you can find a smaller burner.... like one from a BBQ grill maybe.... or a discarded propane stove.....    Dave

 

[dave turner]

Dave i cant seem to adjust heat high or low just stays around 160 deg. never got over around 200 deg even when new thinking new regulator maybe, and needle valve to cold smoke. what do you think? kinda of a big chamber 48"x16" no insulation.(building a house for winter to put it in) Just never had the heat i needed in it. If i go smaller don't know if it will work.mine came from cabelas what i understand it was made pargo for weston+cabelas  and others. The booklet that come with it dose not say the BTU'S but all others say 20.000 and everything looks the same. I don't know.

 

[daveomak]

Dave, turn off the burner, turn off the tank....VERY slowly open the tank.... there is an idiot valve in the on-off valve on the tank..... It prevents the valve from opening if there is no pressure on the hose side....  You may hear a "tink" or "clink" when the " idiot valve" opens.... can't remember for sure.... I usually have to mess with mine once a year... or maybe 2 times a year....  

 

[s2k9k]

That's what I was thinking Dave. I have 3 tanks and recently noticed one of my tanks runs a lot cooler than the others. I'm going to run it dry and go swap it out, I usually have them refilled but not this one anymore.

Oh so question for the OP, have you tried any other tanks or have you always used the same one? And try what Dave said, it usually works.

 

[dave turner]

I will give it a try.I have had a few over the years as many as 5 at one time we lived in the middle of no were then. Had to let them go when we moved But thanks guys ill give it a try.Thanks guys.  Dave