Stick burner help

[offset1945]

Tfrank778,

This forum is great, you will learn everything you ever need to know to become a true Pit Master ... but ... as I am learning, it is all not in one easy to follow recipe. Not everyone is the same, many have completely unique smokers, etc.

One thing I see here in reading along is that you've not mentioned exactly how to run your fire. SmokinAl responded to me in a thread and gave me advice that changed everything for me: split sizes. To some perhaps his information was obvious, for me it was a game changer.

Before the splits sizes ........
If you have some time, just a few hours, it would be great if you could post to different graphs after having done the following:

• Remove all tunning plates, remove the stack extension, leave grates
• Stage your probes
• Count out exactly 60 very nice/pretty quaily charcoal briquettes
• Light them in a chimney starter or directly in your FB, make sure they are in a nice concentrated pile
• Run this test, stack wide open and all FB vents wide open

Next run, to all of the above again, except with the FB DOOR completely open the entire time.

The above two controlled tests will give you and the forum a much better idea of your draw AND importantly will for now leave out the huge variable of fire management.

btw ... regarding the door, MANY custom pit fabricators, whose pits are used by the best houses do not even have vents in the door.
I can run a near perfect temperature graph by not being a slave to thinking that the door must be closed.
( I truly used to be mad about it, in my mind I would insist that I should be able to close the door )
Now, I run any combination of the door closed / vents closed / vents open / door wide open / door just cracked open etc etc
Do I burn slightly more wood?
Maybe, but if our objective is an even cook for 8 plus hours, with a graph that is a nice straight line .....................

 

[Geos7812]

I had a similar issue. I recently did two things. First I put a seal on my cc door. This helped a bit. Secondly, I moved my tuning plate away from my firebox. It was touching the deflector/baffle. I had a theory that it was conducting a ton of heat from the firebox through the deflector and drawing it inward to the cc through the metal. I moved the plate 4 inches from the box so it wouldn’t touch and bingo. 16 degree differences. Just a few thoughts.

 

[Tfrank778]

Well I tried two things tonight:

I moved the original baffle plate further back in the cook chamber. About 4 inches from the fire box.

I also did not use the vents just used the door.

It got the temp difference within 40 degrees. So I guess this confirms my suspicion that there wasn't enough air flow to the cook chamber.

 

[Tfrank778]

Well I tried two things tonight:

I moved the original baffle plate further back in the cook chamber. About 4 inches from the fire box.

I also did not use the vents just used the door.

It got the temp difference within 40 degrees. So I guess this confirms my suspicion that there wasn't enough air flow to the cook chamber.

Where to go now....

 

[indaswamp]

Those logs on top...is that the size you are using???

 

[Tfrank778]

Yes. That picture is deceiving.... all the logs in my shed are under 12” or so mainly being from 8-10

 

[Tfrank778]

 

[indaswamp]

your wood is too big IMO.... those splits need to be about 2" dia....

 

[Tfrank778]

Do you think this contributes to one side being too hot?

 

[Geos7812]

Interesting theory. I like it. If the logs are smaller they will burn hotter and push more heat which will in theory draw more air which will even temps. Is that about right?

 

[Tfrank778]

I guess to that point the average log in my shed isn’t much more than 2” dia.

 

[indaswamp]

Interesting theory. I like it. If the logs are smaller they will burn hotter and push more heat which will in theory draw more air which will even temps. Is that about right?

Yes....with much better air flow.

 

[kmmamm]

Just for giggles, a couple questions.
1) Is your testing being conducted in a windless environment or outside in the elements?
2) has the cooker been allowed to heat and stabilize before you start recording temps? Most of my builds have taken around 40-60 min (feeding 4-6” splits) to stabilize.

 

[offset1945]

Tfrank,

If you look back at my post in this tread ( #41) it was exactly to avoid the current tangent discussion.

Everyone's discussion and input is great, but to be clear and to focus on your issue of 'temperatures varying greatly across the cooking chamber' you want to focus on your pit.
As I noted, fire management would ( and should ) be a big debate.

You have already made many modifications to your pit, perhaps all needed, perhaps all not needed, it is hard to know at this point. What we do know per your feedback is that much improvement.

If you can, please run the tests I mention ..... with charcoal. If you want to make them longer runs, that is fine, just increase the amount of briquettes.
One run with FB door closed all vents wide open. One run with FB door wide open.
Same amount of charcoal in each run.

 

[Tfrank778]

Sorry I’ve been absent for a while y’all. I ran the test and determined it was air flow issues. Been running with my baffle plate further away from firebox and using the door and not the vents. I’ve had some amazing results. Thanks for all the help. One happy camper

 

[Geos7812]

That is good news, man. Glad you have it figured.