trouble keeping my heat.

[knjt]

Today is my forth smoke and prior today i havent had any problems. but today im having trouble keeping my heat up around 225. i have a char grill trio with a side fire box. all my other smoke times it has been easy to keep temp between 225 and 250. today ill get up to 225-230 and then 10 minutes later it will drop to about 200-205. any suggestions? it has also been a struggle to even get to 225. the only difference i can think of is the weather today its around 88 degrees out and the other times we had 95-98 degree temps. not sure what im doing different. thanks in advance.

 

[alblancher]

Side box smokers (offsets) are notoriously hard to maintain steady temps.  Wind will either increase or decrease temps depending on how it passes over the fire box or exhaust.  Outside temps have an affect but usually only when the temps get down to near freezing.  Rain on the smoker will cool the firebox.

You just need to pay attention to the fire, add small amounts of fuel and keep the cooking chamber closed as much as possible.  Remember  if you're looking you ain't cooking"

Those are just a couple of ideas, any thing else you can tell us to point us in the right direction?

Al

 

[michael ark]

Look up minion method in search bar.

 

[knjt]

thank you both. it has been a stedy wind today of about 10-15mph, so that could be my problem, but the wind has now died down and ive been steady at 227 so id say that the wind was my problem. thank you guys for all your help also is there any mods that you would recomend for the char griller.

 

[venture]

I would like to know about the mods you have made to your smoker.  Pics would be very helpful. Would also need info as to how you are making and controlling fire, fuel, etc.  At 88 degrees you should not have heat problems unless you are smoking in a gale wind. 

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[SmokinAl]

Whatever your smoking, don't forget the Q-view!

 

[meateater]

I don't have that smoker but have read about raising the coals in the firebox for more air flow. 

 

[oregon smoker]

another thought might be placement of the fire in the fire box with air flow

 

[lovinspoonful]

If you're having trouble keeping temps in wind, turn the smoker so that the air intake in the firebox is facing the direction of the wind (facing upwind). This will give you some "forced intake" so your fire will burn incrementally hotter.

Also, all other things being equal if you're having trouble keeping temps up, add more fuel. You can always throttle the fire back if necessary by closing the intake a bit, but if there is not enough fuel burning then nothing else you do right at that moment is going to help.  A fuel basket will help you to load more fuel and help it to burn more efficiently. Do a search on "basket" in the SFB forum and you'll find lots of ideas on how to make one..