Vent adjustment on WSM.

[daniels]

All of my life I've been a little overboard when it comes to symmetry and exactness but I'm better now. 

Anyway, Saturday before a 10 hour smoke I decided to try something I've been pondering for a while.  I grabbed a set of center punches to use as gauges on the 3 lower grill vents of my 22.5" WSM.

I'm pretty good at eye-balling the openings when adjusting for raising/lowering the temperature on the smoker but my personality kicked in.  I'm now using these center punches to make sure all the lower vents on my smoker are opened equally.  A set of drill bits can be used to do this too but my center punches were handier.

If I'm going to adjust the vents I want to do them equally.  I think it worked out pretty well.  While the fire was going strong the 1/8" size worked out right to keep the smoker at around 225°F.  When it was declining up to the 3/8" size worked best.

Anyone else ever do anything similar?
 

 

[sfprankster]

...

 

[daniels]

Did you pick the bottom vent opposite the lid vent?

 

[lemans]

I close two and have my IQ 120 attached to the other
Top vent 1/8 inch . Temp 250 for 12 hours

 

[fdannyw]

I adjust all three unless it is windy then I will only adjust the one that is on the side away from the wind

 

[SmokinAl]

I have 3 WSM's, one has a BBQ Guru on it.

The other two I adjust manually.

I always keep the top vent open.

I keep the temp steady with just one bottom vent, the other two are closed.

The one bottom vent that I use is the one that is on the opposite side to the the top vent.

Maybe it's because I'm in FL & the weather is mostly warm, but if I just crack open all 3 bottom vents the temp will get way too high.

I really like your idea, but I don't think it would work for me.

Al

 

[damon555]

 
Before my Guru, I would close 2 of the vents completely and make all the adjustments with the third.

This is how I went about it too.....before I had my Guru......2 vents completely closed and the 3rd usually open about 1/2 way. It doesn't take much to keep the coals smoldering. 

 

[shoebe]

 
Before my Guru, I would close 2 of the vents completely and make all the adjustments with the third.

That is what I do as well

 

[sfprankster]

...

 

[bbqwillie]

I do what Al does. Top wide open, two bottom vents closed, third vent controls temp.