new UDS running alittle hot help please.

[danger831]

my new uds I built today seems to be running a little warm I have two 3/4 nipples 180 apart and 2" up from bottom one is a open nipple the other has a valve the pit is running about 275 with the valve shut all the way and just the nipple open and starts climbing toward 350 with both open I have a 2" whole cut in the lid.

[Ox190]

Regulate your exhaust a little to see if that helps, or get a magnet to regulate the intake over the open nipple.

[BluDawg]

DO not choke down on the exhaust the fire will start to smolder and stale smoke will build up in the drum and the meat will taste like Phoo!

When you start your fire use about 8 briquettes pile them in the center of the charcoal basket and lower it into the drum. Put the lid on, open the exhaust and all intakes WFO. When the temp in the drum gets to about 200 deg cap off the nipple and close the valve about 1/2 way. It should settle out around 225 -250. Every drum has a pesonality of it's own So your milage may vary.
Before you put the food in the drum close everything for 10 min. Then remove the lid and load the drum, put the top on and leave it closed up for another 10 min. Then open the intake valve 1/2 way and the exhaust WFO. It will settle out again where you had it before.

If you are going to have the lid off more than 30 sec CLOSE every thing up as I descried above!
When the lid comes off all that fresh cool air hits the coals and it will stoke up pretty good. By closing it up tight it burns up the air slowing the fire to where you need it to cook.
It is much easier to catch the temps on the way up than to chase it all over the map when the fire gets to big.

[OSD]

DO not choke down on the exhaust the fire will start to smolder and stale smoke will build up in the drum and the meat will taste like Phoo!

When you start your fire use about 8 briquettes pile them in the center of the charcoal basket and lower it into the drum. Put the lid on, open the exhaust and all intakes WFO. When the temp in the drum gets to about 200 deg cap off the nipple and close the valve about 1/2 way. It should settle out around 225 -250. Every drum has a pesonality of it's own So your milage may vary.
Before you put the food in the drum close everything for 10 min. Then remove the lid and load the drum, put the top on and leave it closed up for another 10 min. Then open the intake valve 1/2 way and the exhaust WFO. It will settle out again where you had it before.

If you are going to have the lid off more than 30 sec CLOSE every thing up as I descried above!
When the lid comes off all that fresh cool air hits the coals and it will stoke up pretty good. By closing it up tight it burns up the air slowing the fire to where you need it to cook.
It is much easier to catch the temps on the way up than to chase it all over the map when the fire gets to big.

This is the same way I do with mine. When settled in nipples capped off and the valve open between 1/3 & 1/2 for cooking temps of around 220°-240° Every drum is different and will burn slightly different depending on lid fit and air leaks.

[BluDawg]

See your feeling a little better Jim that is good stuff, we miss ya round here! Not really.

[Ox190]

DO not choke down on the exhaust the fire will start to smolder and stale smoke will build up in the drum and the meat will taste like Phoo!

When you start your fire use about 8 briquettes pile them in the center of the charcoal basket and lower it into the drum. Put the lid on, open the exhaust and all intakes WFO. When the temp in the drum gets to about 200 deg cap off the nipple and close the valve about 1/2 way. It should settle out around 225 -250. Every drum has a pesonality of it's own So your milage may vary.
Before you put the food in the drum close everything for 10 min. Then remove the lid and load the drum, put the top on and leave it closed up for another 10 min. Then open the intake valve 1/2 way and the exhaust WFO. It will settle out again where you had it before.

If you are going to have the lid off more than 30 sec CLOSE every thing up as I descried above!
When the lid comes off all that fresh cool air hits the coals and it will stoke up pretty good. By closing it up tight it burns up the air slowing the fire to where you need it to cook.
It is much easier to catch the temps on the way up than to chase it all over the map when the fire gets to big.

The 2 inch hole seemed a little much, I use a Weber lid on mine and keep it about halfway closed 99% of the time I have no problems with smoldering or food tasting bad.