Not maintaining temp long....

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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:08 pm

Ya my basket sits up about 4" , the basket itself is expando that is 10" high and wrapped around 17.5" Weber charcoal grate.
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby BluDawg » Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:50 pm

I am going to say this one last time your problem is either not enough intake air or a restricted exhaust allowing the smoke to build up and choking out the fire. Since you have removed the 90's at the top that leaves the exhaust is not evacuating fast enough. Are you running a baffle of [i]any type[/i] between the top of the basket and the exhaust damper? Did you crack the lid like I suggested to see if the temp increased over 30 min?
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:01 pm

BluDawg wrote:I am going to say this one last time your problem is either not enough intake air or a restricted exhaust allowing the smoke to build up and choking out the fire. Since you have removed the 90's at the top that leaves the exhaust is not evacuating fast enough. Are you running a baffle of [i]any type[/i] between the top of the basket and the exhaust damper? Did you crack the lid like I suggested to see if the temp increased over 30 min?


I am at work now, so I will have to wait until tonight to try cracking the lid. No baffle (A wise man told me that they are not needed), I will test tonight and report back. Just a question as I am bit confused with this, by cracking the lid isn't that allowing more air in vs. out, or is it a combination of both?
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby BluDawg » Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:35 pm

More out a than in. Try it with the lump you have been using. Light about a 1/2 chimney and dump it on top lever the lid off until you get to 200 and just let it settle in running wide open. If the temp drops crack the top open a little to give it more exhaust if the temp increases again.....
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:42 pm

I am out of that lump, I was going to just go buy a bag of charcoal to see if I can get this thing working. I guess I can go get some more RO Lump...
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:23 pm

I don't get it! I poured almost a whole basket of lump in, lit a little over half a chimney if lump spread it over the unlit, let it get up to around 200 and covered it. Left all intakes wide open and it went up to 340. I capped one intake and it sat at 320, I closed one valve and it stayed around there, I closed up the last ball valve 3/4 of the way and now it's dropping... Been going since around 6:45. I don't get it! I have not had to crack the lid.

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Not maintaining temp long....

Postby Big Ed » Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:14 pm

Just have to start cookin, it won't run the same when there's some meat on there. Might take 2 or 3 cooks to get it down.
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:54 am

Got it to level off around 250 went to bed checked it at 6:30 am and it was down to 160 so I opened both valves and got it back up to 250. Seems that my UDS likes to have larger amounts of lump in the basket! Plus I placed larger amount of lit lump in there too. I'm gonna cook some spares this weekend! Can't wait! Thanks everyone!

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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby Grillatarian » Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:43 am

FWIW- when I went from charcoal to lump I had a heckuva time getting the temp up and stabilized. Some of it was due to poor quality lump. Tried another brand and had somewhat better results,but it still seemed to be starving for intake.

After much experimentation I finally conclude that one of the main contributors (in my case) was the smaller 'fines' of lump which were making a compacted basket with restricted air flow. My basket can hold around 15lbs charcoal or about 5 to 7lbs of lump. Lump is much lighter, takes a bit more heat to get it really started up well and can burn cleaner and hotter than briquettes, but it does like air.

Once I started stacking my lump in the basket to avoid tightly packed areas, life was good again.

All of the drums I have built since use a 1" open port ball valve as the intake throttle. I leave the ball valve coming straight off of the close nipple and then create a riser handle to operate it. Works great.
There are two 3/4" nipples as well, but they are only open during start up. Also, I don't run mine over 300, it is strictly a low and slow smoking machine. I have other cookers which are better suited for the 350 to 500 range. Not saying you shouldn't though. If you want the 350, you may want to add another 1" intake, so you can for sure provide plenty of air.
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Re: Not maintaining temp long....

Postby jayzi » Tue Aug 06, 2013 9:57 am

I cooked spares on it this weekend and had it at 260ish for the whole cook (not including when I took the lid off to wrap and unwrap). My issue must have been not getting the fire set right and it seems to like having the basket more full.
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