Altitudes and your UDS

Neonnblack · Feb 27, 2013

So i live in a high altitude ~5000 feet ASL. I never have trouble keeping my temps consistent from 200 to 350 i can control and keep it easily. Last weekend at a BBQ i had taken it with me where the elevation is around sea level, Sacramento. And boy did i have fun trying to keep temps from getting out of hand, to the point of having to close it all down even the exhaust, to get it down.

And dont get me started about opening the lid, here i can open the lid do stuff, close it, and it drops temp the brings itself back to where it was. There, i would get a 50-100 degree spike depending on how long it was opened.

Could my drum be that leaky that elevation change can completely change how it acts? I thought i was fairly well sealed.

I started this so i didnt hijack the other thread about leaky smokers.

Happy Hapgood · Feb 27, 2013

We are about 210' above SL here in the swamp. Add to that high humidity and temps that hover around 92 to 110*F for about 8 months out of the year, Yes there is a big difference. One big one is oxygen. Another is when loading my WSM, my first 90 to 100*F are free. These factors have to be compensated for. Don't get me started on water pans. That pan full of water really helps with temp regulation here. Of course tthe boiling point of water goes down as altitude goes up. There is a chart for it.

Bottom line is that we struggle to keep the temps down and Y'all struggle to keep the temps up.

DriverWild · Feb 27, 2013

All about oxygen, less at higher elevation means you need to open more holes. When at lower elevation you need to tighten up. Also, start with a smaller fire. Meaning fewer coals on fire at the beginning of your cook. At higher elevations you probably need more coals to get the fire up to temp.

Altitudes and your UDS

Neonnblack

Full Fledged Farker

Happy Hapgood

somebody shut me the fark up.

DriverWild

is one Smokin' Farker

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