Way Too Hot!!

[Fire Flinger]

I use about 25 briquettes in my chimney and about 50 in my charcoal ring. Yes, I count 'em. I am an accountant. It is what we do.:-D I use the minion method and that is PLENTY enough fire and there is usually a decent amount of charcoal left. Like others here, I have learned that the lower vents do not need to be open very much to run between 230 and 260. However, on cold, rainy days, it does take a little more horsepower, so to speak. As others have remarked elsewhere in older posts, the first 100 degrees are free in the summertime. I have always used the water pan with 1 - 1.5 gallons of water. I am not an old pro but I do believe it does take a little bit of time and tinkering to tweak the magic between you and your cooker. You will get there. Keep the faith and never, never give up. You have an outstanding cooker. You just have to make her your sweetie and she will take care of you.

 

[Jeff H]

Water pan works wonders on a Kettle. Maybe WSM's will respond well to this too.

They do give you that handy dandy bowl with the WSM purchase for that very reason. :evil: Not that I usually put water in mine, but I have used it and it works as advertised. Huge heatsink.


Honestly, not sure what your issue is, Air is obviously getting in from somewhere. My WSM is just the opposite. It is difficult to get mine over 300 degrees if I do the minion method. Just did a turkey yesterday and 1/3 chimney of coals over the unlit ones and 300 was all I could get with all 3 vents wide open. (obviously I just needed more lit coals).

 

[KevinJ]

I use the Weber Compact Chimney which holds about 25 briquettes, I dump a full chimney of ashed over coals on the unlit coals and wood chunks. Put it back together and the grate temp is usually 165 to 185 all vents are open. It can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes for it to get up to temp.

I like to cook at 275 to 300, once it's within 10 degrees of the target temp I shut down 2 bottom vents leaving one open, opposite of the direction of the wind. Give it about 20 minutes and see what it wants todo most of the time I'll end up slightly closing the open bottom vent to start off with. I let the fire burn for a good hour before it cleans up and I can put the meat on.

 

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

Would the size of the meat have anything to do with it? Perhaps not big enough to absorb heat? Like right now, I have a 4lb butt in. I started with 9 lit briquettes, dumped them in a whole ring of charcoal, and temps slowly came up...but they keep climbing. All the vents are closed except the one with the DigiQ in it and top vent fully open... and its only been 3 hours and i'm 147* meat probe and 260* pit probe... even tho I have the DigiQ set for 225*. The DigiQ never even gets to work because it's always above 225*

 

[krex1010]

Would the size of the meat have anything to do with it? Perhaps not big enough to absorb heat? Like right now, I have a 4lb butt in. I started with 9 lit briquettes, dumped them in a whole ring of charcoal, and temps slowly came up...but they keep climbing. All the vents are closed except the one with the DigiQ in it and top vent fully open... and its only been 3 hours and i'm 147* meat probe and 260* pit probe... even tho I have the DigiQ set for 225*. The DigiQ never even gets to work because it's always above 225*

You've mentioned a few times that temps will still climb with all vents closed....this simply does not happen with a wsm unless you have an air leak or possibly a bum DigiQ....in the original post you said it took 40 mins to bring the temps down with all vents closed, is that with the DigiQ? Wsm's are rock solid at holding temps without a DigiQ type thing, if all your vents are working right and you're positive you aren't out of round then I'd be thinking the DigiQ isn't working right, these are simple cookers, only a few variables. My setup is a full charcoal ring of unlit charcoal, 10-15 lit briquettes in the middle, vents wide open until I'm 20 degrees lower than target then start closing down until all 3 are barely cracked open. I light my coals an hour before I want to put the meat on. Once the meat is on I usually only have to make a few very minor vent adjustments. Again, check to make sure the door is fitting properly, vents aren't plugged and everything is round and run without the DigiQ to see if that may be the problem.

 

[KevinJ]

I smoke 3-4lb chuck roasts quite often, the meat has nothing todo with temp control, I can run it empty and maintain steady temps, also nothing wrong with cooking at 260.

If you close all your vents does that snuff out the fire, if not you have a leak somewhere.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I sometimes can't get my WSM to go much over 325°, even if I wanted to.

And I always light a full chimney of coal. And usually top it off. But I also try to catch the temp on the way up. I'll dump the chimney, run it wide open for a little while, and reduce the air intakes. I've never once even shut the top vent.

 

[Lowki]

Just curious, when you say you are using the minion method where on the unlit coals are you adding the lit coals from the chimney? And i would agree that you may well be adding too many lit briq's.

 

[MisterChrister]

You are sucking air somewhere. Listen to Clark, he's the WSM Whisperer....

 

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

You've mentioned a few times that temps will still climb with all vents closed....this simply does not happen with a wsm unless you have an air leak or possibly a bum DigiQ....in the original post you said it took 40 mins to bring the temps down with all vents closed, is that with the DigiQ? Wsm's are rock solid at holding temps without a DigiQ type thing, if all your vents are working right and you're positive you aren't out of round then I'd be thinking the DigiQ isn't working right, these are simple cookers, only a few variables. My setup is a full charcoal ring of unlit charcoal, 10-15 lit briquettes in the middle, vents wide open until I'm 20 degrees lower than target then start closing down until all 3 are barely cracked open. I light my coals an hour before I want to put the meat on. Once the meat is on I usually only have to make a few very minor vent adjustments. Again, check to make sure the door is fitting properly, vents aren't plugged and everything is round and run without the DigiQ to see if that may be the problem.

Actually all my cooks except the last couple days were WITHOUT the DigiQ.... I bought the DigiQ last week to perhaps remedy this. So with and without a stoker... temps won't stay down. I even went as far as taping the other 2 vents to seal against air. So only 1 hole of 1 vent is open... and it is closed 2/3 of the way in the way of the damper on the DigiQ.

The 3 sections all feel very tight on the WSM. I really am at a loss

 

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

The only think I could think of that would let extra air in... would be where the probes come out. I have them coming out at the top and the lid closes down on it, so the lid I guess probably isn't air tight.... but would that really be enough for such high temps? Its 3 probe wires

 

[zanna5910]

The only think I could think of that would let extra air in... would be where the probes come out. I have them coming out at the top and the lid closes down on it, so the lid I guess probably isn't air tight.... but would that really be enough for such high temps? Its 3 probe wires

Test your theory...

If it still spikes, then you have an airleak somewhere else. I know alot of people reshape the doors some before its all junked up to help reduce this.

I went ahead and just loaded up and put gasket on mine and ensured its well sealed.

 

[Fire Flinger]

This is a little off topic, sorta kinda. This thread reminds me of a recent thread where that brother couldn't get his WSM to stay lit regardless of how wide open his vents were. Both of these problems, OP and that guy's, are somewhat dumbfounding in the realm of normal WSM behavior. I hope we get to hear what the final solution(s) are.

 

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

I went ahead and just loaded up and put gasket on mine and ensured its well sealed.

Funny, I was already on the BBQGasket website and gonna order the kit for it. Trying to rule out everything

This is a little off topic, sorta kinda. This thread reminds me of a recent thread where that brother couldn't get his WSM to stay lit regardless of how wide open his vents were. Both of these problems, OP and that guy's, are somewhat dumbfounding in the realm of normal WSM behavior. I hope we get to hear what the final solution(s) are.

This was a major reason I went with WSM, nothing but GREAT reviews and how they would stay at solid temps for hours on end... I was deciding between this and an offset, but getting to sleep for many hours straight without worry is what made me lean to the WSM... but its just not been that way... I will definitely keep you updated

 

[KevinJ]

This was a major reason I went with WSM, nothing but GREAT reviews and how they would stay at solid temps for hours on end... I was deciding between this and an offset, but getting to sleep for many hours straight without worry is what made me lean to the WSM... but its just not been that way... I will definitely keep you updated

I'm sure you'll figure out what's going on, I have a Pitmaster IQ110 and only use it when I can't be around during a cook, I can go hours and hours without touching a vent it my creep up or down but if I'm within 15 +/- I just let it ride. The only problem I ever had which has happened twice is on long cooks the ash started choking out the fire, cleared it out and it went right back to temp.

 

[Bludawg]

Ya'll get wound tighter than a 2.00 Ingersal watch about pit temp. Light it let it settle put the meat on and leave it Be. Cook where the pit wants to cook. It's just BBQ we aint trying to put a man on Mars. If it's runnin a little hot you get done sooner, no big deal.

 

[JuniorBalloon]

This is odd. Some pictures might help. I had trouble keeping temps down until I got the gasket kit. Was definitely letting too much air. I think mostly through the door.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Give it a shot with water in the pan.

 

[JuniorBalloon]

Ya'll get wound tighter than a 2.00 Ingersal watch about pit temp. Light it let it settle put the meat on and leave it Be. Cook where the pit wants to cook. It's just BBQ we aint trying to put a man on Mars. If it's runnin a little hot you get done sooner, no big deal.

That's no fun. I want to fuss over my pit. It gives me something to do in between beers. :grin:

 

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

This is a little off topic, sorta kinda. This thread reminds me of a recent thread where that brother couldn't get his WSM to stay lit regardless of how wide open his vents were. Both of these problems, OP and that guy's, are somewhat dumbfounding in the realm of normal WSM behavior. I hope we get to hear what the final solution(s) are.

UPDATE!!!!!

Well, I ordered a gasket set from BBQGaskets, and did a smoke last night, held 225* all night with only a 7* variation all night from 224-231* This was by far my most consistent smoke. LIke several of you have said, there was some kind of leak that was allowing air to get inside. I sealed up the door, the bottom part of the middle section and the lid. Was very steady. Thank You all for your help. Proud to have such GREAT Bretheren