Too much smoke (Not anymore)

Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

I recently had a 500 gallon propane tank converted to a pit. Looks great but one problem. The first time I cooked with it I either used some bad wood or is it possible this thing produc3es too much smoke. Someone help me out here. How much smoke is too much when cooking butts? Do I need to wrap them in foil after a few hours? Help!!! Any help is greatly appreciated.
Arlo

crb478 · BBQ Fan Joined: 06 Dec 2010 Posts: 126

What kind of fire did you have? You need a hot fire with thin blue smoke, or almost clear smoke. If you have a lot of white smoke it will leave a bad taste. You can foil if you think that the smoke flavor is to strong, but I you might need to tweek your smoker some to allow for a good hot fire that draws well.

k.a.m. · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

Welcome to the ring Arlo, looking forward to seeing some pics of your cooks. Smile

It is possible that the way the cooker was designed it is not drafting properly and causing bad smoke or you have not figured out how to operate the cooker yet. It could also be wet or unseasoned wood causing the problem.
Is the smoke leaving the cooker thick white smoke? There should be very thin blue or no smoke coming from the stack during cooking sometimes just a heat signature is what I see. Did the meat have a numbing effect on your lips? If so this can be stale smoke due to improper drafting of the cooker. In order to answer better some dimensions and pics will help. Stack size, along with firebox dimensions, also firebox to cooking chamber opening and intake size. I hope this helps. Smile

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Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

Man you hit the nail on the head. Made my lips tingle and the smoke is thick and white.

Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

I will get some pictures posted asap. I can tell you this son far the fire box is approximately 18 X 18 X 30. I have a spin draft on the middle of the long portion centered and the doors on each end have a slide draft. The opening to the pit is hard to say how big but I will try to get that for you. The stack is a rectangular stack that is maybe 4 x 6 and about 3 feet tall.

feldon30 · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

I plugged in the values you listed into the BBQ Calculator.

500 gallon tank
18" x 18" x 30" firebox

It shows the firebox as 1/4 the size it should be.
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Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

I will check the measurements when I get home they may be inaccurate. When I burn it even with the box only half full it jumps up to 250-300 no problem in the pit.

Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

OK pictures will be coming but here are the details.
It is a 500 gallon propane tank short and stubby not a long one. They cut the bell off one end to do the firebox and warming box. The Firebox is 21 X 21 X 40. It has a large spin draft on the lower middle of the 40 side. Each end has a custom dorr that opens with a slide draft on the lower middle of each door. The opening to the pit is a rectangle that measure 8 x 28. (Seems large but I don't know) It has a metal plate that runs 3/4 of the length of the tank that makes it a reverse flow. 2 Doors side by side with a Upper and lower rack. The stacks are (2) 3 x 3 and 21 inches high.
Facts:
1. Getting Plenty of heat. Has no problem reaching 350-400 with a large fire.
2. Way to much smoke. Thick and white.
Questions? Would I have better luck figuring out what's going on by burning a big bag of lump charcoal to see if the temperature stays good and the smoke is controlled better. That would rule out bad wood.

Alien BBQ · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

Numb lips is an indicator of cyanide (which all wood has). It is not too much smoke... It is improper smoke. Try using less wood and a hotter fire (check out the photos below) Smoker on the left= improper smoking, smoker on the right is alright.

This is what is meant by a small hot fire....

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k.a.m. · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

Arlo, in my opinion you do not have enough exhaust. While your firebox is way undersized for the size tank your firebox to cooking chamber opening is a bit large giving you a hot fire with no place to go. Still not knowing if your burning seasoned wood or not so I am going to the mechanics end of the problem, if you could measure the intakes they have something to do with the lack of draft as well. Your cooker is a stick burner not a lump or charcoal burner. As Alien said a small hot fire is all that is needed but only when the cooker can properly support it. I hope this helps. Smile

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feldon30 · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

I am not saying the BBQ calulator is incorrect or a bad thing but I have seen other smokers that do not have a fire box to the BBQ Calculators specs. Again the firebox has no problem heating the tank in a short time I also forgot to mention when they cut the bell off that dropped it from 500 gallons to probably 425 tp 450. (Not saying that make a huge difference)

Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

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SWP5767 · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

That last picture looks like your problem. Too much white smoke.. That will make your lips numb for sure.

Great looking cooker BTW!! Just need a little fine tuning on the fire building I think.
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Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

OK forget that I said the tank was 500 gallons. That may be inaccurate who knows? But when I measure it and plug those values into the BBQ Calculator I am closer than expected. 36 Diameter 60 inches length not including the bell which will add some but hard to figure. I figure I am about 70 to 75 % size needed. When I calculate everyting else I think the problem may be not enough intake and maybe not enough smoke stack. Can someone take a look and see what you think I need to do. Remember I probably can't redo much to the firebox other than adding vents.

Thanks Everyone!!! I just want to cook!!!

k.a.m. · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

Arlo, while a larger firebox is always my preference it is not needed if everything else is flowing. i do not believe your intake or exhaust are large enough for adequate draft. This still hinges on whether or not your wood is well seasoned. You may try running the cooker with the firebox door slightly open to see if that helps.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

If that one intake is all there is, I'd agree that you probably need more.

Looks like you might have enough exhaust, if you open them all up.

What size is the hole between the firebox and the cooking chamber.

The calculator is only there to get you close, you can have a smaller firebox and run a hotter fire and it will do OK, but running a bigger firebox and running a cooler fire is still a no-no.

You could also run it with the door cracked a little to keep a small hot fire burning strongly, until you figure out better intakes. Wink

Better to sort the intakes out first, I suspect you could go X4 on the openings you have now, to get anywhere near what would work better.
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KENLUDE97 · Newbie Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 59 Location: upstate ny

With the #'s you gave me i come up with 322gallon smoker, and that is WITH the bell on the one end.

My opinion (not worth much) i would think that you need more intake, to burn the fire hotter?

ckone · Posted: Sep 29 2011 Post subject:

From what I see in the pictures, you need more intake air. If that one little butterfly on the back is all you have then you need more for sure. That and the exhaust seems undersized by the numbers you gave. There are a few ways to fix that, make the existing ones longer - add more the same size (3 or 4 total instead of the 2) - swap the current for larger tube like 6x6. i would probably go the route of longer stacks the current size. You can have extensions made that slip over the outside of the existing stacks that can be taken off for travel. That way you get the better draw, the exhaust smoke is farther above you, no major fabrication, and most likely a cheaper fix than the other two.

Good luck with it, it is a nice looking rig.
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Arlo · Newbie Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 33

I did not point thios out earlier but the doors on the side where you see my name "Arlo" are actually slide drafts. Now that being said they are not huge openings but do add a little. I think I will get a couple of extensions made and run with the door open to sse if that corrects the issue before I just start doing crap. Thanks to all I really appreciate it.