Temp creeping up

[Creedt6]

On my new build after about 3hrs the temp starts creeping up a couple deg at a time to where it gets pretty high. It's an vertical cabinet with 1/4" firebox and water pan, smoke chamber is 14ga. I usually start shutting vents when it hits 200, it will climb to about 230-240. With intake 1/4" open when you think it's good you check it couple hours later it's at 265, then I'll all but choke it off and re check again it's up to 285. It's Insulated so it's a bear to get back down. I don't use water so I'm not sure if the water pan gets so hot that its radiating heat like crazy. Not sure how to solve this problem.

[Tom_Heath]

Is the bottom of the cooker insulated. ?


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[Creedt6]

Yeah it's Insulated everywhere, top, bottom, sides, doors

[Big T]

It sounds like it is getting air from somewhere other than your intake valve. Try closing off your intake and see if the temp keeps climbing, if so then it's drawing air.

[Creedt6]

I can close vents down and it may go up couple degrees, but kinda stays steady and of course Insulated it doesn't come down easy. I opened up door and used infrared and hit water pan and it was around 400deg, I put in a 14g diverted plate between charcoal basket and water pan and that helped alittle but still over a period of time she still slowly creeps

[Pete Mazz]

Smaller fire or maybe add sand in the water pan as a heat sink.

[Rodcrafter]

You mentioned it has a water pan. It could be that the water is getting lower allowing a higher temp, since it acts as a heat sync when used. I use thick steel on all my smokers and I start with a big fire to get them going then cut way back because the steel gets up to temp it doesn't require as much fuel to keep her hot. You could be experiencing the same. Verticals are a bit harder to get slowed down since you are actually putting the fire out rather than staving it for fuel, so I would try at the 2.5 hour mark start cutting back the air supply a little and you may find that it will plateau at the temp you want to run.

jm2cw

[Creedt6]

Thanks gonna keep playing with it, I don't use water, smoking right now, started it at 5:30am and it hit 200 about 6:10, I shut ball valve to about 1/4" opening and it's not at 8:30 and it's at 252, so hopefully it doesn't keep creeping past this point, I'm guessing when that 1/4" water pan starts to get hot it radiates some serious heat, but if I use a lot of water it boils so rapidly the temp never gets above 220, this things puzzling

[forty_creek]

The verticals I've cooked on like a Backwoods for example. I could only get it to temp right by using the water pan. I tried to cook without adding water and temps kept spiking.
jm2cw


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[Rodcrafter]

I have heard some folks use sand in the water pan to stabilize the temp I don't have any experience with this myself. But that may work if the plate is radiating the heat.

[Tom_Heath]

As far as I know, all the verts that have been associated with smokerbuilder have not been insulated on the bottom. This solves the issue you are having. Pellet cabinets included. Totally insulted takes such a small fire once they are at temp, it's tough to control. Hence the water pan. I think this is why pitmaker uses a maze or form of minion method. Send us a pic of the fire basket and we can make suggestions as to what else may help.


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[Creedt6]

This is what I been doing

[ajfoxy]

That's very neat Creedt6, I do like that idea... a lot.

[Big T]

Gizmo has built a few mazes, he uses flat bar to build a double wall basically like you've done with wood.

[Creedt6]

Those are actually firebrick in the maze, I wanted to find something that worked before I did it from 1/4" plate

[Big T]

Those are actually firebrick in the maze, I wanted to find something that worked before I did it from 1/4" plate

That would make more sense than wood..lol