When/if it gets cold out...

[JoeW]

How well does the OBS work (un-modified) when it's cold out? What's minimum temp they'll operate?

Thanks - Joe

[Tenpoint5]

I believe there is a couple of folks up on Canada that have used theirs at -30º

[Mr Walleye]

Hi Joe & welcome to the forum.

Operating in cold weather, I'm in Canada, your biggest enemy is wind. Wind blowing against the outside wall of the smoker will have an effect on it so it is best to use it in a sheltered area. Wind blowing across the top of the smoker can also create a vaccum that will literally suck the heat out the vent. Your first response is to close the vent but this just traps the moisture in the cabinet which ends up causing the temps to actually drop. The colder the temps, the more time you will have to allow for preheating and recovery. Certainly using hot water in the water bowl and having a couple of bricks to act as heat sinks by the water bowl will help with temp recovery when you do have to open the smoker. You really do want to keep the "peaking" to a minimum in cold weather.

Just make sure you just allow for more time.

Mike

[ghost9mm]

Yes Sir !!! what Mr Mike said...

[JoeW]

Thanks!

[dman4505]

I'm in Iowa and have used mine at -5
It sits in the garage out of the wind, it's a bit of work for me though
I have to dress warm and walk a whole 20 yards from the back door to the garage, ha ha
It does take a little while longer to preheat and get back to temp but as has been said keep the peaking to a bare minimum and she'll be fine

Don

[cathouse willy]

I bought a roll of aluminum insulation. The kind you'd use to wrap your hot water heater with. With a pair of scissors and some sticky backed velcro tape to make an overcoat for my obs. It doesn't get super cold here on the coast but with the temp a few degrees below freezing I was able to maintain 250 f with no trouble at all.
here she is all wrapped in her blanky


Easy to get the door open thanks to the miracle of velcro

[DTAggie]

Cathouse - that is a great idea.  Think I will look into that this winter.  Assuming we get out of these 100* days.  45 out of last 46 days!

[Toker]

Me, last time i used it outside, it was -15C and the thermal choc happended, i mean hot and cold created moisture all over inside of the smoker. That is mostly why i use it indoor in the winter.

[ankorklankor]

Cathouse, great idea. 

I live in South Dakota and use my smoker all year long.  I cut pieces of the high density foam insulation and used long production screws to build a shell around the outside of my Bradley.  It only gets hot enough on the back side near the heating element to melt the insulation a little. 

I willl have to look for a foil insulation blanket and wrap mine, looks like a better easier method.

Thanks for sharing.

David.

[jamesg]

Thanks for the info