Temperature Stall in 4 rack DBS

[oakville smoker]

Hi all

I had an issue with a temperature stall yesterday in my DBS. The situation goes something like this:

I pre heated my DBS to 270  ( as high as I can ever get it  to go )
The top 3 racks all had 2 slabs of cured loins that filled the trays and were being turned into Canadian Bacon.
Total wieght in each rack was probably 10 pounds.
The bottom rack had a 8 pound flattened whole chicken

There was a brick wrapped in alum foil at the bottom of the tower for heat retention.
Apple was the wood of choice, 2 hours worth.

After loading the smoker, tower temp crashed to 155 from 265.  I figure not the end of the world.
It took over 2 hours to recover to 200 degrees
Then the cabinet would not exceed 200 degrees even after I took the chicken out and finished it in the oven

I left the loins in for almost 3 more hours, temp still stalled in the smoker at 200 degrees and loins stalled at 126.  Finally I put them in the house oven as well or they would probably still be in the smoker trying to get past 126 IT.  The vent was just about totally open

After I pulled the loins, I left the smoker on with the oven temp cranked to 320.  Even after 90 minutes, the highest tower temp I could achieve was 214. That was with no food load in the DBS at all.  Even the racks were out !  Then I shut it off.

Any ideas?  The weather was decent, probably mid 50s.  No rain, no wind.  I have never had this happen to and I wonder if I have a smoker problem or if I am the problem or if I over loaded the smoker.  If this is what the fall is going to be like, I think I can forget about using my smoker the winter.

All advice and suggestions welcomed and appreciated.

[classicrockgriller]

oaksmok, I wish I could help you, but I have never had a minute of prpbablem out of mine.

Was the temp real cold there when this happened? Was it shielded from the wind.

Are these temp readings off the digital read out or from your maverick

[Gizmo]

How wide are the vents in the V-Tray?  If the vents have been compress during cleaning, it will reduce the heat flow up.  To test the heat, take out the V-Tray and turn the oven on with the set point at max (320), close the door and open the vent 1/2 way open.  It should not take as long to reach 260 degrees as it would with the V-Tray inserted.  I probably don't need to say it, but do not use the unit without the V-Tray.  Open the vents a bit with a wedge of wood or other object to allow the heat to flow upward.  It will also be easier to see if the heating element glows a nice bright red. 

[oakville smoker]

Thanks much guys

It was a beautuful 50 degree day with no wind when this happened.
No sun though, November on Southern Ontario, go  figure....   LOL   Snow will be here soon enough
I will have to take a look at my V tray and see if it may be clogged
I will fire up the DBS tonight without the V tray for a test and see what happens

As always, its phenomenal that when a question gets asked here, there is usually a really good answer coming

Thanks guys, will let you know how this turns out

[oakville smoker]

Just  to close this out .....

I pulled the V tray out last night and fired my baby up
Hit 260 in about 45 minutes, it was about 45 degrees outside
Highest temp I could achieve was 281, that reading from my DBS
No telling how accurate that is.
I cleaned the Vtray out with some Easy Off just to be sure there were no blockages

I am rockin and rollin again and all is now well with the world

Thanks all for the help. 
I think a 9 pound clucker that was split in a single tray on the bottom rack may have contributed to part of this issue
Maybe I should have put one half on one rack and the other on another

[classicrockgriller]

Glad to hear everything is ok. ;D