Winter Time Smoking

[RAF128]

Since we seem to have more cold weather here than warm, this is my setup in the heated garage.    This was the first and it's on a temporary table.   I cut a piece of plywood to fit the window and it's vented there.



Since this picture was taken I've made a permanent home from the smoker.    The vent isn't connected in this picture since nothing is smoking.   The vent you see hanging on the wall is the vent for the cold smoke adapter which is on the shelf below the smoker

[kinyo]

Real Nice setup RAF!

[ArnieM]

The 6 inch stack is permanently mounted to the smoker.  It stays on all year.

On your installation, did you drill directly through the top of your smoker? 

Yes, carefully.  The stack comes with a self-stick gasket but I didn't trust it to hold.  I used #8x3/8 sheet metal screws.

I also modified the vent to make sure it fit in the stack.



In retrospect, I should have just thrown the vent away.  I always smoke wide open.

This winter, the stack and elbow will get an insulation wrap.  It will help to keep the moisture from condensing there and running back into the smoker; happened once.  There's really quite a bit of moisture coming out of the end of the duct.

[thirtydaZe]

^^
Thanks.

Fighting the urge currently to do this to mine, but when the cold comes I bet I lose the battle.

[thirtydaZe]

I finally bit the bullet and purchased the ducting to copy Arnies setup.

I did opt to purchase the 6" just so i would be certain everything would fit.

A while back someone started a thread, they had ducted their Bradley with some 6", but took it straight up, and were experiencing some problems getting their cabinet temp up.

I already have a 90* fitting and plan to run my setup to the floor and out the garage door.

Question is, do you think by doing this, I will experience a cabinet temp drop, and would i be better suited to get a 4" reducer and run a smaller ducting for the length I plan to take to the floor and out the garage door?

[ArnieM]

I don't see why the cabinet temp would drop.  You have an 'infinite' size duct when not using the sheet metal. 

As I mentioned previously, I'm going to wrap the stack and elbow with insulation to keep it warmer and hope to avoid condensation in that area.

You have to admit, it's a pretty cheap setup.  ;D

[_Bear_]

Mine just sits in the corner of my covered and enclosed on 3 sides deck. I have had the smoke rolling at -22*c. It takes a while to get up to temp LOL.

[thirtydaZe]

Well I finally started.  

it's not yet in its permanent home, but it's where it will be probably for the duration of this winter as i have parts for my boat lift in the garage which will be taking up the wall space.

Obviously still have the venting to run, but that will be completed tonight, and as will FINALLY getting the PID put into operation..

Thanks for the help Arnie!  

I opted not to screw my stack down at this time.

[SouthernSmoked]

Well I finally started.  

it's not yet in its permanent home, but it's where it will be probably for the duration of this winter as i have parts for my boat lift in the garage which will be taking up the wall space.

Obviously still have the venting to run, but that will be completed tonight, and as will FINALLY getting the PID put into operation..

Thanks for the help Arnie!  

I opted not to screw my stack down at this time.

Let me know how that works out - I'm a little concern about condensation with the height off the smoker and the adaptor! Looks like a trap.

Let me know.

Thanks

[hal4uk]

I think you should take Arnie's advice and insulate that stack. 
Warm, moist air will cause instant condensation when that stack is cold.

If things didn't work that way, we wouldn't have moonshine.

[thirtydaZe]

Let me know how that works out - I'm a little concern about condensation with the height off the smoker and the adaptor! Looks like a trap.

Let me know.

Thanks

it worked like crap actually.  actually it didn't work.

condensations was a huge problem, so much so, that the heavy side of my contraption, pulled the other side from the top of the smoker.  it leaked where the drier vent meets the ducting.

long story short i had to remove the whole stack withing about the first hour of my smoke yesterday.

it's back to the drawing board, i need help with what went wrong.....  got to get this going quick. 

being in the garage was so much nicer than doing it outside.

where should i start again.  obviously Arnies base piece works.

[ArnieM]

Sorry to hear about it.  I did my prototype with duct tape holding the stack down and it let go.  That's why I went with screws.  The new stack had a peel off paper with self stick but I didn't trust it.

I've tried two setups.  One is 6 inch all the way.  The other has a 6"- 4" reducer to work with dryer vent hose (plastic).  Both worked reasonably well.  Keep the duct going downhill.  And I'll reiterate, insulate the stack and the elbow. 

This is a pic of the 6 inch version.  It wasn't insulated last winter - my bad.  The garage door is fully open just for light.  I can close and hold it open about 8 inches for the ducting.

Man, the hoops we have to jump through just for some smoke.  :-\

[thirtydaZe]

Sorry to hear about it.  I did my prototype with duct tape holding the stack down and it let go.  That's why I went with screws.  The new stack had a peel off paper with self stick but I didn't trust it.

I've tried two setups.  One is 6 inch all the way.  The other has a 6"- 4" reducer to work with dryer vent hose (plastic).  Both worked reasonably well.  Keep the duct going downhill.  And I'll reiterate, insulate the stack and the elbow. 

This is a pic of the 6 inch version.  It wasn't insulated last winter - my bad.  The garage door is fully open just for light.  I can close and hold it open about 8 inches for the ducting.

Man, the hoops we have to jump through just for some smoke.  :-\

mine had self stick'em on it too.  i actually used a high temp silicone from an auto parts store to make a better seal, then went ahead and used some aluminum ducting tape to make a better seal.  also wrapped the seams of the 90* with the tape too.

moisture still found it's way out, and like i said peeled away from the top of the smoker anyhow.


so what i'm understanding from SouthernSmoked's post is that i'm basically going to need to move the BS lower,  and then use less duct work?  not only a smaller upper unit, but also less of a ducting run?

then like you said insulate it. 

Arnie, have you experienced any moisture problems at all?  and if i'm understanding you correctly, your dryer vent is not of the aluminum variety?

[ArnieM]

I'll tell you everything I know thirty - it won't take long.  ;D

The prototype used a 6x6 fitting with a 4 inch diameter exhaust and plastic dryer vent.  That's where the duct tape let go.  I did like the fitting though because there's hardly any vertical run to it.



My latest one is 6 inch round all the way but it has more vertical run and it does use aluminized duct - an 8 foot length. 

Sorry, I didn't post that pic:



Yes, I did get some black rain on a brisket once.  That's where the insulating idea came from - avoiding condensation in the stack.  My garage is unheated so it can get pretty cold out there.

Your setup looks like a fairly high vertical stack.  I'd try to cut it down some (new fittings, not tin snips).

Experiment on chicken.  It's relatively cheap and if you can get the moisture out of there with chicken, you're good to go.

[thirtydaZe]

thanks, again.

went and bought a new dryer vent today.  it's a 6", but 25' long, it's very slinky like, still aluminum.  i won't need all 25' of it so it can be cut, but all they sold at menards.

i'm Only going to use the our original starter piece (hopefully able so just rely on a bigger bead of the gasket sealer and tape to hold it), and then run the new dryer vent straight off of the starter piece..

also, i will be setting my DBS on the ground this time.