Smokers inside a garage or shed

CoreyMac · November 06, 2011, 12:01:53 PM

I put this question in the digital smoker section but it applies to any one of them. For those of you who have a smoker in your garage or workshed and have a fan/venting system to exhaust smoke, do you get ANY smoke coming into the garage? Or does your venting system pull all of it out, I rigged up fan and vent system yesterday and am using it today, its working great but I am still getting a little bit of smoke in the garage(very little smells good actually). If I turn up the fan it starts to suck the smoke right out of the tower and doesn't let the meat get any. But if I turn it down it come into the shop, I can't get that sweet spot where there is nothing. is this just a problem I will have to deal with, or has anyone got a fool proof system? I have a car project in here as well and was hoping to not smoke sausage and my car at the same time ;D

Corey

Mr Walleye · November 06, 2011, 12:26:23 PM

Hi Corey

Here's a few posts I did on my garage setup along with a few problems and modifications I made to resolve them. At first I had some smoke in the garage (not much) until I realized that a range hood with a standard fan (not a drum style blower) actually only sucks air from the very centre. So I added a piece of 4" PVC pipe and that just sits on top of the BS over the vent. It worked very well but tended to draw too much air through the unit causing it to cool down. My solution was to notch the 4" pipe at the bottom to allow it to draw room air as well. I have found that I tend to have the vent slightly more closed now due to the assisted draw on it but I have no problem maintaining temps. This picture shows what I'm talking about.

Original setup...
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=4142.msg35849#msg35849

First changes....
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6075.0

Current setup...

Mike

CoreyMac · November 06, 2011, 12:33:00 PM

I didn't bring my camera hometo take any photo's of my setup but your system is similar to what I did, I'm using a 5" duct fan for air movement, I took your advice and opened up an area of the plenum above the smoker to allow it to draw air from the shop and its WAY better. I am going to keep making the hole larger untill I can get a good balance. I don't think its ever going to be perfect.

I can't complain, its -9 outside today, I'm just happy my rig is working at all and the fine tuning will come i guess.

Mr Walleye · November 06, 2011, 12:44:41 PM

Corey

What I found just playing around with the fan and how it sucked smoke was only the very centre really has the suction. The outer portion of the fan blades just really stir the air. This was why I went with a 4 inch pipe to get the smoke more focused to the centre of the fan.

I'm sure different range hoods or vents respond differently. A friend of mine who I built a large smoker for also has it in his garage. The range hood he used was a higher end, more powerful unit and he hasn't had any issues at all.

Mike

viper125 · November 06, 2011, 02:02:29 PM

Why not run a pipe thru the roof and make Chimney? That's what I have and no fan needed. No smoke at all except if I open while smokes going. I would love a little extra smoke to smell. Lol

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kickedback · November 06, 2011, 02:28:59 PM

I put mine in the garage a couple weeks ago. I just run a 4" flex duct out the window. Works fine 'til the wind picks up. I still have to do a final setup before it gets too cold.

I usually leave my truck windows cracked a little so I can enjoy the smoke for a few days after. When the smell wears out, it's time to smoke something else.

SouthernSmoked · November 06, 2011, 03:32:03 PM

I just want to remind you to regular check your smoker!

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=19808.0

viper125 · November 06, 2011, 03:37:29 PM

Not to as worried about checking as I use to be. I have a maverick 732 and keep an eye on that. If a fire would start smoker temp will go up fast. Or if element quits I can see that also. Oh what a life!

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JZ · November 07, 2011, 08:44:11 PM

Hey SouthernSmoked

Judging by your picture, it appears the heat recovery in your smoker is pretty quick. Close the door and the temps are back up in seconds!!!

hal4uk · November 07, 2011, 08:53:29 PM

Mark beat me to it (the picture).

I know a lot of you guys do this... But, indoor smoking is dangerous.
Yeahhhhhhhhh... I know some of y'all have different setups/precautions, but it ain't good for newbies (or most folks) to even think about this.

You will smoke up your garage/basement/whatever, and you will risk burning down your house.

Take it outside.
Awrighten.

hal4uk · November 07, 2011, 09:17:20 PM

Addendum...

Mike LIVES in Saskatchewan... And smokes a lot of fish...
He knows what he is doing, but I'm just trying to say that most of you (drooling over his setup) do NOT want to try to BE MIKE.
OK?

I don't care how tough you are --- FIRE can whip your @ss.
And your kids, and grandma, and your dog.

It only takes ONE grease fire.
Dang...

Mr Walleye · November 08, 2011, 06:41:20 PM

Quote from: hal4uk on November 07, 2011, 09:17:20 PM
Addendum...

Mike LIVES in Saskatchewan... And smokes a lot of fish...
He knows what he is doing, but I'm just trying to say that most of you (drooling over his setup) do NOT want to try to BE MIKE.
OK?

I don't care how tough you are --- FIRE can whip your @ss.
And your kids, and grandma, and your dog.

It only takes ONE grease fire.
Dang...

You are right Hal. It's certainly nothing to take lightly. You do want to take precautions and study where the potential problems are to alleviate them before hand.

I have taken a lot of precautions that have been designed into my smokers. The other things I do are always keep my smokers clean and free of grease. My garage is also detached, as it not attached to my home. Although I would just as soon nothing happened to it. ;)

Mike

mlp311 · November 08, 2011, 07:32:20 PM

Im not a prof smoker, but I am a prof fireman and the smokers belong outside. If the smoker pictured had been inside it would have been bye bye house.

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JZ · November 08, 2011, 10:21:52 PM

So if I understand this right - it is OK for Mike to smoke indoors because he lives in Saskatchewan and has been doing this for awhile. I am not sure if your comment regarding "Newbies" was addressed to me or not but a Newbie is simply someone that has not posted very often on this forum. That does not mean they are idiots.

I agree there are dangers attached to smoking indoors and the picture serves as a reminder of these dangers. But most importantly it shows that there are safety precautions that should be adhered to no matter where your smoker is placed and that the maintenance procedures noted in the owners manual are there for a reason. A lot of this is common sense; keep the smoker clean (IE don't let grease build up) clean the pucks out regularly and don't leave it unattended.

devo · November 09, 2011, 04:28:34 AM

JZ
Nobody here is calling anybody an idiot here. We don't do that on this forum. If we did I would be called one all the time ;D
People just want everyone to know what the risk's are if you decide to go with the garage route and what has happened to some. The picture posted by SouthernSmoked says it all don;t you think. Last winter my smoker was in the garage out back. I had no problems with it in the garage but it bothered me to no end that it was out back and I couldn't keep an eye on it all the time so this year it is right outside my sliding glass door where I can look at it more often. What ever route you take just be extra carfull is all we are saying.

Smokers inside a garage or shed

devo