smoke coming out of generator

[jake]

Hi! I just got my smoke generator and put it on my smoker. My problem is it seems a lot of smoke is coming back through the generator and not going in the smoker. My smoker is a old 18 cu. ft. stand up freezer. I put 3 1" holes below the generator for draft and 3 more near the top on the other side for vents. Any help will be great. I cant wait to smoke some chickens this weekend! Thank you. jake

[Chez Bubba]

Jake,

Welcome. It sounds to me like you need more holes to vent or less holes to draft. But I've never built my own, so my advice is worth exactly what you paid for it![:D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[BigRed]

Jake!

I think I agree with Chez. My bet is not enough venting at the top. You can always put a big vent on top and put a door on it for control. Also do you have a gasket or seal around the hole the smoke generator goes in? That mgiht be an issue.

BigRED

[Habanero Smoker]

I also agree with Kirk. I would try plugging your draft holes. Your smoke generator has vents that will allow for a draft. Your drilled draft holes may be causing the smoke to back draft through the generator.

[BigSmoker]

The way it works with water is a round hole will actually make a small water dam.  An oblong hole will make the water run through no dam effect.  Don't know if this translates to smoke but the holes in top of my Bradley are definitely not round.  HTH

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[Oldman]

Big what you said makes sense as vapor and water react the same. And Lordy knows we got water vapor in our smokers.

[jake]

Thanks for the advise! I think I have it riged to work sunday. I am beat. I have been working on this thing all week to get it ready for its first run. I have 4 chickens in brine and 2 slabs of ribs with dry rub ready for morning. I will post as soon as I can to tell ya how it went and thank you all some more. Maybe tomorow if the budwieser god will let me. See ya.  jake.

[jake]

sorry it took so long to post. I pluged the 3 bottom holes and that fixed my problem. I was evan able to plug one of the top holes with no smoke coming out of the generator. I did have trouble with heat but I put some diferant hot plates in and I think I have it fixed. I will find out sunday when I smoke 50 lbs of summer sausage. Thanks again for all the help.  jake

[humpa]

Jake,
 This happened to me too. If you are just smoking, let all the bottom draft come through the BS smoker. Watch the top vent as you want to vent most the smoke so it doesn't back up. A gas burner must have some draft at the bottom to work properly, but just watch what comes out the BS smoker and adjust as needed. Good luck....
 TO Chezbubba and Dow.....Thanks guys.....