Smokin-It User Forum!
Smokin-It Smokers => Model 1 - The Little Guy!! => Topic started by: Apg36820 on December 09, 2016, 06:13:16 PM
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I am having trouble with my wood blocks catching on fire and the smoke turning to that bad Greyson white. Any suggestions?
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Have you tried covering the bottom of the wood blocks with foil? Also, where did you get your wood?
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The wood blocks came directly from smokin it. I have a feeling the wood is to dry which makes it easier to ignite. I haven't tried wrapping the blocks in foil.
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Just wrap the bottom half of the block in foil. Should help prevent combustion.
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+ 1
Open foil (top left open) and bottom the wood with foil.
I do with all smokes.
You can even add "chips" that way to get things rolling quicker.
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Is it happening because the wood is to dry?
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Yes, dry wood catches fire when the SI gets to about 180F. When I had this issue, the wood would combust in the first heating cycle. After that, the wood would smoke normally. I have been using wood from smokinlicious.com and have not had problems with combustion.
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I think that is the problem. Mine was all combusting at the start of the smoke. I'm gonna buy some different chunks and try them.
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I think that is the problem. Mine was all combusting at the start of the smoke. I'm gonna buy some different chunks and try them.
Try ordering smokinlicious double filet, the one with 3 varieties of your choice. You will be very very happy.
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I have never been a wood foiler.
I prefer to ramp-up the temperature. So, I run at 150 for two heat cycles, which is usually around 45 minutes or so give/take. After I see the second temp decline go down about 5 degrees or so, it turn it up to my final smoking temp.
I don't always watch the heat cycles that closely since I have found that 45 minutes pretty much always works.
To understand why this works, it is important to understand why we sometimes get combustion. This happens by a combination of dry wood and the constant always on element pumping away until the smoker hits its set temperature. So, this is just pounding away full heat on the wood for 15-30 minutes or so depending on what temp you are smoking at.
The reason the ramp-up works is that just as the wood starts to get to the point that it will combust, the element shuts off and gives the wood a break from that constant on element. Then, when the element turns on again the wood has already had some heat and isn't as affected by the new heat cycle.
The foiling works in a similar way in that it prevents the full blast of the element from affecting the wood even though it doesn't give it a break until after it hits the desired temp.
I think both methods are pretty effective. I just can't bring myself to foil my wood. I don't know why.
If you still have trouble with combustion when using either of these methods, try combining them and immediately go to your computer or phone and call Smokinlicious to order some double fillet.
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Gregg, "D" or Auber units also operate differently enough from a analog unit that they have even another factor going on. Those units start shutting off the element 30 to 40 degrees before the set temperature is reached and start pulsing heat.
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Gregg, "D" or Auber units also operate differently enough from a analog unit that they have even another factor going on. Those units start shutting off the element 30 to 40 degrees before the set temperature is reached and start pulsing heat.
Good point Dave. I kind of forgot to factor in the possible differences between the Analog and Auber setups.
They start pulsing at 30-40 degrees lower than the set temp huh?
I would actually think that that would be more of a positive because the pulsing would be giving breaks to the wood 30-40 degrees sooner than an analog model. This is just my theory I guess, since I only have an analog unit and am not fluent with the Auber nuances.
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I usually soak my wood for about 30-60 min......that seems to work for me
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I have a #3 and have used wood from a moisture content of 0.00 to 0.40 moisture content and don't have the combustion issue. I don't bother with "trying to soak wood" and also don't use foil in the firebox. I spent a few days experimenting and designing my own small firebox insert to use inside the Smoke-It firebox. By placing identical weight wood blocks from one end of the original firebox I found the spots where it gets the hottest and I place my insert with my wood inside it and placed on the hottest spot of the original Smote-It firebox. I haven't had the spontaneous combustion issue since. I did purchase some "Smokeliciious hickory and sugar maple" but I can't tell one lick of difference in using this wood compared to using other dry wood.
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Hi Walt - I remember you talking about your experimenting. I would be interested in seeing your fire box; maybe others would be as well.
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Hi Walt - I remember you talking about your experimenting. I would be interested in seeing your fire box; maybe others would be as well.
I would love to do that, but my lawyer tells me not to until he gets the patent application filed. Then after the application is filed and the product is protected my lawyer will gladly show it to you and if you copy it and use it, or sell it, then my lawyer will get to sue you or any other individual or company for patent infringement. :D
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:'(
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Anyone have pictures of what the wood should look like after a smoke? I generally spread 3 pieces evenly the length of the firebox........1 at the front, 1 in the middle and 1 at the back.
I have done smokes where all 3 were nothing but ash, which makes me think they caught on fire and burned up. Other times, I've had one ashy and the others just charred black like charcoal.
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I would not worry too much about what the wood looks like after a smoke. If you are getting good flavor, be happy and enjoy. I typically get all ash and once in a while, a lump of charcoal. I worry more about great billows of thick smoke and so far have not had that experience.
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I almost always get charcoal... I love it because I wait until I know positively it's out and then throw it into my charcoal bin and use it for grilling. :) About the only time it doesn't come out as charcoal is if I leave the door open when I'm done smoking... the residual heat and influx of oxygen will cause it to turn to ash.
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Thanks LarryD. I've done the foil boats for the last few smokes and am getting charcoal every time. If not in the boat, it's mostly ash.
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The end look of the wood will also depend on the length of the smoke. Charcoal for ribs and ash for butt and brisket would be normal results.