Master Forge Smoker temp not high enough

nepas said:

From what i seen, apply the glue around the frame where you want the seal. Let dry and get tacky for 10-15 mins then place the gasket material into the glue and wait 12 hrs before closing the door to the cabinet. Sounds easy huh. I will video it when i do mine.

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ps0303 said:

This morning I added this to my unit.  I noticed that the glue dried fairly quickly, maybe due to the wind outside, so I added a little more and then just stuck the gasket material on it right away.  Seemed pretty darn stuck to the door.  I went ahead and closed the doors as well so to hold it in place.  Not sure why you need to wait to close the door.  It's a very tight fit for sure when you close the doors.  Seems like it will one heck of a job sealing off the doors.

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sprky said:

Don't know how I missed this but I did. I have this exact same smoker, and have several thoughts and solutions on this. I have experienced these one time or another over the years using propane smokers. You may have already tried some of these.

1. The stock thermometer is JUNK. Mine was off by over 50 degrees, and was very erratic.

Solution, Replace it with a good thermometer Or add a digital probe placed threw a potato on a grate. I use a digital probe with remote display.

2. Wind and cold will effect the temps of this unit BIG TIME. 

Solution, Construct a wind break around unit. I use 4 sections of insulated duct work around mine. 

3. Valve on LPG tank not open fully. If not opened fully it will restrict the flow of gas.

Solution,  Open valve on LPG tank 100%

4. Bad flame. Check flame with door closed. You can see flame threw hole on left side of burner assembly. A good flame will be; blue, have little yellow tips, and be between 1- 2 inches high.

Solution, Clean burner assembly including burner holes I use a wire brush, and pipe cleaners. Clean venturi tube, I use a small bottle brush. Clean screens on venturi tube, I use old tooth brush

5. Smoke stack damper not open. You need the damper open to allow flow threw smoker.

Solution, Open smoke stack damper

6. Heavily loaded smoker. I have noticed that when I have the smoker heavily loaded my temps run lower.

Solution, smoke 1/2 as much and do 2 smokes, add some lit charcoal to the chip pan, use a dry water pan or 1 filled with sand.

7. Smoker not preheated. I get better temps when I run my smoker on  high for 15- 30 min with no water pan or smoke tray. I then add the water pan fill with boiling water and smoke tray and run till I get TBS, then add my meat.

Solution, Preheat smoker

8. Regulator safety activated. If you open the valve on smoker, then valve on the LPG tank, the safety on regulator can activate, and restrict your flow of propane. It can also happen if you open the LPG valve too fast. Quick way to tell if activated  is watch your flame as you turn the valve on smoker. If flame hardly moves or not at all its probably activated. Will also normally be a small flame.

Solution, Close valve on smoker and LPG tank. Remove the hose from LPG tank. Wait approximately 30 seconds, reattach hose.  Slowly open LPG tank valve to full open. Press the electronic ignition as you open valve on smoker.

9. Side vents on smoker open too much. I find as 53rdcard does I get better temps with the vents closed.

Solution, Close the vents

10. Bad propane/LPG tank. Believe it or not you can get bad propane, and or LPG tank. Your BTU's will suffer due to this. I have had this happen several times when I was using BlueRino bottle exchange. Since I have switched to a local suppler, that fills my bottles, I have had no problems.

Solution, switch tanks

11. LPG tank low on gas. When my LPG tank gets low on gas I see a drop in temp. I can't explain why this happens it just does.

Solution, Switch tanks

Hope these help you out.

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ps0303 said:

Here are the pics of it installed.

  

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dfris2003 said:

Hi Everyone, im new here and reg, to post this for you guys.

I have a Master forge smoker as well, and I have noticed that after i load mine up with food i cant get it past 180 deg. I had 5 lb boston butt, 6 chicken breasts, and 6 corn on the cobs, and it just wouldnt heat up past 185 deg. the water would not even boil.

So i seen this thead and checked my water pan and it was totally blocking the back of my smoker, infact all the heat was going to the sides of my smoker, to the point it had already burned the paint off the sides of it, where the vents are. So i cut 1/2 off the back of it and half off the front as well, i left the back edges full lengh and cut the rest out, this way i can still slide it all the way back and it will hit the back of the smoker, but had a gap as well.

Im currently just smoking it to see how it does, but i can tell you this, first it heats up a bit slower, but i have notice that the wood in the wood box lastes longer, i had a small handful left and put it in there, and it lasted maybe 30 mins. and the biggy is that my thermo is almost correct with my digital thermo.  it was almost 30 deg off before, now its within 3 or 4 deg,

Im running it at a bit above halfway on the gas, so ill let you guys now there it tops out. empty at this setting.

just wanted to let you guys know and say thanks for all the info on this smoker,

happy smoking

Daryl

Update, looks like it topped out at 270 and my door thermo was showing 264 so its really close,

but the watter was not boiling, it had small little bubbles around the edges and it was steaming, so not sure

thanks

daryl

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hramos375 said:

THANK YOU for this suggestion. New here and love the site. Could not get temp up and did as suggested. Re hooked valve and opened tank valve very slowly............presto!!!! A bright blue flame and instant temp increase. I was thought I had bought junk and was not happy after having 2 rubbed shoulders in. Googled for help and found this. Again, thanks all!!!!!

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