Couple of questions

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bill mt top

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 17, 2013
54
10
Nuangola, Pa.
So I finally got the fridge build ready to be "seasoned". I had it smoking for about 4 1/2 hours, with a high temp of 348 degrees. That was with the 2 electric stove heating elements on high, and a shallow metal cookie tray with some small lava rocks on it. I DO NOT have an air intake cut in the side yet, but I do have a damper in the smoke pipe, and I reached that temp with it open....

So....Here's my 2 questions:

1. Is 348 degrees hot enough to pretty much smoke anything out there that can be smoked?

2. Will the temps get hotter or cooler with an intake vent?
 
I like poultry at 350*. I don't go much higher so I'd say "yes" to question 1.

I defer to others for question 2. My gut says hotter but I don't know for sure cause I don't run an elec cooker or a fridge build.
 
I know an open bottom vent would get a wood or charcoal fire burning hotter, but just not sure if it would make a difference with electric. The other thing I'm wondering about is draft. Without it, would it be more like a "stale" smoke just oozing out the stack?
 
Ok thanks. I'm going to do that today. Yesterday when I was seasoning it, it just seemed to me that the smoke should've been coming out the stack quicker than it was. When I opened the door, the inside was filled with smoke...
 
Good afternoon Bill, I made my smoker using a roll around food warmer, it was a discarded one from one of the schools in my area.

To answer you question, IMHO, you do need and would want a intake vent near the bottom, Depending on what you smoke, you need to have some draft to carry the moisture out the top.

With my food warmer, I use the original electric heating unit for cold smoking. such as making Jerky and bacon, that moisture has to be able to escape the smoker so the meat will dry.

I have also installed a barbque burner in the bottom of the warmer with the gas control valve attached to the outside and protruding through the side of the warmer.

As to temp control, Yes I do find that I can use the lower intake vent to help to control my chamber temps, In my food warmer, I used a 4 inch by 10 inch house style floor heat duct register. I have one in the top and one in the lower front in the door.

Hope this helps, and FYI, if pictures would help, let me know would be glad to send youn some of my unit.

Rich-
 
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