elementary question for ECB

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knox

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 4, 2008
5
10
I apologize for this very elementary question.

I know generally that when you open the bottom damper for more airflow on a smoker, it will raise the temp of the smoker. However, in my ECB I've always assumed that if I open the door it will lower the temp and if I leave the door closed it will raise the temp.

Do I have it backwards? If I leave the door open, will that increase airflow and raise temp?

(FYI: I've added a number of holes to the charcoal pan to increase airflow.)

thanks in advance!
 
That's a great question, thanks for asking it cause I have the same concern with my offset smoker.

I'd like to add another facet to it as well, I have a damper on the bottom half of my fire box and one on the top half as well. What are they doing if I open or close one or both? If I have them both all the way open does it increase total airflow or create some sort of vacuum maybe?

On my last(first) smoke, I had my doors open the whole time and could never get my fire hot enough.
 
Gabriel, I can't seem to find the link now, but, Walking Dude posted a link that explained what the dual vents on your side firebox accomplished when used independently, and when used together...He should be along sometime today and can probably help you more extensively with this topic.

L8r,
Eric
 
Thanks for the response. I can't get the link to pull up a specific thread, only the main page???

So do I understand that as long as I've got the desired temp or too little temp I leave the door closed, but if I find I need to lose a little heat it can be opened? (if it helps to know, I generally have preferred to use water or apple juice / water in the water pan as opposed to no water pan.)
 
I dunno what the deal is there with the link?. Here's the thread title- "A Short Discourse on Preburning Wood". You can search for that.
 
You have to use some sort of pan or heat deflector. Otherwise you are low temp grilling. You can sub sand in the pan to increase heat. Also, you have dampers at the base you can close down a bit to lower temps. Temps don't have to be regulated to 15 degrees or anything either. 200 to 275 will git-r-done just fine.
 
knox..........do you have a reg ecb, or the gourmet version.......makes a diff on how i answer your question........been using the reg ecb for over 20 years, and the gourmet, bout 10years
 
I have literally the El Cheapo, not the Gourmet. That would be way to fancy LOL! Because of this, I don't have any damper on the bottom or top. I have added numerous holes to the pan, reversed the cooker legs, added legs to the pan, and added a grate to the pan. I don't have trouble getting hot except in really cold temps (which we are hopfully past in TN!) I like to cook at 220 or so, and sometimes I get too much heat. My question is if I am trying to get rid of heat, should I open the door, or does this add airflow which raises the temp? Just didn't want to use trial and error to find out. Thanks in advance!
 
Good point. However, I don't have any dampers on the ECB. I have added holes to the charcoal pan, but I intentionally spread them out all over the pan. Of course, this makes it difficult to try to mod a damper to close those holes as opposed to having them close together. Any thoughts?
 
yeah.......get a new fire pan, and try it randys way.......with holes all over the place.....hard to adjust intake airflow...thats what is making you temps so high
 
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