Help me fix my GOSM

[ahang]

Hey guys, after stalking the site for a few months I bought the Walmart version of the GOSM big block. I had a few attempts at pulled pork but the results have been less than ideal. I've been cooking in the middle of winter and it's hard for the smoker to keep an even temperature. Wind really effects the flame on the bottom and a lot of heat is lost thru the thin steel and door seal. My old smoker(that i still have) is the smoke hollow electric and that unit is insulated and the door has a tighter seal. I could cook 2 boston butts in the electric unit in 8-10 hours, my gas GOSM takes half a tank of propane and 10-12 hours. Any guys getting the same problems? Any solutions. I don't really want to use welding blankets, or build anything makeshift.

I was thinking of using rock wool and aluminum flashing for the door, maybe some oven gasket to fix the leaks.

With my electric I've made good Q in 30 degree weather in the middle of December, I got the big unit for more space to do large turkeys.

 

[rio_grande]

I have a GOSM and dont have issues like that. Have you adjusted your air intake on the burner? The math dosent add up that it would use that much gas and be that inefficent.... But maybe it is?

As for insulation. I have never done it but a friend ought some cheap welding blankets from Harbor freight and used them to wrap his smoker. He didnt see much diffrence but hasn't complained about it anymore.

 

[pineywoods]

What I find to affect my GOSM is the wind but of course in Florida I'm not much help with the cold weather

 

[richoso1]

Your fuel consumption isn't too bad when you consider the elements. Maybe move your GOSM next to a building or another area that doesn't get so much wind. You could also make a folding type of windbreaker, that you could put away during warmer weather. Good luck my friend.

 

[ahang]

Hey guys, thanks for the quick replies. When you guys are smoking boston butt, say two 6.5lb butts. How long does it take you to cook and how much propane do you think you have left? Rio_Grande, what does your flame look like. Mine is 1/4 blue and the rest is yellow. It's not a sooty flame but I was expecting something blue-ish like what comes out of a gas grill. Right now it looks like something from a gas log fireplace.

Thanks for your help.

 

[pineywoods]

Sounds like you may have a flame problem and maybe Rio can tell you how to adjust it mine is pretty much blue.

 

[grillin_all_day]

As for the fuel consumption, I only turn my tank on a 1/4 of a turn, MAYBE. I barely turn it on, run it on the low setting and still get a good flame and can hold constant temps in the winter and summer (they're just a little higher).

 

[fingerlakessmoker]

I have a small GOSM from walmart and smoke in outside temps ranging from zero to 90 degrees. I never have problems keeping temp in proper ranges and find that the temp recovers very quickly.

 

[justpassingthru]

Sounds like you need to adjust your Air Bleed valve like Roi Grande suggested.

It located on the burner tube, take out the wood box and look inside, search here in propane smokers for **** Bullard's post on GOSM Burner Flame QViews it's a good post with pictures on how to adjust it.

Gene

 

[justpassingthru]

g-a-d, gas valves are built to be fully opened or fully closed, anywhere in between and they could go boom.

Gene

 

[beer-b-q]

It sounds to me like the burner needs more oxygen. Make sure you have the air intake on the burner open and not closed off, you can play with the setting until you get a flame that is blue...

 

[rio_grande]

I agree, my flame is pretty much blue flame with some small red tips. More like a home burner than a LP fire log. On mine there is a dial with 1/4 moons cut out on the gas intake for the burner. Imagine a half dollar with 1/4 moons cut out. I turn it wide open flame wide open half dollar quarter moon thingy, then start closing off the half dollar until I see the red tips startthen I back up a bit. then I dont touch it again untill I loan my smoker to a friend who messes with it but that is another post.

I can do 4-5 12 hour smokes on miine in the summer. In the winter figure half that but not really. In the winter I will swap the tank out at the end of the 2nd long day and never run out.

Tinker with it.. it will get better..

 

[forluvofsmoke]

With any smoker, your worst enemy will be wind. Door seals can cause some heat loss, but aren't a big culprit unless there is a large opening. Ambient temps come into play as well, but have less effect on the overall performance.

Your fuel consumption does seem excessively high. I have two vertical gassers and one horizontal with sfb and gas conversion. The verticals (large or small) will run for 35-40 hours on a 20# tank in the winter.

I have all of my rigs well protected from the elements, even during use, and that makes a huge difference on how high I set the burner flame. My horizontal is a fuel hog by nature...they aren't efficient by any comparison...I can burn a 20# bottle in about 20-24 hours, especially in the winter.

Your burner flame should be nearly 100% blue flame on low and should have some amber flame tips on med/low setting. The higher the flame, the higher percentage of amber tip it should have. If the flame is mostly blue when the burner is set on high, you will likely have flame-outs happening very frequently if the burner is in a drafty location. A leaner fuel burn (blue flame) is somewhat more efficient (to a point), but the performance/safety starts to become an issue at higher settings. A richer air/fuel mixture (more amber flame tips) helps to prevent flame out situations.

So, some amber flame tips are OK, more at higher setting is OK also, and desirable.

I know this is a lot to digest, and I hope it helps explain what your gas burners can do for you as well as help you decide what your biggest issue might be.

I've used gas cooking appliances since dirt was first invented (it seems like anyway)...LOL, and my past experiences haven't all been good. Had a few "WOOFS", "POOFS", but, luckily, no "BOOMS" along the way. Boy, the list of things a young "bullet-proof" guy won't try seems endless. Now I'm a lot older, and hopefully, at least a little wiser.

Good luck, and never give up!

Eric

 

[coffee_junkie]

What he said....never use the valve on the tank as a regulating valve. I live in Montana and have a GOSM. I have since built a UDS for cooking in the winter. But some options I have seen are: 3/8" Tile backer material applied to the outside (all sides) and painted black to match, looked pretty good. I have considered drilling the orphice out one size to up the BTU a little bit, if that is too much in the summer, then a needle valve is needed on the supply hose to help regulate the gas (remember I said not to use the tank valve as a regulating valve). If wind is a problem then a simple windbreak could be used. Also, instead of water in the pan you could try to use "playbox sand" covered with foil, a couple of fire bricks in the bottom wouldn't hurt either. It does sound like you are using quite a bit of gas, I get about 8 long smokes out of one tank on mine. There is an air fuel mixture damper right at the burner (usually) you have to mess with that to get the flame the way you like it. I run mine wide open and have no problems. Good luck, I think solving problems is half the fun of smoking, you hardly ever get that perfect situation.

 

[mballi3011]

I might see if theres a adjustment like jeff (rio grande) said but it not I would check on maybe a wind break or something like that if you don't want to use a blankets. Now for the cold move to florida I think half the northerns do each fall. lol

 

[ahang]

thanks guys, i fiddled with the set screw and got a slightly bluer flame that looks similar to the previous postings. i think i'm going to insulate it this weekend, i will post pics of the mods if it works out. I also placed an order for some new grates, I called landmann and they are only $7 a piece, so i ordered 3. With shipping it only came to $28.95

Thanks again for all the help.