Need help

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smokin woodys

Fire Starter
Original poster
Sep 4, 2013
56
11
Southern Michigan
Built a uds my 3rd one can't get it up to temp unless I open up both 3/4 ball valves and open 1" cap. Is it possible to have them to high where they go in barrel that's the only thing I can see different from other ones I built. It has a weber lid and a heat shield above fire box, help
 
Do you have enough clearance below the fire basket? I know I had to revamp my first fire basket and add a couple of inches between the ash catcher and the bottom grate to get good airflow. I am following this because another guy on here is thinking about extending the vent pipes up the side like you did. Kind of like to know if this creates any airflow/draw issues.
 
Do you have another elbow at the top of the pipe before the valve? That can decrease air flow through. What type of heat shield do you have is it maybe restricting air flow? As far as height good as long as it is below or but too much higher than the bottom of your basket it should be fine. It doesn't look from the picture that it's too high.
 
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I've built others same heat shield same pipe setup and they will get over 300 and I can close one valve cap the one inch and just have the second valve cracked and maintane 250 easy
 
Did you add a second air valve on the lid? I've read people say you need more openings than just the stock on those lids to get proper air flow. Not enough vent can restrict air flow
 
I wonderd about that becuse the other ones I built had the bottom of the weber for lids and it has more vent volume for sure.That being said they ran with the top vent almost compleatly closed so I don't know.
 
Along the lines of what timberjet said, I use a pizza pan as an ash catcher which is attached to the charcoal basket by 3" ss bolts as legs. If I'm not careful placing the basket in the uds, the pizza pan can ride up the bolts and get stuck. I had this happen before without noticing it and it choked the fire as ashes accumulated. I don't know if you have a similar set up...
 
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