Just when you thought it was safe to read another of my posts about Grand Champ XD...

[Chasdev]

Cooked a pastrami, but even with all the bells and whistles in action, I still fought temps right to left on the lower rack.
SO, back to scouring YouTube for info on baffle plates, tuning plates, water pans and other gizmos that effect heat distribution in the cook chamber.
I ran across one gentleman who gave a talk on the angle of the baffle plate at the transition between the firebox opening and the cook chamber.
His idea was instead of attaching the baffle to the top of the opening and tilting the plate so that the heat was directed downward, he attached the baffle plate to the bottom of the firebox opening and tilted the plate so that the heat was directed up and away from the lower cook grate.
He had a fancy explanation that was pretty involved and which pointed out hot air movement in a chamber and how it can be made to swirl, which lessens the temp swings and differences in the cook chamber.
Anyway, I'm going to give this idea a try and see what's what.

 

[JLeonard]

The joys of learning and fine tuning a new cooker. You'll get it hitting on all cylinders...eventually!

Jim

 

[Chasdev]

It's been fun doing "tests", I love tending fires, reminds me of camping out as a kid.
There is one big difference though, a cord of seasoned hard wood did not cost $800 back then.