Question for the group. I have not cut anything yet so this can be changed.
I have a warmer/proofer that I need to get converted and I'm kicking around a new idea tonight. This is how the air flow runs in the cabinet as it was built. It has two air recirculation fans in the top and the heating element in the box also. I like this idea as I would never have to worry about drippings on the element and I think it would be much safer (less of a grease fire hazard).
As designed (no modifications) arrows show the normal air recirculation into the fan/heater box on top, down a side channel and back into the camber. This diagram also shows my original plan of using the pellet tray in the bottom with a drip shield over it. Not shown would be the air intake and vent/chimney.
What I'm wondering is can I mount a mailbox mod to put the pellet tray on the side of the smoker about mid-level (I'm not getting any younger and thinking getting on my knees to check the mailbox if I mount it at the bottom will get pretty old quickly). I would then take an iron pipe out the back of the mailbox, downward and enter the smoke chamber near the bottom floor. The iron pipe would be capped and have holes on the sides for smoke flow. Also there would be the exhaust chimney which is much higher than the mailbox to get the stack effect to move the air in through the mailbox, down to the chamber, up and out (also while the recirculation fans are moving the heated air & smoke around).
So the question is does anybody know if a mailbox mod will draft downward and then upward like this?
And the 2nd question is will the air recirculation setup be a problem? I don't think it will as all the air the fans draw in is pushed back out at the bottom so there is no pressure change from the fan. The intake flow would come from the mailbox intake and the chimney effect would keep the air/smoke moving out the top (as long as the heating element can keep up with the temp drop from colder smoke filled air I think it would work. A damper on the chimney would let me control the flow as would a sliding baffle over the air intake holes on the mailbox).
Any thoughts or suggestions?
I have a warmer/proofer that I need to get converted and I'm kicking around a new idea tonight. This is how the air flow runs in the cabinet as it was built. It has two air recirculation fans in the top and the heating element in the box also. I like this idea as I would never have to worry about drippings on the element and I think it would be much safer (less of a grease fire hazard).
As designed (no modifications) arrows show the normal air recirculation into the fan/heater box on top, down a side channel and back into the camber. This diagram also shows my original plan of using the pellet tray in the bottom with a drip shield over it. Not shown would be the air intake and vent/chimney.
What I'm wondering is can I mount a mailbox mod to put the pellet tray on the side of the smoker about mid-level (I'm not getting any younger and thinking getting on my knees to check the mailbox if I mount it at the bottom will get pretty old quickly). I would then take an iron pipe out the back of the mailbox, downward and enter the smoke chamber near the bottom floor. The iron pipe would be capped and have holes on the sides for smoke flow. Also there would be the exhaust chimney which is much higher than the mailbox to get the stack effect to move the air in through the mailbox, down to the chamber, up and out (also while the recirculation fans are moving the heated air & smoke around).
So the question is does anybody know if a mailbox mod will draft downward and then upward like this?
And the 2nd question is will the air recirculation setup be a problem? I don't think it will as all the air the fans draw in is pushed back out at the bottom so there is no pressure change from the fan. The intake flow would come from the mailbox intake and the chimney effect would keep the air/smoke moving out the top (as long as the heating element can keep up with the temp drop from colder smoke filled air I think it would work. A damper on the chimney would let me control the flow as would a sliding baffle over the air intake holes on the mailbox).
Any thoughts or suggestions?
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