New Smoker

[Ben IV]

Hey Everyone,

Got this new vertical charcoal Smoker

It's a Dyna Glo Model dgx780bdc-d

20181201_081952

• Ben IV
• Dec 10, 2018

So far this is my first "smoker". Traditionally I have been using my Weber Kettle. I love my Kettle. I do indirect cooking, with coal to one side with 2 fire bricks to separate. Basically I use the slow and sear lighting instructions without the slow and sear---- heat about 8 coals, then when red hot put them in the corner and dump the remaining unlit coals. Add water pan and I can cook for 10+ hours without having to add any fuel.

But this smoker I have seems to have a learning curve. I am still trying to dial it in. I have done some mods like lavalock gasket around the doors and then RTV sealant around the gaps where I found it leaking.

I have fired it up three times and sorta get different results. The first fire before mods, I did minion method, temps shot up and kept rising with no end in sight. Even with both air dampers closed, temp still got to 350 + and held there for a good amount of time.

The second and the third time which was after the mods, I could control the temp better but I really find the air dampers to be irritating.

Why make air dampers that doesnt fully close? See below

20181203_170001

• Ben IV
• Dec 10, 2018

20181203_165943

• Ben IV
• Dec 10, 2018

20181203_165951

• Ben IV
• Dec 10, 2018

You can see even when fully closed there is a decent amount of oxygen being let it.... to me this poor design. It was hard to bring the temps back down even with the vents closed. Why make dampers that dont actually close!!??? Is it just me that thinks this is bad design?

Anyone have this smoker?

If so what are your thoughts? Any tips? Have you found a way to dail it in at 225-250 and hold steady?

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

I do not have this particular smoker. However, I have a couple of questions.

Are you going by the built in thermometer or do you use a separate probe to verify temperature?

How many briquettes are you initially using?

Water pan or no water pan?

As for the bottom dampers not closing all the way, perhaps the designer intended this to ensure the air flow is not totally choked off?

I apologize for not being able to offer much help.

 

[Ben IV]

I do not have this particular smoker. However, I have a couple of questions.

Are you going by the built in thermometer or do you use a separate probe to verify temperature?

How many briquettes are you initially using?

Water pan or no water pan?

As for the bottom dampers not closing all the way, perhaps the designer intended this to ensure the air flow is not totally choked off?

I apologize for not being able to offer much help.

Yes, I have Therma Pro that I use for temp monitoring.

I use about 4 lbs of KB, then I make a hole in the center and dropped the briquettes. (Minion Method)

For the first cook I used about 4 pounds starting, made the center whole then dropped 8 briquettes minion method.
For the second and third cook, same amount of coals, but I used 5 briquettes for the center minion method.

For the first burn, I did not, the second and third burn I did. The water pan and the mods helped out significantly.

I emailed Dyna Glo's customer service and that's what they basically said, but to me that just seems flawed. I have seen many smokers and each one I have ever seen the air damper fully closes, this Dyna Glo would be the first I have seen where it leaves gaps. I'm no Smoker Builder scientist/expert but leaving the gaps to me seems to really hinder the ability to control temps or bring down the temp when there are temp spikes. Also---- the gaps really hurt the temp when it's a windy day. Again, even when fully closed and its windy, those gaps just let blowing wind come right in. I think I am going to have to make a makeshift wind screen that covers both dampers.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

You have all the bases covered.
I see in your other thread that Dave is suggesting some mods for your smoker. That is probably the route you will have to take.

It is disapointing when we expect something to work as intended but then ends up causing problems.

Keep at it and you'll get this smoker functioning they way you want.