# Windbreak ideas for Smoke Vault 24



## bobkomar (Aug 12, 2012)

I'm thinking of adding sheet aluminum to the sides of the legs of my Smoke Vault 24 to act as a windbreak for the burner. The sheets would extend down the legs to a few inches from the bottom of the legs. I was also thinking of adding a horizontal piece a few inches under the burner to further act on breaking up any up drafts that come under the new sides.

I think adding a stack to the top vent would help even more. If I do this, I would remove the dampener from the hole and make one for the top of the stack, and making a small hole else where in the cabinet and reuse the stock dampener to run temp probes through. It would be closed down to just far enough to run the temp probes through, and it would still be in the top, or just far enough down the side so the dampener wheel would not be over the top.

Any thoughts on these mods? Am I wasting my time, or just plain going about this wrong? I want to put my smoker on the deck, but I live in a windy area, and the gusts seam to make the flame struggle, or at least it changes the sound of the burner when they hit, and the temps swing. If I turn the burner up far enough to get past this my temps are way to high.


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## daveomak (Aug 13, 2012)

BobKomar said:


> I'm thinking of adding sheet aluminum to the sides of the legs of my Smoke Vault 24 to act as a windbreak for the burner. The sheets would extend down the legs to a few inches from the bottom of the legs.
> 
> I was also thinking of adding a horizontal piece a few inches under the burner to further act on breaking up any up drafts that come under the new sides. *I would try that first...*
> 
> ...


Bob, morning and welcome to the forum.....  I would try the above mods first and check the results.... they may achieve your goal of improving the burner flame....   Dave


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## billyq (Aug 18, 2012)

I removed the side vents, flattened out the vent "stop" so I could close the vent completely, and then replaced the vent. Now it turns 360 degrees and I can close it completely. No need for a wind break.


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## bobkomar (Aug 19, 2012)

I have flattened the tab on the two side dampeners so they close all the way. The top one is still stock and I run it wide open during the summer in at home.

I happen to bring mine to Phoenix with me to my Dads house, we smoked two Boston butts this weekend. I had a very hard time keeping the smoker temps below 250* during the full sun. I was running the burner as low as it would go, all dampeners full open and still had to crack the door about every half hour to get the temps to come down. Out side temps were in the low hundreds. I'm not sure I want to remove the side dampeners, plus I run a amazen tube for smoke now.


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## donr (Aug 23, 2012)

For the wind break around the bottom you can tape on some cardboard first to see if it works before you get into sheet metal work.  Light up the burner, point a box fan at the bottom of the smoker & see if it screws with the flame.  If it does, tape on the cardboard then point the fan at it again to see if it helps with the flame.  If it works, make the aluminum pieces.

As for the side vent, Scottcim made a shelf that sits under the burner to hold an AMNPS & just lets the updraft suck the smoke into the chamber, this way you don't need the side vent.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/121175/gasser-mod-for-amnps

Don


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## conchokitty (Aug 26, 2012)

Hi Bob,

I also have and use a Smoke Chef 24" in the Phoenix area.

The hot day's direct sun on it does spike the temp *way* up so I positioned the smoker in the shade thus can run a higher flame and maintain as low as 150 degrees but usually set it at 225 degrees.

On really low flame settings, a windy day will mess with the burner, I have discovered. I forgo using the smoker on windy days or if a dust storm is coming.

Since the house faces south, and wind generally comes out of the southeast/south/southwest, the house shields the smoker from moderate winds very well and shades the smoker from the sun.

I also discovered that this smoker *really* does not want its water tray to run dry or get too low, thus I fill it to the brim after I line it with foil and check it about every 1.5 to 2 hours to top it off again.

If I see white smoke coming from the smoker? I know two things have happened: 1) it is out of water thus 2: the temp has spiked way up.

There are collapsible 10x10 awnings with extending legs at Walmart and elsewhere which can be used to shield both you and the smoker from Phoenix sun during the heat of the day.

We have one of these awnings we set up when target practicing out in the desert & it's very well worth its weight in gold. I think we paid about $85 for it.

I haven't messed with any sort of modifications to the smoker at all... haven't needed to. For me, it does exactly what I need it to do, as is.

Presently, I am smoking two racks of baby back ribs and a pork butt. ooh.... It smells _sooo_ good!!!

-CK


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