# Lang 36 drain question



## Ryder996 (Oct 21, 2018)

hi all, just occurred to me that I have been smoking with the drain valve open... is this correct? Thank you for your help.  Seems like closed would keep things more stable and not suck in outside air... but fat and grease Setting up in a pipe sounds like it could get nasty... maybe run with closed and open every few hours to drain?


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## InThePittBBQ (Oct 21, 2018)

I'm not sure you can get enough on a 36" to even worry about opening it until the end of the cook? I run a slightly larger Lang and I open the drain valve every other refuel cycle when it's loaded up with meat, 40 butts will make some grease over a few hours in the smoke. 

It does make a difference in temperature with the valve being open or closed, I run it open on start up to add more draft into the cooker and close it after the first load of wood burns down to coals and then just drain off from there as needed.


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## hardcookin (Oct 21, 2018)

Keep it open so the grease can drain.
I always keep mine open.


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## SmokinAl (Oct 22, 2018)

I keep mine open all the time too.
Al


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## Ryder996 (Oct 22, 2018)

Thank you. I’m going to try to see with the thermoworks how much of a change it creates being open/closed.


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## jbellard (Oct 22, 2018)

Shouldn’t make a difference in your temps. If you fill that sucker with pork butts though you will definitely wish you had left the drain open after you are done cooking. You’ll have a big congealed mess on your hands. Literally. 
I have a bigger 300 gallon smoker and keep the 1 1/2 inch drain open and no issues whatsoever.  Keep it open!!


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## phatbac (Oct 22, 2018)

Yea i kept my 36 wide open and i keep my 48 wide open too. it has a ball valve on the drain so it isn't just a whole in the bottom. yesterday i was running 350-375 on my smoker with it wide open in the cold and wind...temps shouldn't be a problem and if they are it isn't your drain.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)


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