# Observations on the Char-Broil cb600x,



## scout (Sep 20, 2009)

This was my second time using the C-B, I experienced the same low temps as "TheBoz" so I filled the water ring with lava rocks and used a 13"x9"x2" pan on the bottom shelf for the water.  The pan holds 1 gal, the same as the water ring on the bottom.  The first thing I noticed is that the water ring would evaporate in 2 hours, where as the pan lasted 7 hours this time before needing a refill.
I started at 0800 sat morning with a 6 lb pork shoulder picnic cut that had a night in the fridge with nice rub soaking in.
At 0817 the smoker was at 225, put the pork in on the 3rd spot from the bottom and filled the chip cup.  It only holds 3 cups of chips and will smoke for an hour before needing a refill.  Since the reccomended time for soaking the chips is 2 hours I figured that would be enough smoking for this pork.  So every 2 hours I replaced the chips.  Gotta get some chunks!
I was able to turn the flame down to about 1/3 from low after about 1 hour to maintain 225.  I had the top vent open about 1/4 open and the smoke was just easing out the door seam.
I started with 5.9 lbs of propane in the tank, enough for 10 hours at full blast, I was OK for propane, for the 9 hour smoke I thought.
Every time I replaced the chips I was having to turn up the flame to maintain the temp.  From about noon on I had the flame on full blast and the  temp was only reading 200.  The wind was picking up so I figured that was what was causing the lose of heat.  I would just extend the cooking time.
At the 1500 hrs I heard a sizzling sound, opened the door and found the water pan was empty, added another gallon of water.
I found that the temp gauge on the door was fairly close to reading correctly using a digital infra-red non-contact thermometer as reference.
At 1700 hrs I noticed that the temp gauge wasent near 200 at all, it was resting on 100, out of propane!  I had a contingenicy plan in effect, the crock pot was already hot and ready to go.  (I thought there was a storm coming in but didn't happen)
Didn't need the crock pot, The meat thermometer read 200, the pork was done!  

So I found that this box cooks hotter that the gauge reads, even thought the gauge reads correctly.  Need a internal thermometer in the center of the smoker I guess.

The pork came out great BTW!

Steve


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## pineywoods (Sep 21, 2009)

Glad it came out well. Many of us use a thermo with a probe stuck thru a potato or block of wood sitting on the grate next to the meat to see what the actual smoker temp is. Some will just use an oven thermometer set on the grate to monitor the temps. Time to get a spare propane tank


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