# Lower gas smoker temperature



## Nefarious (May 14, 2022)

I have a gas Smoke Vault 18 that I intend to repurpose into a smoker for low temperature sausage, bacon, etc.  I just bought a GMG ledge to smoke higher temp meats, its a pellet grill so will be much easier and has most of the bells and whistles.  All they have to do is replace the one I bought that came with the leg receptacle bent so the leg wouldn't attach.  They promise my by monday, we will see.

I took the gas burner off of the smoke vault and counted the holes for the burner at 55.  The diameter of the holes are a little under 1/16 of an inch.  A 1/16" drill bit will screw in on the frill side but will not push in from the chuck side.  This makes me believe that's the size sheet metal screw I need.  I remember seeing a pic here but for some reason I didn't book mark it, I think it was 

 daveomak
 but not sure.

My thought was to put the screws in in steps.  The current low end is 140* if I use the valve that comes on the unit.  I can get it down to 120* using the needle valve I added for the gas manifold.  I want it to be safe down to say 90*.  First attempt I will add 5 screws at every 11th hole.  Depending on the result of this spacing put in 5 more, as evenly spaced as possible.  I will be sure to leave the area around the igniter free of screws for better ignition.

Does this sound close?  I can always add or remove to get closer to where I feel comfortable with the gas not blowing out.


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## Winterrider (May 14, 2022)

Propane burner.  Need lower temps!
					

Hi there!! I have made a small cabinet smoker I’m having trouble finding a burner that will keep my temps low.  I’ve purchased a couple propane burners and can only achieve temps that are 300ish.  If I lower it it goes out.  The regulator I have is 20psi but adjustable. I’m trying to find a...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## mike243 (May 15, 2022)

Wind will always be a factor when trying to reduce temps, that's why I gave up as I didn't want to spend the $$ to buy a valve with a pilot light control on mine


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## Nefarious (May 15, 2022)

mike243 said:


> Wind will always be a factor when trying to reduce temps, that's why I gave up as I didn't want to spend the $$ to buy a valve with a pilot light control on mine


That is true, which is why I want to close some of the burner holes.  That way the flame on the open holes can be higher and not blow out as easily.  

Only problem I can't sort out here is where to fine #0 screws.


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## Nefarious (May 15, 2022)

daveomak
 in looking at the burners you have modified, do the nails fit in the burner holes tightly, or is the weight of the nail sufficient to hold back the pressure?


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## daveomak (May 15, 2022)

The weight of the nail "should" hold the nails to seal off the gas flow....
The pressure in gas systems runs from 4" to11" water column..   A low pressure regulator should be used....  BTUs for the orifice is shown...


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## daveomak (May 15, 2022)




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## Nefarious (May 15, 2022)

daveomak said:


> The weight of the nail "should" hold the nails to seal off the gas flow....
> The pressure in gas systems runs from 4" to11" water column..   A low pressure regulator should be used....  BTUs for the orifice is shown...
> 
> 
> View attachment 631964


Thanks dave, i assume this chart is for the opening in the valve between the gas line and the burner assembly.  My smoker has a conversion to natural gas and they specify drilling with a #51 drill bit.  Assuming the conversion is for equal Btu then the current value of the burner is slightly lower then 13300 Btu.


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## Nefarious (May 15, 2022)

daveomak said:


> View attachment 631965
> View attachment 631968
> View attachment 631966
> 
> ...


Since my burner holes.are.on the side I will have to use screws to hold.them in as gravity will be working against me and the nails will just fall out.  Kinda like your top pic.

I have never seen a #0 or a #1 screw, so that will be the next quest.  If I don't find any would you recommend drilling the holes where i want screws to go to a size I can find a screw for.  I will go to Tacoma Screw tomorrow to look.I

I appreciate your assistance, thank you.


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## mike243 (May 15, 2022)

If the burner is sheet metal no drilling necessary if you size the screws properly, if a cast iron it would have to be threaded don't skip holes and then plug you need to keep the flames side by side , raw gas can cause issues if not burning


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## Nefarious (May 15, 2022)

mike243 said:


> If the burner is sheet metal no drilling necessary if you size the screws properly.


The current holes are less then 1/16", I suggested drilling if I couldn't find the screw that will fit.  Only the holes that will have screws would be drilled.



mike243 said:


> don't skip holes and then plug you need to keep the flames side by side , raw gas can cause issues if not burning


I was just looking at the screwed in picture from 

 daveomak
 and his has every other hole filled.  I don't think it matters from the heat perspective if I plug all of the holes in one place or if I skip one every so often.  Is there a problem with plugging one between a set of unplugged.  I could see a problem is a series of holes was blocked?


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## daveomak (May 15, 2022)

Look for even heat distribution....  AND....  continuous holes to facilitate all holes igniting during light-up..


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## mike243 (May 16, 2022)

I look for all the holes to light and not be skipped, im a old heat and ac guy and go with safety first


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## Nefarious (May 16, 2022)

mike243 said:


> I look for all the holes to light and not be skipped, im a old heat and ac guy and go with safety first


Well, it looks like I have to look into options as no one makes a #1 screw.  We have a place that only sells fasteners, Tacoma Screw, and the lowest they go is #4.  So, I will either have to drill the holes for a #4 or find something that has smaller screws. 

The holes are smaller then 1/16" and I'm afraid if the head of the screw is too big I won't be able to close consecutive holes.  Not sure I want to do that either.

Maybe I just need a burner with bigger holes.


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## daveomak (May 17, 2022)

Got a picture of your burner ???


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## Nefarious (May 17, 2022)

daveomak said:


> Got a picture of your burner ???


it's in the first post.  I'm on my tablet and the image is on my pc, I can add it later if it is needed.


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## mosparky (May 17, 2022)

you may have to resort to fleabay or amazon for #1 screws. If you know someone that works in manufacuring, maybe you could get them to add a box to their next fastener order.
You won't find them in hardware stores but they are used all the time. Watches, clocks, scopes, fishing reels ect.
Possibly try a gunsmithing supply like Numrich.


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## Nefarious (May 17, 2022)

Found 100 #1 x 5/16 at microfasteners.com for 3.50 amazing.


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## bill1 (May 18, 2022)

Nefarious said:


> Thanks dave, i assume this chart is for the opening in the valve between the gas line and the burner assembly...


Yes, that great chart of Dave's was for the *orifice*, not the holes in the burner.  If you're going down in BTU's, you plug the burner holes until you visually get nice blue flames from the existing holes as he showed.


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## Nefarious (May 23, 2022)

daveomak said:


> View attachment 631965
> View attachment 631968
> View attachment 631966
> 
> ...


My screws came in this morning and put in 7.  Three are 56 holes so that's 1/8th reduction.

Some screws were right fit where they stopped turning when all the way in, not too much pressure.  Some screws felt tight but would continue to turn when installed.  Do they need to have enough pressure where they stop turning?

I will not get to test it until tomorrow, I need some bolts to mount the burner.


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## bill1 (May 23, 2022)

If you shake it and they come loose, yeah you'll probably need to get the next size larger screw.  But if you just can't screw them snug, they'll probably still seal well enough.  
And once you apply gas, you'll little red and blue flames if they're truly too loose.  
The 3 screws visible in your posted picture look to me like they'll seal just fine.


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## DougE (May 23, 2022)

Nefarious said:


> Some screws felt tight but would continue to turn when installed. Do they need to have enough pressure where they stop turning?
> 
> I will not get to test it until tomorrow, I need some bolts to mount the burner.


Wait til you light that sucker up. If those screws that didn't tighten up enough don't have enough of a seal, you'll see some flame coming around the screws. I'm thinking you'll be fine since there isn't really much pressure there.


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## Nefarious (Aug 24, 2022)

Mitchell0429 said:


> I  replaced original hose an now I have 125F


If I turn the gas too low, the flame goes out.  I can get to 140 without having to worry.  Any lower I have to watch it too close.
My plan is to replace the nozzle and then close off a bunch of the holes in the burner.  It is my only smoker for the time being so I have to wait.


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## bill1 (Aug 24, 2022)

putting 3 pieces of cardboard around the legs in a way that deflects the breezes at your location may also help keep that fire going a bit more reliably.  

A few sheets of toilet paper work well at determining wind direction.


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## Nefarious (Aug 25, 2022)

Mitchell0429 said:


> The gas valve is fully open. Please see attached photos in the post. The second valve is doing the trick.


I have a needle valve before the burner valve and after the propane tank valve.  All of the valves except the needle valve are fully opened.  The needle valve controls everything.  At below 140° there is so little gas the flame at the holes in the burner is so small that it flickers on its own.  I prefer the strategy of closing off some of the burner holes so the flame is larger at the burner holes and I don't have to worry.  My plan is to be able to go down to 100°.


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## cmayna (Aug 25, 2022)

I also am running a needle valve and also like the idea of closing off some of the burner holes to increase the size of the remaining flames.


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## zwiller (Aug 25, 2022)

Get on FB Marketplace and grab a used MES.  Can be had CHEAP.


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## OldSmoke (Aug 25, 2022)

Nefarious said:


> My plan is to be able to go down to 100°.


With the current weather, you will need to refrigerate it to get it down to 100.


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## Nefarious (Aug 25, 2022)

OldSmoke said:


> With the current weather, you will need to refrigerate it to get it down to 100.


Ha ha, you are correct


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## Nefarious (Aug 25, 2022)

zwiller said:


> Get on FB Marketplace and grab a used MES.  Can be had CHEAP.


Why would I need a MES?


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## zwiller (Aug 26, 2022)

Excels at the low temps you want.


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## DougE (Aug 26, 2022)

Nefarious said:


> Why would I need a MES?


I think zwiller said that because the MES will run the lower temps you're trying to make the smoke vault run at.


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## DougE (Aug 26, 2022)

zwiller said:


> Excels at the low temps you want.


lol I was posting my reply at the same time you were.


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## indaswamp (Oct 14, 2022)

For a propane smoker, close off half the gas jets on the burner. This will roughly half the BTU's and you will get a lower temp. You can run a higher flame through half the jets which will give you better control to dial in the heat low.....


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## Nefarious (Oct 14, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> For a propane smoker, close off half the gas jets on the burner. This will roughly half the BTU's and you will get a lower temp. You can run a higher flame through half the jets which will give you better control to dial in the heat low.....


Thanks for your response, I haven't thought of this project for most of the summer.  I have been overwhelmed with landscape projects, haven't made time to even post any of the few cook projects i've done.

My thoughts on this project are that the orifice on the smoker burner regulates the gas into the burner.  If I close half the holes, which I intend to do, then for a specific valve opening the same amount of gas will be ignited and the temp will be the same.  The difference is, the flames will be higher.  To get a lower temp, I would have to reduce the amount of gas into the burner.

I did an experiment in early summer and at 150° I marked the dial for the valve and then turned the valve completely off.  There was less than  1/8 of a turn from 150° to off, not much control.

I figure I will give this a try, maybe in late November, when the landscape projects start to fade and the rain begins.  If I don't have the control I want I will then change to a smaller orifice.  

This is all just mental work, so I could easily be wrong/missing something.  

I do appreciate your interest in the project.  I can't wait to get back at it.  For now, back to the shed.


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## indaswamp (Oct 14, 2022)

Yes, changing the orifice would slow the gas flow down, but that is not what I wanted for my smokehouse. When I want more heat, I just pull the nails and run two rows of jets for boston butts and briskets...no problem getting up to 275-300*F then. But for low and slow micro fine control, one row works great!


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