# Automatic propane set up for a smoker



## indaswamp (May 1, 2017)

Hello SMF. My new smoker is 36 cu.ft. interior space. My build thread is here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ardie-board-outhouse-smoker-build-pics-addded

I initially though I would need a 30,000BTU burner for the heat source, but after using it 8~10 times, I realize I will not need that many BTU's. Keep in mind, I live in south louisiana and we rarely get below 40* for daytime highs-even in winter. When I smoked a recent batch of suasage, I had to keep the flame as low as it could go and not blow out....1/4" tall flame. Even still, I had to crack the smoke chamber door 3" and the fire door about 7" just to get the heat down to 120*. Now this was on a high humidity day with ambient temp. of 84*. I should not have issues when the temps. are down in the 40's. I have thought about maybe cutting a circle of steel plate to place over the interior ring of gas holes on the burner, this would effectively halve the BTU's and I could run a taller flame on half the holes theoretically. I have not tried it yet, and wonder how this would affect the venturi air flow mixture. Might have to restrict the neck size o the burner down because of the fewer holes.

I see that both Sausagemaker and Tejas smokers have auto set-ups. I have the ability to construct it myself and only use these as a guide.

Maybe I'm overthinking this. With the cycling of the burner from the auto, will that be enough to moderate the internal cook temp.

Any input is appreciated.

Oh- also...

Tejas smokers makes burners in which the venturi is seperate from the burner. This allows the venturi to be removed from inside the smoke house and installed on the outside where it can pull in fresh clean air. The venturi and burner are both threaded NPT and can be assembled with standard black pipe. I am looking at one of these as well, or modifying one I already have to put the venturi outside the smokehouse.


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## bigstix (May 1, 2017)

So I just lit my newly built smoker this weekend myself, and had high temps as well. I don't know if this option is suitable for you, as a smaller burner would probably suffice. However what I am pricing, and my intent, is to attach a high temp rated inline fan to the burn box, with a digital temp sensor near the cook surface. So that at X degrees above desired set point will engage fan and pull heat out instead of sending it up to the meat. More complicated then probably required, but that's what I do.













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__ bigstix
__ May 1, 2017


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## indaswamp (May 1, 2017)

Thanks for the input, I'd like to set it up without a fan if I can. Nice smoker.


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## dirtsailor2003 (May 1, 2017)

There's a great thread here that I'll have to look for with a homebuilt PID controller, and all the safety plumbing etc needed to make a propane smoker be set and forget.


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## dirtsailor2003 (May 1, 2017)

Here's one but not the one I was thinking of

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/156786/digital-temp-and-propane-conversion


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## indaswamp (May 1, 2017)

Thanks for posting the links. If you find the one you are thinking of, please do post it up. I'll use the search function to see what I can find.


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## pete mazz (May 2, 2017)

I installed an electric element in my gasser for cold smoking. I use it with a PID but it has it's own crude thermostat.













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__ pete mazz
__ May 2, 2017


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## indaswamp (May 4, 2017)

Surfing youtube and found this:



And this:


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## indaswamp (May 4, 2017)

I found this too:


> If you have a low pressure burner, for example, that is rated at 40,000 btu/hr maximum output then you can run that burner at full blast for 10.8 hours: (20# x 21,591btu/# = 431,820 btu is the gas in a 20# tank, 431,820 btu ÷ 40,000 btu/hr = 10.8 hrs) .


20# tank is the standard 5 gallon tank.

So with me running 8~10,000 BTU's/hr. in my smoker, that gives me roughly 44 hours of fuel.


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