I'd like to replace my aging Meco 5030-31 Charcoal smoker, if feasible with
a gas smoker. I'd like to find a gas smoker that would hold at 225F, and go
to 300F if the need arises. I had a Smoky Mountain Gas Smoker, that wouldn't
go that low. When you read messages in the Yahoo smokeymountain · Smoky
Mountain Gas Smoker group, that problem is omnipresent, and probably a
problem of its design. That was confirmed yesterday when I spoke with a
customer service rep. at another company, the Smoker Company, about their
34" gas smoker.
http://www.thesmokercompany.com/item...6gc-detail.htm
It has a 13,000 BTU burner, which, when turned down to its lowest setting
won't bring the temp. as low as 225F. Other than that it looks like a very
nice smoker. Unfortunately it's not currently marketed and you can't see it
before you buy it.

Do any know of a product, or have a solution? A flow limited of the gas
supply between the propane tank and the unit has been suggested and is used
by some. It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a 13,000 BTU burner
increases the chance that the flame goes out, leaving freon in the
surrounding air, and a theoretical risk of fire.

Thanks,

Ed

Theron wrote:

> I'd like to replace my aging Meco 5030-31 Charcoal smoker, if feasible with
> a gas smoker. I'd like to find a gas smoker that would hold at 225F, and go
> to 300F if the need arises. I had a Smoky Mountain Gas Smoker, that wouldn't
> go that low. When you read messages in the Yahoo smokeymountain · Smoky
> Mountain Gas Smoker group, that problem is omnipresent, and probably a
> problem of its design. That was confirmed yesterday when I spoke with a
> customer service rep. at another company, the Smoker Company, about their
> 34" gas smoker.
> http://www.thesmokercompany.com/item...6gc-detail.htm
> It has a 13,000 BTU burner, which, when turned down to its lowest setting
> won't bring the temp. as low as 225F. Other than that it looks like a very
> nice smoker. Unfortunately it's not currently marketed and you can't see it
> before you buy it.
>
> Do any know of a product, or have a solution? A flow limited of the gas
> supply between the propane tank and the unit has been suggested and is used
> by some. It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a 13,000 BTU burner
> increases the chance that the flame goes out, leaving freon in the
> surrounding air, and a theoretical risk of fire.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ed


Ed,

You had a Great Outdoors Smokey Mountain Gas unit that wouldn't
go below 225 F reliably? This is the unit, right?

<http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/3342508/reviews.htm>

The lowest I could get it to go to was in the 180 F range.
If I wanted to fiddle with it I could get it to go lower.
This is in the heat of the summer.

Also, have you considered electric instead of gas? The electric
units provide a whole new set of convenience features.


--
Reg

"Theron" > wrote in message
...
> > by some. It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a 13,000 BTU
> > burner
> increases the chance that the flame goes out, leaving freon in the
> surrounding air, and a theoretical risk of fire.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ed
>
>

How in the hell did you get freon in the line in the first place????????????

You're dumber than a post, kent.

Theron wrote:
> It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a
> 13,000 BTU burner increases the chance that the flame goes out,
> leaving freon in the surrounding air, ...

No problem. Just use 'food grade' freon.

--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:41:48 -0700, Dave Bugg wrote:

> Theron wrote:
>> It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a
>> 13,000 BTU burner increases the chance that the flame goes out,
>> leaving freon in the surrounding air, ...
>
> No problem. Just use 'food grade' freon.

"Food Grade" was Mark Thorson's shtick, IIRC.

But he does have a point. If you mix freon with natural gas you're
bound to get a lower temp, right? Especially in your garage!

-sw

"Theron" > wrote in message
...
> I'd like to replace my aging Meco 5030-31 Charcoal smoker, if feasible
> with a gas smoker. I'd like to find a gas smoker that would hold at 225F,
> and go to 300F if the need arises. I had a Smoky Mountain Gas Smoker, that
> wouldn't go that low. When you read messages in the Yahoo smokeymountain ·
> Smoky Mountain Gas Smoker group, that problem is omnipresent, and probably
> a problem of its design. That was confirmed yesterday when I spoke with a
> customer service rep. at another company, the Smoker Company, about their
> 34" gas smoker.
> http://www.thesmokercompany.com/item...6gc-detail.htm
> It has a 13,000 BTU burner, which, when turned down to its lowest setting
> won't bring the temp. as low as 225F. Other than that it looks like a
> very nice smoker. Unfortunately it's not currently marketed and you can't
> see it before you buy it.
>
> Do any know of a product, or have a solution?

This is about the same thing for 60 bucks less.

I smoke everything at 250 to 275. I don't know if I can get down to 225 or
not and I don't care. Couple of weeks ago I did a 14# turkey at 350 and it
was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this performs and
yes, I'd buy another one tomorrow with no hesitation.

As for bang for the buck, this is pretty hard to beat. With "ship to
store" you save a bunch on shipping cost.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct+Information

Sqwertz > wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:41:48 -0700, Dave Bugg wrote:
> > Theron wrote:
> >> It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a
> >> 13,000 BTU burner increases the chance that the flame goes out,
> >> leaving freon in the surrounding air, ...
> >
> > No problem. Just use 'food grade' freon.
>
> "Food Grade" was Mark Thorson's shtick, IIRC.
>
> But he does have a point. If you mix freon with natural gas you're
> bound to get a lower temp, right? Especially in your garage!

2% Freon mixed with 98% Hydrogen burns at 1350 F. Pizza oven?

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061

"Nick Cramer" > wrote in message
...
> Sqwertz > wrote:

>>
>> But he does have a point. If you mix freon with natural gas
>> you're
>> bound to get a lower temp, right? Especially in your garage!
>
> 2% Freon mixed with 98% Hydrogen burns at 1350 F. Pizza oven?

I was under the impression that burning Freon produced a poisonous
gas. IMHO, if you want to reduce the BTU output of a grill, just
turn the burner down as low as it'll go. If that's not enough,
then measure the venturi, peen it closed and rebore with a smaller
bit.

--
Nonny

Government is the great fiction
through which everybody endeavors
to live at the expense of everybody else.

"Nonny" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Nick Cramer" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>
>>>
>>> But he does have a point. If you mix freon with natural gas you're
>>> bound to get a lower temp, right? Especially in your garage!
>>
>> 2% Freon mixed with 98% Hydrogen burns at 1350 F. Pizza oven?
>
> I was under the impression that burning Freon produced a poisonous gas.
> IMHO, if you want to reduce the BTU output of a grill, just turn the
> burner down as low as it'll go. If that's not enough, then measure the
> venturi, peen it closed and rebore with a smaller bit.
>
> --
> Nonny
>
>
I think if you can find a burner with a lower BTU output, and therefore a
lower low temp max and a lower high temp max in the same sized box you'd
accomplish the same thing. What you don't want to do is to reduce the flow
in a way that increases the chances that the flame will go out, and the gas
will continue to flow.

Ed, constantly struggling with synapseal dysfunction






The freon was in error. I meant propane, or methane if you're using natural
gas.

On 17 Sep 2009 06:13:54 GMT, Nick Cramer wrote:

> Sqwertz > wrote:
>> On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:41:48 -0700, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>> Theron wrote:
>>>> It's risky. Lowering the gas flow that low in a
>>>> 13,000 BTU burner increases the chance that the flame goes out,
>>>> leaving freon in the surrounding air, ...
>>>
>>> No problem. Just use 'food grade' freon.
>>
>> "Food Grade" was Mark Thorson's shtick, IIRC.
>>
>> But he does have a point. If you mix freon with natural gas you're
>> bound to get a lower temp, right? Especially in your garage!
>
> 2% Freon mixed with 98% Hydrogen burns at 1350 F. Pizza oven?

I don't think you can even buy actual Freon any more. At least not
easily.

-sw

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:53:31 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> As for bang for the buck, this is pretty hard to beat. With "ship to
> store" you save a bunch on shipping cost.
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct+Information

I like that part "Age Range: 0+".

Even Kent could use it!

-sw