Simple Airflow / Heat Control Mod.

[7over]

I finally got fed up with 'cracking the lid' to raise or lower the pit temp in the PBC. I had thought about trying to make a three hole vent system similar to what's on a Weber Kettle but I didn't want to go to that much trouble. I also wanted an easier way to measure pit temp than snaking the probe through a rebar hole, (which I usually remembered after I had everything hung)
The easiest thing I could come up with is what I call the Simple Airflow / Heat Control "system". Using this, I can very easily control the amount of oxygen getting in the PBC, which gives me a very easy way to get exactly the heat I want. Plus I now have a perfect opening for the pit temp probe. It's so simple, I can't believe I cooked on the PBC for a year before I made this mod.

Enough of that. There are 3 holes, 1/2 inch diameter. The wood damper is a slice of plum (very critical)

[jecucolo]

I like the simplicity. I would quickly loose the wood. Do you have porcelain finish?

[7over]

No porcelain finish. This is one of the original Pit Barrel's from back when he was doing powder coat. I've been using the same piece of wood for a year and have not lost it yet! But the reality is that it makes no matter what I use for the hole covering.

[Mr. Bones]

Very cool, an' practical, amigo!
Do ya' soak th' Plum, or is it okay dry?
Green, or seasoned?
Reminds me, I need to put a new drone string on my banjo, this weekend...
Smoke on, brother!

[7over]

The lid does not get hot enough for the condition of the wood to matter at all. It's as dry as dry can be. It could probably be done with a few pieces of paper too. Or a few nickels or a slice of potato!

[RobertC]

That's in the lid? And one hole is typically reserved for the thermometer probe? How much temperature variation do you get if one, both, or zero holes are covered?

[7over]

Great question Robert! I can vary the temp by 20 to 30 degrees per hole. They are big enough that partially covering a hole with an edge of the wood allows fairly fine temp control... as little as 5 degrees!

[DWCowles]

Nice mod. Wouldn’t a magnet work better than the wood?

[Huskee]

Be kinda hot to move it if you had to. Probably seal better though

[DWCowles]

That’s why they made heat resistance gloves. 😜

[7over]

A magnet sticks too much for easy moving. It's not that it gets too hot, it's just too sticky. I have found the circle of wood to be ideal for my purposes. A magnet would also need to be covered so that it would not scratch the paint. (that is not a particular issue for my old PBC, but a new one....?)

[Spinaker]

Pretty sure Jerod Broussard has done this on his PBC. Only he installed a daisy wheel.

[7over]

He did indeed. I just didn't want to go to that much work!

[Mudkat]

Nothing like simply solving your own pet peeves and/or problems. Good work!

[Jerod Broussard]

Gotta love controlled airflow up top on the PBC!

[7over]

Makes PBC Smokin' sooo much easier. No 'crackin' the lid' ever again!

[kmhfive]

Beautifully simple.

[PappyBBQ]

Gotta say I admire your simple and practical approach!

[7over]

Simple and Practical. That'd be me!