Anyone Use a Fan Control on the PBC?

[JeffJ]

I recently recommended the PBC to an acquaintance and he purchased a fan controller. I told him that if he's going to use it he shouldn't use any wood. The reasoning is that using Kathryn's lighting method temps will get up over 360 when it comes time to hang the meat. Then with the rebars in and the cold meat hung, temps will work down to around 270. My concern is that the fan will attempt to bring temps down rapidly by choking the fire which will result in the wood giving up bad smoke.

Any advice is much appreciated as I want him to enjoy his new toy.

[Troutman]

I'm not a PBC guy so don't know but I think someone posted something about it recently. I know you can put a fan on the intake of a UDS and it works great. Let's face it, if you can hook one up to about any cooker it helps !!!

[Rfuilrez]

When you use a fan controller, generally speaking you should be lighting it differently. Light a very small hot fire and let the controller stoke the fire to bring it up to temperature. As opposed to over shooting and bringing it down.

I have a HeaterMeter on my PBC. I don’t use a fan. Found that the damper control alone was enough to get me very good temperature control. Not that the fan didn’t work, I just felt I didn’t need it with the capability of the HeaterMeter setup.

[JimLinebarger]

I use the BBQGuru PartyQ with the XL grill dome adapter. Simple install by placing the bottom part of the adapter in the bottom seam and just use the existing screw hole to secure it. No modification of the barrel needed.

[Polarbear777]

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/pit-barrel-cooker/457459-pbc-calibration-tests

[gdsim1]

I’ve done a few PBC cooks with a fan now, and I agree with JimLinebarger above that you gotta start lower and bring the temp UP, instead of starting with a blaze and bringing it DOWN. I use a slightly different technique though, based on PBC’s lighting instructions.

I start by filling the PBC’s coal basket to the rim as normal, then pull 25 or 30 briquettes out and throwing them in a chimney starter to light. Once they stop smoking, I dump them back into the coal basket and into the barrel they go. Wood gets dropped into the basket, rebates go in, meat is hung (with temp probes of course), lid goes on and cook has begun.

Throttle the fan back to max 50% output if you have that option to avoid overshooting your target temp, and it should come up to where it needs to be - with no trouble with the wood or smoke.

Oh, and tell your buddy he owes you meat from the cook for running this info down for him! 😃🙌

[Polarbear777]

Agree. I drop a small chimneys worth of lit coals into the basket on top of coals and wood, then load, lid on, walk away. The fan can then drive it to 200 or 350 without much trouble.

If low and slow I may check it in 4 hours, sometimes not that early.

[Marcos]

I like my fan because I still have to set a good fire. I light 12 coals, let them burn after added for a few minutes, and when it gets around 225 I turn on the pit viper, Perfect 225 for hours, and I love it. I am using a fireboard with their fan cable attached to a pit viper.

[mountainsmoker]

When using the Pit Viper they recommend using it to bring the temp up to what you want. I start mine as soon as I add my hot coals and reach temp in 15 min. or so. Put your wood around a couple of places, one where it will ignite right away and one where it will start smoking after the first one has gone out. Two pieces should be enough depending on their size. If not enough wood smoke add more next time but do not have more than one chunk smoking at one time. The PBC is a small smoker with a relative large capacity. The Pit Viper and controller will take into account the leaks from the rebar.

Good luck and while this worked for me you may want to try different methods.