Fan Port w/o Fan

[jhapka]

Does the PBC perform identically with the fan port installed with no fan inserted as when it is unmodified and set per elevation?

Also, anybody feel like the PBC loses its juju when using a thermostatic controller? The food is good but I feel like it’s missing that PBC magic. Might be in my head.

[BFlynn]

It depends on what your elevation setting is, but it should be pretty close.

When I installed my adapter, I measured the opening of the port to be almost exactly the same area as the opening, when set for sea level ish.

[jfmorris]

jhapka Since a lot of the "PBC magic" is the higher cooking temperatures it reaches, with fat dripping and vaporizing on hot charcoal, I do think running it at 225 or 250 with a fan controller is going to lose some of the magic you see with the PBC just "doing its thing". You will have results closer to a UDS or other vertical smoker running at 225, without a water pan or deflector.

[JimLinebarger]

+1 I don't run less than 250. Afraid it might produce bad smoke. But I run 225 in the kettle so not sure my reasoning is sound.

[jhapka]

I noticed this on some chickens that I did at 350. Like I said might be in my head

[Thomassen]

I've been thinking of doing a rib cook without using my fan for comparison. I'm at sea level. Using the fan is convenient though. My last cook on Sunday was 3 racks of baby backs cooked 3 3/4 hour at 275. The food was good but not as smokey as before (I think).