First cook - Emergency Poppet Question!

[Sid P]

The poppet is open when the lever is pulled out, right? The manual only refers to open & closed. I’m doing a hot & fast pork butt (285), and I have the bottom poppet pulled all the way out. Does that sound like enough smoke?

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Only thing I ever knew about poppets was from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Sorry, no help, I know, but someone who knows the KBQ will surely be along shortly. Good luck!

[ComfortablyNumb]

Yes. You can see the poppet by looking inside the firebox. Adding wood can push a closed poppet open, so be mindful when adding wood. Some will use a binder clip on the 'lever' to keep it in a closed or open position.

[Sid P]

Thanks Floyd fan 👍. I could see pretty much see the top one, but the bottom was obscured by wood. Is "The Wall" your favorite Floyd album?

[ComfortablyNumb]

Sid P That's the 'dirty' smoke one, so it is the one that matters. Usually you run a KBQ with the bottom one open and the top closed. As long as you don't bump the bottom poppet stem you need not worry on it.

Floyd? The Wall? I have no idea what you are talking about.

[Sid P]

Well it’s a heck of a coincidence.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Are you sure the bottom one wasn’t obscured by clouds?

All PF albums are my favourite!

[Sid P]

👍. My favorite band by far.

[Dr. Pepper]

What James (ComfortablyNumb) said, re: poppets. Both upper and lower poppets work the same. When the poppet is pulled away from the fire box it opens the inlet for smoke to be pulled from the firebox down into the channel which leads to the food chamber. You can always confirm this by simply looking at the upper poppet as an indicator of how it works.

RE: Pink Floyd, and The Wall, this is what Sid P is referring to:

[Dr. Pepper]

But you knew that! (I didn't, had to look up the reference 😬)

[ComfortablyNumb]

Right song, wrong album cover.

[frigate]

Pictures, if doesn't happen without pictures.

[Sid P]

Like someone once said: It will never be this clean again.

8# pork butt 4 hours in. I’m using hickory.

[Sid P]

Man, this thing is running great. Add a split every 25 minutes, add two every 3rd or 4th time, keep the coals evenly distributed, and it hasn’t budged from 270-305 all morning.

I also like the copper color it’s taking on.

[Dr. Pepper]

I tell Siri on my watch to set timer for 25 m, and each time it goes off I let it irritate me until I’ve reloaded the firebox, then I press reset on my watch.
Rinse, repeat …..

[Sid P]

Dr. Pepper Yep, that’s what I’m doing.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I'm glad you like the new colour. Get used to it!

[Sid P]

The finished product. It took 8:15 running at an average of 280. It’s resting while I shower away the smoke.

[tbob4]

I don’t have a KBQ - almost ran to Sac to buy one from a member of the pit posted here. I knew my wife would make me get rid of one of my other cookers. I love the photos you all post. Phenomenal.