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Only happening in an Off set Smoker-Help needed from the experts !!!

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    Only happening in an Off set Smoker-Help needed from the experts !!!

    Not sure if anyone has experienced this, in fact I personally haven't but have been asked to comment on the problem from afar.
    A very thin white dust has formed on the inside of a steel offset smoker ( its a budget line )and is relatively new but certainly used a few times . No Smoking medium was used. The briketts used were coconut shell with potatoe starch binder 2%. We know the binder would have disappeared to nothing so we dont feel thats the cause. The ash is light brown and definitely not bright white. There would have been minimal smoke from these briketts.The Fixed carbon is 76%. This is the briketts at the end of a long Low Temp cook, still pretty much intact and still giving off good heat.The problem with the same batch of briketts does not occur on BigBrand enamel ceramic lined smokers (PBC) nor have I seen it when Ive used the Briketts from the same batch on my Weber kettle.The dust has no smell in fact Im assuming it must surely have settled on the cooked foods without any reaction nor visible signs but as you can see from the picture it looks like a can of spray was appled to everywhere where the food wasnt. Im speculating that it may be a reaction to the metal responding to thermal heat in an odd way- but Im no metallurgist. I know certain chemicals are added into molten steel to give strength but thats about it . I also dont know what is used to clean the Grill inside but I expect knowing the users it is cleaned very regularly. I read somewhere some cleaning agents contain ammonia and this can remain invisible until it comes in to contact with heat-but this was an answer on a gas appliance forum. Another hint to this is the back right of the main chamber appears less white , almost with a cut off point so maybe if it is cleaning agent this was the last place cleaned and whatever used was then diluted.. That said the chimney exit is also the right side of the main chamber so smoke travels from R to L below and then circulates above from L to R exiting R through the chimney.The powder wipes off easily but its a job no one expects.It's talcum powder fine. So heres the pics I've been sent . If anyone has experienced this or has any hints as to cause id be happy to hear... Paul
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    #2
    Not even a clue! Strange problem.

    Comment


      #3
      WOW, that is ODD! I would have to say it has SOMETHING to do with the fuel source.

      Comment


        #4
        Has to be something in the charcoal, some type of ash.

        Comment


        • tbob4
          tbob4 commented
          Editing a comment
          Back to the problem of not being able to "like" a moderator's comment. This comment serves as a "like"

        • Huskee
          Huskee commented
          Editing a comment
          I tried to like a comment from fzxdoc yesterday and couldn't. Try refreshing, then liking. That worked for me. tbob4 ... I mean, not that you have to 'like' this, just for future reference

        • Steve R.
          Steve R. commented
          Editing a comment
          I hated the comment, so I didn't even notice a problem.

        #5
        I have never heard of coconut and corn starch brikettes. I bet that is the culprit somehow. try kingsford blue bag

        Comment


          #6
          That is freaky GreenBBQ I personally have never seen this before. I'm thinking the briquettes myself.
          I would also have to think hard about eating the food that came off that grill.
          I think we need some experts here. @Dr. Blonder would be the one to ask. I think??
          I also know @Dr. Blonder is not his name here.
          If someone can post his correct name. Thank you.

          Comment


          #7
          look at the pic of the firebox, it is pretty clear it is from the fuel.

          Comment


            #8
            I agree with the comments. When I light a chimney with newspaper sometimes white ash floats up and then the Kingsford ignites and the floating ash stops. I then use the charcoal to ignite my wood splits. The wood can render some creosote, but that builds over time and is very different. My guess is that there is some type of binder in the briquettes that is causing that. Like a newspaper, it could even be "loose" material in the binder. It looks like a dust/ash, not a chemical reaction from the photos. It will be something that needs to be identified and fixed. Even if it is not harmful in any way, if it is appearing on the BBQ it will appear on the cook. On a positive note, you can trace where the BBQ has leaks as it contrasts nicely with the paint.

            Comment


            • Steve B
              Steve B commented
              Editing a comment
              Interesting point tbob4 at the second half of your post. About finding leaks. Good observation

            #9
            The quickest test would be to simply switch fuel, do another run and then you'll know for sure whether the briquettes are the culprit or not.

            Comment


              #10
              I would definitely change the fuel source.

              Comment


                #11
                I'd do a line and see what it does... Oh sorry, 80's flash back right there.


                That's a new one on me. I'm thinking potato starch Heck IDK. I am looking forward to hearing what happens.

                Are you using Coshell brick?

                Comment


                • texastweeter
                  texastweeter commented
                  Editing a comment
                  almost spit whiskey all over my keyboard...of course after having flashbacks of my own.

                #12
                Have we ruled out magic pixie dust from the BBQ Fairy?

                Comment


                  #13
                  Not likely a metal reaction- the white ash coats metal screws and the grate as evenly as the steel smoker. Could be from one of three sources- sometimes in a bag of lump there is an interloper. I've seen hunks of metal, an RS232 connector and bones. That interloper may have given off the white ash. There is also a possibility the smoker manufacturer applied an anti-rust coating to the steel that vaporized. In either case, I'd clean out and scrub and try with regular charcoal briquettes and see if the ash reappears.

                  Less likely but possible are combustion conditions that starve the fuel for oxygen and drove the fire to smolder. Try fewer lump pieces in a tight pile close to the inlet vent and see if the ash disappears. This arrangement should increase the oxygen/fuel ratio.

                  BTW, what color was the smoke from the chimney?

                  Good luck!

                  Comment


                    #14
                    Reminds me of the fire suppressant systems used in commercial kitchens that disperse baking soda. I once moonlighted at a recreation centre that had one. The Lions had a crab feed every year to raise funds. One of them wanted to turn on the lights and for some odd reason thought the knob you pulled to activate the system turned on the lights. Covered everything with a fine, white dust. Worse, it shuts of the gas to the stove and it can't be turned back on until a technician comes out to reset it. Bear in mind this was a Saturday night and they needed to boil water to cook the pasta they serve first, presumably to get the hungry mob half satiated before serving the crab. It took us a couple of hours to get a response, so they served the crab first, which ran out causing chagrin. When they brought out the pasta hardly anyone would touch it. Between the service call and the extra charge to clean the kitchen (wiping and moping did nothing, we had to hose it down) I believe they just about broke even.

                    Comment


                      #15
                      Thanks everyone for the input. Im stll halfway around the world from where the situation occured but will be back there at the weekend. The food was definitely not tainted , in fact I am quite sure the metal container in which it was cooked did not pick up the dust- a further hint to a cleaning agent. I will get to see it first hand and will get some analysis done on the dust.....that should determine its origin. Smoke colour I have not been told but pictures I have from previous smokes on the same grill/same coals show smoke to be normal ie coming only from whatever wood was placed on the coals...in this case there was no wood used so I would expect no smoke , certainly not enough to cause this or go unnoticed through the grillphase via the chimney, from coconut shell briketts. I would think to deposit this much through smoke there would have to be a lot of white smoke , somewhat bellowing out of the chimney , this has not been reported.
                      docblonder What puzzles me further is the almost unaffected area at the back of the main chamber. On the lid above it is intense white so if it is air or smokeborne it travelled along this way towards the chimney outlet..yet there seems to be a cut off point where whatever the white is did not affix....What we will do is replicate the process using coals from the same batch and using 2 differant Grills , that should narrow down what to look for.Regardless I'll get the dust analysed. Ill report the results up here.....Again thanks for the input...

                      Comment


                      • tbob4
                        tbob4 commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Thanks for the question. I do not see the vent on the BBQ. What side is it on?

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