I'm trying a smoke stack MOD to encourage better convection (DEBUNKED)

[Olds442]

This is interesting... I used to do air flow calculations for boilers and like to mess around with this stuff...
Puertex

i would think that an exhaust approx 5-6" away from the actual exit would be better. It would improve air circulation all around the food, though you would lose some upper cooking space. also, a lower drip plate would also increase internal air flow a bit around the cooking surface.

but of course i could be wrong. i'm not an expert, just a part time pro enthusiast.

 

[Puertex]

i would think that an exhaust approx 5-6" away from the actual exit would be better. It would improve air circulation all around the food, though you would lose some upper cooking space. also, a lower drip plate would also increase internal air flow a bit around the cooking surface.

but of course i could be wrong. i'm not an expert, just a part time pro enthusiast.

Maybe towards the top middle of the cooking surface...

Puertex

 

[Slimpicker]

MOD may have failed, first LONG cook showed roller coaster temps, last 30 minutes I took out the MOD and temps leveled.
This MOD is "debunked"

 

[Slimpicker]

VERIFIED, this MOD interfered with temp control, I've had nothing but level stable temps since removing this.

 

[YYCRed]

VERIFIED, this MOD interfered with temp control, I've had nothing but level stable temps since removing this.

Thanks for taking one for the team, Slim.

 

[Puertex]

MOD may have failed, first LONG cook showed roller coaster temps, last 30 minutes I took out the MOD and temps leveled.
This MOD is "debunked"

I think the best way to improve temps on the Pro line (and similar designs with a fan in the middle and a stack on the side) is to evenly distribute the "return" air along the top of the smoker.
If one day I happen into some stainless sheet metal, I prolly will try it just for the fun of it.
I would fab a duct of a diameter larger than the stack to ensure no additional pressure drop. About 4 inches diam.
This duct will run left to right over the inner top of the 780 and connect to the existing exit opening. The other side plugged.
The design involves 4 adjustable slots at the bottom of the duct right over the cooking area, 2 on left and 2 on right with a slide vane on each capable of opening or closing each slot for adjustment. After air flow adjustment is made the overall opening area (all slots) needs to be larger than 9.6 inches square.
The idea is to ensure that whatever mod done you don't increase the overall air pressure drop from the fan outlet to the exit point and to do this the cross sectional area of the openings has to be larger than the area of the existing exit opening.
When this is done, then the airflow will be nicely upwards towards the slots and directed towards the outlet stack.
What do you all think?

 

[Slimpicker]

What do you all think?

All I did was add that small piece that stuck into the grill 3 " and temp function went from this:

to this:

So if this Traeger is that sensitive then don't waste your time or money

 

[Jnutt]

Well, not sure I'm gonna notice results as an outside observer, but if Ironwoods and Timberlines can exit their heat and smoke out the bottom, I have NO PROBLEM baffling some of that bung hole stack that makes everything of "smoke" value go right out the grill. I've had my "hood" turned down to flush with the stack since day 3 of owning this thing... I've seen NO negative affects from that.

I'll keep this updated

I used a 3” aluminum dryer vent elbow in the exhaust port and pointed in down towards the grate . A small piece of automotive header insulation wrap was used to compensate for the size difference in the exhaust outlet