Winter versus summer

[caper_6]

Does anyone have some advice for using smoke tubes in the COLD? I'm in Canada but even when it's above freezing I cannot get a smoke to tube to stay lit long enough to close the lid.
I"ve tried EVERYTHING. I've lit it with a torch, let it burn outside for 5 mins, stood it up, laid it down, laid on the 30 deg angle and even put it over the back of the grate over the heat and circulation.
Never Lasts.... frustrating... all I get is STINKY from the smoke before it goes in. lol
I have to light it every 5 mins and by doing this I can't keep my temp up to make it worth it.
I have tried pellets (traeger and Lumberjack) and I've tried true north wood chips. Both with the same results.
I'm looking at purchasing a Smokai but I can't help but think that this will have the same bad results in the cold. ANYONE KNOW???
I also can't find out how you put a smokai out? No one mentions it on their site. I've asked and they skip over a direct answer.
Anyone?

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Does anyone have some advice for using smoke tubes in the COLD? I'm in Canada but even when it's above freezing I cannot get a smoke to tube to stay lit long enough to close the lid.

I'm in Northern Ohio where it gets quite cold, but may not be as cold as many places in Canada. So this may not work for you.

What I do when it is cold is to first fire up the Traeger and let it come to the set temp. Then I fill up the smoke tube and let it sit unlit inside the Traeger for about half hour so that it gets warmed up. I then light it and place it back in the Traeger. This has worked every time I tried in cold weather.

 

[Shedd]

I can’t imagine how cold has anything to do with lightning and keeping a smoke tube burning. If the pellets, wood chips, chunks are dry and you have a tube with holes all over for air flow, it can only burn. Cold or not as long as it’s lit correctly. I smoked a Turkey on my egg at Thanksgiving because it was too cold for my controller to work on my 780, it was 11 degrees. My egg was freezing cold, the lump was in it several days before was also freezing cold, but it burned without a hitch. I never used smoke tubes until I got my 780 and didn’t know anything about them. I put a few pellets, chips, pellets, chunks, pellets, etc. packed tight, tamped it on a solid surface to tighten it all up. I don’t use a torch I use a B&B electric charcoal starter, it has a fan and it lights the tubes down deep. I also had an old large smoke box that only had holes in the lid but I drilled holes on all sides for airflow, it burns for about 5 hours. I’ve never had any issue with them going out. Hopefully you’ll figure out why it’s not burning.

 

[caper_6]

I have no idea either, sounds strange but I've tried it several times now and it WILL NOT WORK for me.
My smoker and pellets are in a heated garage as well. Warm enough to keep the frost out for the winter anyway. Maybe it's the way the cold air gets drawn into the big door?
I did a cold smoke with cheese in the summer and it went better,, only lit it twice and the smoke was everywhere. So i can only assume that the cold is playing havoc with it. Or the grill being lit ruins the airflow.
I'm going to try MidwestSmoker's idea,, maybe preheating the pellets will take out the rest of the dampness.

 

[Shedd]

I have no idea either, sounds strange but I've tried it several times now and it WILL NOT WORK for me.
My smoker and pellets are in a heated garage as well. Warm enough to keep the frost out for the winter anyway. Maybe it's the way the cold air gets drawn into the big door?
I did a cold smoke with cheese in the summer and it went better,, only lit it twice and the smoke was everywhere. So i can only assume that the cold is playing havoc with it. Or the grill being lit ruins the airflow.
I'm going to try MidwestSmoker's idea,, maybe preheating the pellets will take out the rest of the dampness.

Do you light the tube with it sitting inside the grill? I’ve never tried that, I sit mine standing straight up on the shelf for my Blackstone griddle until it’s got the pellets and chips on the top section burning really good, I let the flame burn until it goes out. I grab the tube by hand at the bottom and carry and gently lay it on its side inside my grill. I have a Maze extend tube.

 

[caper_6]

Yes, I've lit it outside when it was mild out, lit it inside on the garage floor and when I put it in the smoker I've laid it down and stood it up. I've even lit it after it's gone out while still in the smoker. That loses too much temp though when i do that. Always wind up taking it out after a half hour of trying it out though.
I've even tried them in the microwave for 2 mins beforehand and that didn't work.
So I'm hesitant to spend more money on one of the smokai things but they look like they may solve my issues.
Does anyone have one that can chime in??

 

[Shedd]

Yes, I've lit it outside when it was mild out, lit it inside on the garage floor and when I put it in the smoker I've laid it down and stood it up. I've even lit it after it's gone out while still in the smoker. That loses too much temp though when i do that. Always wind up taking it out after a half hour of trying it out though.
I've even tried them in the microwave for 2 mins beforehand and that didn't work.
So I'm hesitant to spend more money on one of the smokai things but they look like they may solve my issues.
Does anyone have one that can chime in??

I just can’t help but wonder why or what is happening with keeping your smoke tube burning. It can’t be the cold weather because people have relied on burning wood for centuries. I’ve got a friend in Alaska and he has mentioned it gets -50 or more and he uses wood as a auxiliary heat source because heat pumps, oil and gas don’t work well at those coldest temps. I’m going to pick his brain to see what if any difference the cold would affect that I don’t or wouldn’t know. I think once you get it figured out you’ll see you won’t need to go the other route. You’ll get better smoke from the tubes. In the attached picture is the smoke tube and smoke box I use without a hitch every single time and they both will burn longer than the meat will absorb smoke.

 

[caper_6]

Mine tubes are similar. I never thought of taking a pic but I'm off to bed.. working in the am.
I'll get a couple pics of my tubes tomorrow evening after work and post them here. I have 2 tubes, well 3, I cut one in half so I could have one on each side. I've even drilled out bigger holes in the sides, at intervals in one, to make it easier to RELIGHT lol.

 

[Slimpicker]

Do you light the tube with it sitting inside the grill? I’ve never tried that, I sit mine standing straight up on the shelf for my Blackstone griddle until it’s got the pellets and chips on the top section burning really good, I let the flame burn until it goes out. I grab the tube by hand at the bottom and carry and gently lay it on its side inside my grill. I have a Maze extend tube.

My too Doug

 

[caper_6]

I am Jealous .. mine is almost the same as that only it keeps going out after I close the lid for some reason. Not so bad when the grill is off but when it's on,, relight after relight.
These are my tubes,, the same for the most part. Notice the drilled larger holes so it's easier to light while on the fly and the box is new to me.. vermont castings. Tried it once and no better.

 

[Shedd]

I am Jealous .. mine is almost the same as that only it keeps going out after I close the lid for some reason. Not so bad when the grill is off but when it's on,, relight after relight.
These are my tubes,, the same for the most part. Notice the drilled larger holes so it's easier to light while on the fly and the box is new to me.. vermont castings. Tried it once and no better.

Going by the picture it appears (my opinion) the holes are too small and not near enough. When filled they disrupt the airflow. Some smoke tubes on the market are made for gas or charcoal grills, they burn the wood chips and requires no lighting. I would (for a test) drill many more holes in one of the tubes or buy one like in my previous picture, I got it at Lowe’s for like $25. They will say they are for use in pellet smokers. I have an older (also in picture) smoke box that was for gas or charcoal grills. I drilled many many holes because like the smoke box in your picture, it only had hole in the lid. Yo have to have them completely around and on closed ends or you will not get the needed airflow. I’m positive that you will not have any issues again. I light mine really good until it’s flaming five or more inch flames. Then I let it burn a good 8-10 minutes and the flame goes out but it’s pouring smoke. Sometimes I have to blow it out especially if I don’t have as many pellets mixed in. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

 

[Slimpicker]

Going by the picture it appears (my opinion) the holes are too small and not near enough.

I have to agree and was going to be my first comment also

 

[caper_6]

Sorry, posted this earlier but I guess it didn't go. So it's a repost:

I think you're onto something there. I had them for my bbq before my smoker days,, never really noticed that there was another type.
But yours is more holes then surface and mine is opposite.
I'll order one ASAP
Did you say you use ONLY PELLETS most of the time?
Do you think I need 2? While I'm ordering?
ONE MORE:::
Are the tubes better than the Maze? I saw that a couple days ago,,, Or maybe one of each?

 

[Shedd]

Sorry, posted this earlier but I guess it didn't go. So it's a repost:

I think you're onto something there. I had them for my bbq before my smoker days,, never really noticed that there was another type.
But yours is more holes then surface and mine is opposite.
I'll order one ASAP
Did you say you use ONLY PELLETS most of the time?
Do you think I need 2? While I'm ordering?
ONE MORE:::
Are the tubes better than the Maze? I saw that a couple days ago,,, Or maybe one of each?

I use only a handful of pellets. I put a few pellets then wood chip then a wood chunk then a few pellets then chip chunks etc. I use more chips and chunks than pellets. But the pellets help keep it all burning, at least for me. I’m a strong smoke type so I use oak, hickory and mesquite. I use one tube and a box.

 

[midwest]

Could the temp and humidity in the winter have to do with how much smoke you are seeing? Kind of like a car exhaust, in the winter it looks like you have a blown head gasket in the summer nothing. I know it's not wood smoke coming from the exhaust but in a cold climate what you see in the winter is a lot different than what you see in the summer...