Char Griller mods

I just signed up with this forum and have found it verry informative. I have a Char Griller and am going to smoke a turkey on Sunday. I have seen different mods that can be made to this smoke and was wondering if anybody has turned over the dump tray to extend the baffel all the way in the main chamber. I will be using the side box

Welcome to the board fmsdks!

I've heard a few CG owners mention using the charcoal tray as a baffle. Hopefully one of them will expound.

fmsdks wrote:

...if anybody has turned over the dump tray to extend the baffel all the way in the main chamber. I will be using the side box

Only had my CG since August but that is the only way I do it. The only problems I had were when I obstructed air flow by putting drip pans supported by foil covered bricks. It seemed to take an extremely long time to cook.

I think the most important mod you can do is get a thermometer down by the grate. I stick a candy thermometer in an existing small hole on the left side of the unit. The built in thermometer never matches that one.

You can make a quick stack extension to the grate by rolling up sheet metal and inserting it into the stack and letting it unroll to support itself. I used some ductwork found at the hardware store for this.

Thanks for the info on the mods. Have already done the chimney extention and the thermomiter in the side. Will post back after the bird is cooked on Sunday and let you know how it went.

Sorry for the late post. I guess better late than never.

I have tried turning it over, but put it back to normal position. I leave it lowered all the way down, but I do put an aluminum pan on the right side of the main chamber. I fill it with hot water. That seems to help stabilize the temps some.

If you are using the side fire box, have you made any mods to it yet. I have found if not, you will smother the coals rather quickly. I just laid a piece of expanded metal on my cooking grate inside the sfb and put my coals there. That works great.

Also, to get higher temps, either use lump coal, all wood, or a combination. I just done a turkey yesterday, and used lump with a few pieces of hickory chunks. I was able to cook at 300 with no problem. Some times even higher if I added a few more chunks to it.

Bill

I turn my charcoal tray upside down and hang it where the top is just above the opening to the SFB. I then use a small piece of brick wedged between the tray and the inside of the grill opposite the SFB to push the tray as far as possible toward the SFB. I get pretty even temps. in the chamber this way and never worry about rotating meat around. Hope that is of some help.

Thanks for the info Mrgrumpy and RebelQ. Put pan on the bottom and fired up the sfb with cowboy lump coal(only lump I can find in the area). Filled sfb up with coals and then put chimney of lit coals on top. Workrd good. Maintained about 320 d with 54d ambient temp. Bird came off moist and great. Family raved about it.

Dicky
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Here's a couple of pics of my sfb charcoal basket and extended chimney vent:



Sits on two 13 1/2" long pieces of angle iron. Long burn times is no problem. Charcoal ash has no way of extinguishing my fire now.


I used 3 1/2" dryer vent aluminum tubing.

Both are easy to do.

MrAngles, welcome

I did the mod with the expanded metal on the cooking grate. It does work great, but as you mentioned, it does/has blistered the paint, and can be a pain trying to put hot lit coals into the sfb. I had thought abt dropping mine some, to help with that. I like your idea. I had thought of just putting some metal across sorta like what you did, and dropping mine lower. I have ideas now......
thanks,
Bill

I have two suppliers. Where I used to work, and where I presently work.... price is right too....

Bill

I just went to Home Depot on Monday and found that they also have a bigger piece of expanded metal, 24X24. It's the same brand, the holes are a little bigger, 3/4 inch, and it feels like it might be a slightly heavier gauge, but it's not a big difference. It's $17 and bends pretty easily. They keep it near the angle iron.

I have not made any mods.to my CG,except for buying two charcoal baskets.I have cooked when temp was in the 20's,& wind blowing crazy.When I need higher temp.,I just add more fuel,lower temp.,less fuel.
Bill