Adding vent under lid thermometer?

[NurseWizzle]

So my father-in-law built a table for my 22/26 kettles. He mounted them with hinges for the lids and oriented the lids so the lid thermometer is facing the front. Of course, this means the vent is opposite that, on the back side of the kettle.

Sometimes I'll be using my Slow n Sear to smoke some butts or something, and you're supposed to position the vent opposite the SNS. Well since my vent is already positioned, that means I need to place the SNS in the front of my kettle. However, now when I do this, I have to reach across the SNS to place the meat or anything like that. Its not entirely very comfortable, holding my arms above burning charcoal and wood. So I would like my SNS in the back of my kettle, but then the vent is immediately above.

I was thinking then about placing a vent on the lid below the level of the thermometer. Am I thinking right on this? How would I go about doing this? Does it matter where exactly it goes? I'm thinking the lower on the lid the more heat/smoke will be pulled around the food as opposed to just over the food. Bad idea?

[bamakettles]

So my father-in-law built a table for my 22/26 kettles. He mounted them with hinges for the lids and oriented the lids so the lid thermometer is facing the front. Of course, this means the vent is opposite that, on the back side of the kettle.

Sometimes I'll be using my Slow n Sear to smoke some butts or something, and you're supposed to position the vent opposite the SNS. Well since my vent is already positioned, that means I need to place the SNS in the front of my kettle. However, now when I do this, I have to reach across the SNS to place the meat or anything like that. Its not entirely very comfortable, holding my arms above burning charcoal and wood. So I would like my SNS in the back of my kettle, but then the vent is immediately above.

I was thinking then about placing a vent on the lid below the level of the thermometer. Am I thinking right on this? How would I go about doing this? Does it matter where exactly it goes? I'm thinking the lower on the lid the more heat/smoke will be pulled around the food as opposed to just over the food. Bad idea?

My main question is did he actually install lid hinges that require drilling?  If so, you may be stuck with your setup.  For the SNS to cook the food properly the vent needs to be opposite the SNS and thermometer mounted below the vent for an accurate pit temp reading.  The positioning Weber has chosen for the thermometer for this type of cooking is in the wrong place IMO.  Most people disregard the Weber thermometer reading anyway due to placement.... So if he drilled it and you really want to fix it I would recommend replacing the lids and drilling them with the vents placed  in the front.  Of if you're not worried about appearances, turn the lids around, re-drill and leave small bolts in the original holes drilled, held on by nuts on the inside of the lids.   

Or skip all this and do what you said in the first place.  Drill the lid for a vent on the front - but proper placement will be where the thermometer is and you will end up with two top vents which really shouldn't hurt anything other than maybe the inability to extinguish your coals after a cook.

Here's one I did a couple years back....sorry for the sideways pics, took these a while back when the app worked for pics.

[pbe gummi bear]

I was thinking then about placing a vent on the lid below the level of the thermometer. Am I thinking right on this? How would I go about doing this? Does it matter where exactly it goes? I'm thinking the lower on the lid the more heat/smoke will be pulled around the food as opposed to just over the food. Bad idea?

The easiest way to do this is to drill out the vent rivet and put a screw in thermometer in it's place. You can leave the other thermometer or plug the hole, or start over with a new lid altogether.