Had a interesting conversation with a "BBQ expert" at Thermoworks today when I had to call them about my Gateway wireless probe.
I told the lady that I had some questions about how I wanted to hook up my billows to my kettle and she suggested that I talk to the bbq expert.
When I first got my billows a couple years ago and the information I found said to drill a whole between the sweeps. The problem is that the billows points pretty much straight up and the drippings go right into the fan.
I was considering attaching a pipe to the grill to get the billows further away from the grill. The guy from Thermoworks went out into the shop and sent me photos of how they hooked their's up.
Here's what you need..... it directs the air properly and works very well. Works with the universal billows adapter and looks much better than galvanized pipe which is not safe. These are all stainless steel.
https://www.bbqguru.com/product/guru-universal-adapter/
https://www.thermoworks.com/billows-mounting-kit/
Here's a picture of it mounted on my WSM.... Air blows down in the bowl instead of directly at the charcoal. Would work the same on a hole drilled in a kettle and much more user friendly inside the kettle.
Also if you have a summit or performer with gas assist you can use the gas tube to connect your billows. Just need the universal adapter, a length of SS pipe and JB weld. Works great and regulates the air coming through the gas tube.
Thanks you are right stainless is a lot better. That also solves the problem with my billows pointing straight up.
I don't have a summit yet, a couple 26ers and a smokey mountain 22.