Weber Kettle Club Forums
Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: Kneab on August 14, 2016, 04:16:24 PM
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I have tried to run a snake a few times but have had trouble with my ash falling and blocking the vent on my one touch 22". Not really a problem if you slide the vent occasionally but running on autopilot its blocked twice on me. I'm going to try again but I was thinking about using a bowl with the daisy wheels. I think I will leave one wide open and start the snake where the ashes will drop next to the vent and wrap around dropping ash on the closed vents.
I tried running a 2×2 with a block of oak about every 8 briquettes snake last night on the one touch..... rock solid 4 hrs. 250° Went to bed at 12am got up this morning 5am with dew on top of the kettle.[emoji31] snake died about 2 hrs after I went to bed. I had the bottom vent open 1/4 -1/2... 2 out of three of the slots in the bowl were blocked with ash. Anyone have a preference? One touch vs daisy wheels. (http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160815/2c83fa20a3f3878ff6ee8de9d6caeaf4.jpg) I started the snake in the bottom right.(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160815/111f3e1f8d7861c88021418c4a010f27.jpg)here's where it choked. This was before bed. In the morning...Two vents full of ash and no more fire.
addicted to charcoal......
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I haven't done a snake on the one touch yet, but have on the wheelers. One time I poked a little ash from the vent, but didn't have an issue.
I haven't gotten comfortable enough yet with these snakes to go lay down for any real length of time. I'm still up and down at least every couple hours to check.
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I can run a snake with my copper with a one touch using a 2x2 snake for 6 to 7 hours with no problems. This is probably because I keep both vents wide open. It always gives me a rock solid 250 degrees.
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@kneab just wondering what charcoal you are using?
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^^^ What kettlebb said. I can see by your first pic that there are no ridges on the briquettes so they are not Kingsford. Maybe your brand is a high ash producing charcoal. I've run snakes many times on a one touch system and never plugged the vents. Try using Kingsford and see if that helps.
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I used kbb the first time. Stubbs this last time.
addicted to charcoal......
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Geez that's interesting. I've never tried Stubbs. Can't get it around here. I guess I must be sweeping my ash while I cook and not realizing it. I do have a daisy wheel kettle as well and obviously can't sweep during a cook, and it works well with the snake. Do you have a three wheeler to try?
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I thought it looked like Stubb's. It's my new favorite and my go to fuel. It's really low ash compared to other briquettes so I'm kinda surprised about this one. Anyone else run into ash issues with the snake and Stubb's?
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Yup.I was thinking I'm going to run it this time on the three wheeler. Paying attention to the vent position and leaving one out from under the snake to prevent blockage.
I also read 1buckie's tips. I am going to sprinkle lump crumbs in the gaps for better burn.
addicted to charcoal......
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I like that "fence" you used. Good call. I prefer a 3-wheeler for the snake. Definitely use small pieces of lump scattered throughout for burn assurance.
Buckie is the snake master, so he would not steer you wrong.
If you can, maybe put down some EM (expanded metal) around the outer ring.
I use a ring of fine EM, and the ash tends to get held up a bit more. Not so much drops down.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/messagepart-9.jpeg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/messagepart-9.jpeg.html)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_3323_2.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_3323_2.jpg.html)
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I don't have any EM but I do have extra grates. Maybe put in a second one turned 90°.
addicted to charcoal......
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No. Stubb's worked fine for me too. The tip from Buckie about using the small lump pieces worked really well for me as well.
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Using lump crumbs is a great idea! I'll try that next time I use the snake method. I'll agree with everyone about the snake though. It's a great way to keep a rock solid 250 degrees in the kettle. I haven't used my Smokenator for a couple of years. Now that device is quite prone to ash buildup!
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Interesting and unfortunate dilemma. I have never had any issues with ash blocking the OT vents, and have run a 2x2 and 3x2 KBB snake for 8+ hours. Vents are usually 1/3 or so open.
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This is kind of weird. When I run a snake the ash builds up around the edge of the grill and doesn't get anywhere near the vents. One thing I am noticing is that your coals seem to be next to each other but not actually leaning on each other. That might be your issue. I usually lean my coals on each other so that as one is burning it starts the one that is leaning on it. And if you need to do a really long smoke, lean them totally upright so you can put twice as many coals as you can when they are laid flatter.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160815/a7d5e0c45c74e9f7dce9a55648ac23f0.jpg)
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I agree with Mike. Need more contact. Lump filler will help also. I think if you rotate 30 degrees either direction and keep one vent out from under the snake it will take care of the blockage issue.
And I think a 26r bowl is best for snake method.
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I had laid coals flat not vertical.
And had the vents too far closed.
Ash fell butt dripped and concrete vent blockage was formed.
The snake I am building tonight will be on my three wheeler.
One vent wide open with no coals above, charcoal will be Stubbs vertical with all voids filled in with lump crumbs.
There will be no sleeping while running this one.
I will be watching it but trying not to mess with it.
Is one bottom vent wide open on the three wheeler enough airflow?
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/2fd938ef643cdc5d4bcd7e5a4ee31cbf.jpg)
I will be starting bottom right.
Fire up 5am
Wake and smoke.
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Sounds like you're about to answer all your own questions. Just keep trying until you find what works for you.
For the record, I've not had problems with ash blockage running a snake on a One Touch system, and I've done it probably dozens of times. Usually for ribs, though.
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Fire in the bowl.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/a94e14c1d61efd6d56dbf4050f7228f1.jpg)
Settled in about 260°
1 bottom vent wide open
Top vent 1/2 open.
Holding steady so far
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/4a6182ea4a7eb1c9c6adc889c99eab7c.jpg)
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Is one bottom vent wide open on the three wheeler enough airflow?
That has always worked for me. I don't fiddle with it, either …. Trying to fine-tune and such. Waste of time. One wide open, two fully closed.
I like to have the vent open that is opposite, or close to opposite of the burning / lit charcoal.
I also use a foil bowl of sorts in the middle to help catch drippings and direct airflow.
You should be fine with your above set-up. Keep us updated.
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Current readings.
4 hrs in.
1 bottom vent wide open. (http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/553287921701f4f5e40f0ac074a9291c.jpg)
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Yup a solid 250 range cook. Can't go wrong with the Snake!
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7hrs in
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/41c95a34953cf8d307a70434187b0641.jpg)
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9hrs
Meat temp almost 195°
Going to wrap and rest shortly three wheeler snake running great 🐖🙄
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/3cdffb87787a1e3d85f9f4ad5b18e731.jpg)
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Looking great! Seeing the pics of your setup today I definitely think your original snake was too flat and was hitting dead zones where the fire couldn't advance. It looks like between how you laid out your coals plus adding some smaller lump all over it you have overcome the problem!!!
What is that charcoal fence you are using? Looks like it works perfect!
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The charcoal fence is from a steel shelf bent every 4 ribs. I have a 17" and a 14"
1/2" space to the top grate.
I made it without a kettle nearby.
I was worried it was going to be too tall.
Works perfectly.
1buckie's lump sprinkles work really well too.
Now I have a way to use up those little pieces.
addicted to charcoal......
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The bark.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/cac6c5c1d245969e4bcb5bcf189d069d.jpg)
The shred.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/3c32f65728c428601f1b3606c0b3f567.jpg)
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Great bark! That worked out great!
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Thanks Travis 👍
10 hrs on the kettle.
2 hrs resting.
addicted to charcoal......
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Looks great. Post the pics of your setup. I'll be trying this out soon
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@Kneab
Good lookin' pork right there!!!!
I tried to get good pictures of the vent pile-ups a few times.....the large 26" is at such an angle that the ash falls right thru....
(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/2015/6%20Brisket/6%20Brisket%20033.jpg)
(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/2015/6%20Brisket/6%20Brisket%20031.jpg)
(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/2015/6%20Brisket/6%20Brisket%20030.jpg)
...this was Blue K's which is what was on hand at the time.....much more ash than Stubb's, but it still works OK....
I've heard of WSM people using a skewer to "pull" or knock the ash out the vents while the cook's going on.....done carefully, you won't have a cloud of stuff swirling up around the food.....
With a helicopter vent, you can just sweep careful & slow like & that clears it.....
This came out fine, even with a re-load.....
(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/2015/6%20Brisket/6%20Brisket%20022.jpg)
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I can run a snake with my copper with a one touch using a 2x2 snake for 6 to 7 hours with no problems. This is probably because I keep both vents wide open. It always gives me a rock solid 250 degrees.
This is key. You control temperature either by regulating air with the vents or regulating fuel. The point of the snake is to regulate via fuel so all vents should be wide open (or at least the bowl vents.)
As others have mentioned, different charcoal may produce different results. I usually use KBB and that seems to have more binders in it than others such as Stubbs. Perhaps that keeps the ash intact so it doesn't drop down and block vents. Something else to try might be to crack the lid and get air in that way instead of using bowl vents.
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I did a two by two on my Jumbo Joe doing a 4.5 butt ran for about 6 hours!