HOT SPOT

[laketater]

Hi.
I pretty much did the same experiment with the probes and had pretty much the same results. If you have ever looked at other pellet grills, they all have a shroud across the whole cooking area, just below the grates. Weber decided to reinvent the wheel and go with the chincy small cover. I've thought about modifying the roof of the cover so it extends both ways much further, which I think would stabilize the temp's across the grill but I don't want to void any warranty so i haven't done it. Like everyone else, I just learn to adapt to its personality, whatever it decides its mood is during that cook.

 

[dudemcnally]

Hi.
I pretty much did the same experiment with the probes and had pretty much the same results. If you have ever looked at other pellet grills, they all have a shroud across the whole cooking area, just below the grates. Weber decided to reinvent the wheel and go with the chincy small cover. I've thought about modifying the roof of the cover so it extends both ways much further, which I think would stabilize the temp's across the grill but I don't want to void any warranty so i haven't done it. Like everyone else, I just learn to adapt to its personality, whatever it decides its mood is during that cook.

your SF cooks hotter on the left side? That's the part I'm trying to understand. I believed it was universal that they all cooked hotter on the right side. The speculation I have read seems to attribute this to some aspect of how it was designed, whether fan rotation or whatever else.
In any case, personally I'm glad weber attempted to reinvent the wheel...I didn't want a standard pellet cooker/smoky convection oven. I wanted direct heat, and frankly I'm thrilled with the results. Last night I smoked chicken, then upped the temps to crisp the skin/finish them off. Then I immediately started smoking a pork butt. I wanted one grill/smoker that could do most everything well, and I have been successful. I have sold my offset smoker and haven't touched my charcoal grill since I bought the weber.

 

[Bruno]

your SF cooks hotter on the left side? That's the part I'm trying to understand. I believed it was universal that they all cooked hotter on the right side. The speculation I have read seems to attribute this to some aspect of how it was designed, whether fan rotation or whatever else.
In any case, personally I'm glad weber attempted to reinvent the wheel...I didn't want a standard pellet cooker/smoky convection oven. I wanted direct heat, and frankly I'm thrilled with the results. Last night I smoked chicken, then upped the temps to crisp the skin/finish them off. Then I immediately started smoking a pork butt. I wanted one grill/smoker that could do most everything well, and I have been successful. I have sold my offset smoker and haven't touched my charcoal grill since I bought the weber.

I haven’t touched the charcoal either, Smokefire just makes it easier.

 

[JetRanger]

Would be interesting to see this test with the shroud all the way to the right to see if it really makes a difference.

Last time did the test, the grill was super hot on the left and warm at best on the right. I had the burner pot shroud to the left.

Tonight I moved the shroud all the way right and surprisingly the grill evened out immensely.

Here's the burn pattern at 600°. Much more even.

And grate temps at 600° with lid closed .. They were within 15° before they hit 572° and the Smoke temped out.

I did some quick burgers and with the lid up, the grate temps were within 30° side to side. It would then swing around wildly with the wind. But once the wind stopped all was pretty even again.

Cooked some burgers and deliberately spread them out across the grates. Everything cooked pretty evenly. No complaints. I even was having a tough time finding a cool spot to melt cheese. Not a bad thing at all.

Running up to 600° right side ...

Running up to 600° left side

 

[JetRanger]

Pro Tip .... don't try sloughing off the metal slag on the top of the burner pot shroud with your bare hand. Splinters will happen.

 

[Brad S]

Wow didn’t expect that. Good info JR. Shroud position makes a bigger difference than you would think.

 

[abmet]

Good deal thanks for testing and sharing the results.

 

[dudemcnally]

Thank you! funny, your hot spot is to the left, mine was too the right. I also cheated the heat deflector to the right (since my hot spot was too the right). I guess I will attempt to reverse the position, maybe it will even out mine? I've never worried about hte difference much, it wasn't enough to really bother me...but more even is better

 

[ftank47]

I'm noticing a hot spot on LEFT side as well, this is great info. I'll check the position of my shroud and make sure it's centered or a little right to even things out.