Author Topic: Help! Wood caught fire, again.  (Read 2586 times)

PhilH

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 134
Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« on: July 04, 2020, 09:09:03 PM »
Second time this year I have had  wood start a fire .

I have not done anything different than all last year with no problems

This is new wood from fruita. 

Phillip   Ramsey MN

mike1910

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 160
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2020, 10:16:22 PM »
Try making little aluminum foil boats to put the wood in. It d can help to keep them catching on fire. Or a use a screen if you have one
Mike from NE Minnesota
SI #3

PhilH

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 134
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2020, 10:38:40 PM »
But why would it happen now, and now before, a whole year of smoking?

I went back and got the biggest smoking licious piece I had and am trying that.  I ordered the cook shack cut from fruita, and I think it’s cut too small
 Thanks for the help. Happy 4th of July to you.

I just want to figure out why this is happening, smoker getting too hot?  How do you fix that?
Phillip   Ramsey MN

barelfly

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 943
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2020, 11:39:08 PM »
I have chucks of wood like you show in your photo that I use and they turn to ash. The smokinglicious chunks, even at time, have turned to some ash. Perhaps that fruita wood is a bit dryer and being smaller?

But your plan of trying the bigger chunk to see is another way to test. And when is the fire occurring? Is an actual fire or are you just seeing the ash when you pull the meat and clean out later?
Jeremy in NM
3D for lazy q
Bullet 4 burner gasser by Bull Grills
Weber Kettle with a Slow n Sear

PhilH

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 134
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2020, 12:48:07 AM »
Actual fire 🔥 as smoker is heating up on the first hour
Phillip   Ramsey MN

swthorpe

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2307
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2020, 07:52:47 AM »
I suspect the fruita wood is drier than the smokinlicious wood.    Dry wood tends to catch fire on the first heating cycle.    In addition to the AL boats, have you tried ramping up the temp slower?   I believe some folks have set the first heating cycle to a bout 180* or so, and then allow the smoker to heat to the desired temp afterward.
Steve from Delaware
Smokin-It #2

es1025

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1159
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2020, 09:43:26 AM »
I agree with Steve. Set up a two cycle heating process for the wood. I start with 30 minutes at 185 and after 30 minutes I bump up to the final smoking temperature. I used fruitswood but switched to smokinlicious. Smokinlicious has the perfect moisture content.
Ed from Northern NJ
Proud owner Smokin-it #3, Bypassed and Auber
Has anyone seen my Weber Genesis Gold?

barelfly

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 943
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2020, 09:49:19 AM »
The ramp! I didn’t mention it above, but you guys have me as a believer in this! I won’t smoke without it now. Such a gentle way to get up to temp without the big puffs!

And love the 3D for this, programming it in.

I’ll add, my smokinlicious wood is over 3 years old...I know, I need to smoke more, but I bought a huge box of it and then split another box with my dad, so I’ve been stocked up. that being said, I know it’s dry no, but I am still getting charcoal with this method. Before the switch a few months back, I would see some ash. But now, it seems to be working great - and this is without a foil boat as well. I just place the wood so it does not sit over the holes. I also know my hotspots and will place wood in the box around that depending on the type of cook.

Hope this helps you for future cooks!

Jeremy in NM
3D for lazy q
Bullet 4 burner gasser by Bull Grills
Weber Kettle with a Slow n Sear

Reeg

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 17
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2020, 09:56:28 AM »
Ever since I went to foil boats I've had no ash, just charcoal, and I don't ramp.
Paul from SW New Hampshire
SI #2DW + Bella's CSG

kona77

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 130
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2020, 12:06:03 PM »

  Barelfly-  I am in the same boat and my original box of Smokinlicious wood was 3 years old before I used it up.. I had ash remaining on several smokes over the years but never noticed any puffs of smoke or bad tastes from the meat. To be honest I never thought the ash remains indicated that I may even have a potential issue? I am now using some cherry and hickory wood from trees a buddy cut last fall. I have noticed actual chunks of charcoal left after my last several smokes (proper moisture content/)..  Like others I would recommend trying the lower temp start..or.. putting a foil boat in the wood chamber   
Gene from Wisconsin
SI newbie (3-D)
Live/breathe for the outdoors..

PhilH

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 134
Re: Help! Wood caught fire, again.
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2020, 01:48:33 PM »
Thanks everyone for the insights, I have more detailed pics of my wood on my post in the pork section.
Phillip   Ramsey MN