KK smoker attachment not working?

[BalconySmoken]

Hi guys,

it's been a while since I posted! I am having an issue with my smoker attachment and it is starting to drive me batty - has anybody else had a similar issue and resolved it?

I am a physicist - so in theory I should be able to work this out, but I can't. No smoke is making its way from the attachment into my grill. I have checked the pipe and it is clear (the little mesh thing is long gone now - rusted out about 3 years ago) and the pump is working. The chips are burning to start and then go out after a little - I am assuming because no fresh air is being sucked in.,

any ideas?

[tony b]

Are you using small chips or pellets? I've had issues with maintaining smoke production with chips, as they don't propagate the fire efficiently, so it goes out. Pellets don't seem to have the same issue and they burn down completely and collapse, allowing adjacent pellets to catch. 

 

[tekobo]

Hi @BalconySmoken, good to hear from you.  Your description did not say anything about what you have done with your vents so I will ask the obvious question about how you have set them. For my part I close off the bottom vents and open the top vent/hat.  My logic is that this means the air has to flow through the smoker attachment.  It works for me...

[BalconySmoken]

Hey Tekobo, good thoughts - I will give this a go. I have had the bottom and top open - this worked in the past just fine but now nothing!

Tony - I am using chips which have worked previously. Maybe I should try the pellets. 

I'll give these ideas a go over the weekend and see if I can get some smoke going into the Komodo again!

[DennisLinkletter]

Have you tried lighting it not installed to your grill to troubleshoot this?
I'm guessing the air pump might have problems if you have cleaned the feed tube.
The feed tube clogs up quickly with some woods..
I also put my wood in the microwave to reduce the moisture content.. lots of steam is released quickly.. Removing this moisture helps the wood smolder.