I bought this Grill and absolutely love it! It cooks beautifully! The only mod I've done to it so far is seal it up with the red high temp rtv I'm going to add the 2 side temp gauges next! Went together great and no issues no missing parts! I'd recommend this grill my other grill has lasted me over 13 years and it's still going strong
Wow...I just realized that dryer vent can be ran to the other side for a reverse flow smoker. Just add a baffle plate of some kind. Yep.... I'm doing mine. Thanks man.. Love your videos
I've had one of these smokers for about 10 years, and your mods are all good. However, instead of messing with those sheet metal baffles simply use the main body charcoal grill unit and lay it in the bottom upside down. You will effectively create a tunnel to radiate heat as swell as move smoke to the opposite end of the smokerThere will be an inch or so of end play, but you can use this end play in conjunction with your two thermometers to fine tune your heat distribution. As much as I would like to claim this idea as mine, it was included in the instructions when I bought mine all those years ago.
+Richard Louden. I saw another guy did that as well on a video right before I purchased mine. Were you able to control the temp well with this method and also, what was your average temp. My bottom came with grates that are welded at the bottom and up the sides so that it can be adjusted if you are using charcoal. I would have to cut all of that out to make it fit. They may have changed the bottom since you purchased yours. So overall, it sounds like you were happy with yours and 10 years is a ling time for the price.
Richard Louden thanks for posting this tip. I was going to buy sheet metal for baffles but heck I’m gonna use the charcoal tray and place it upside down like ya said
How do you balance the water pan if I use the charcoal pan upside down to move heat and smoke? And would it be better then to move the smoke stack to the other end of the smoker? You’re essentially creating a reverse flow smoker by doing that ? And thanks for the tips guys. I just bought mine and can’t wait to add these mods.
@@blaircromer5544The whole process has evolved. I've put bricks both under the inverted charcoal and on top of it off to the sides to act as a thermal mass heat leveler. These bricks make a place to balance a water pan as well. I really seldom use the water pan though, being more of a fan of either brining or injecting marinade into whatever I'm smoking to alleviate drying issues. I've also put thermometers on each end of the front of the lid about 1 inch above the grates. My upside down charcoal grate leaves about an inch of the smoking chamber uncovered and I use the two thermometers at either end to slide the grate unit to tweak the temps into balance. I think both the brick and thermometer additions are worth doing.
The sealant is a good idea. Thanks! I noticed on my grill (I got the same one), some smoke leaks out. Never thought of adding a mod to keep the smoke inside. Thanks again.
I have the exact same Char Griller and the same issues. Thank you so much for posting this video. This is very helpful to me. Time to start working on the modification required. Thank you again. Cheers!!
Nicole Best. This grill has a few flaws as any. With these mods, I have been able to get mine to perform like a high end model and no complaints. Food comes out perfect every time. Thank you for sharing
I have the original version which is 1/8” thick black steel. I’ve have had it for almost twenty years! I put a two piece baffle/wall right in the middle! I smoke on one side but I can slow smoke on the opposite side. My baffle seals everywhere but at the bottom. So smoke created in the offset enter the chamber but exits at the bottom of the baffle/wall into the other chamber. The chimney duck is similar to yours so I can cool smoke in the second chamber. Mine weighs about 280lbs. The newer thinner steel rigs can burn out quicker. Nice job!
Hey Daryl, I literally just got the Smokin Outlaw model from Chargriller and I am really glad I foundt this video of improving the performance of the smoker.
dollar tree has like 2 of those aluminum pans for a buck. and a lot of other cheap utensils and things you may be able to utilize in getting a quick set up going for a cos
I wish you have done a demonstration on measuring and installing your temperature Guage. I plan on purchasing a Char-Griller (Maybe two 🤣 Thank you and I enjoy watching!
@@johnwayne8178. It wouldn't be UA-cam unless there was some haters. Ofcourse I read all of my reviews and I respond to them as well. Yes, yes, and yes. I've made changes. There is no poisonous items in char Griller. It cooks amazingly and everything is always perfect. We are all blessed over here for all of our viewers, the comments, good and bad. I hope if you have a channel, you dont get any haters.
Luis Garcia I do that, and I put foil to keep the small gap covered near the fire box. It works best when you use the dryer vent mod. The smoke will have to circulate before finding its way up the vent
Yes that is a great idea. I actually started doing that about a week after I made the video and it works much better. There are 3 bolts that hold the smoker box and you can rest the charcoal basket onto those bolts. Its almost like they planned it that way.
@@thedadlifechannel6038 I set it on those bolts too and voila... amazing. Thx for inspiring the mind to think amidst the chaos in the world. Blessings bro
I just bought a Smokin Champ yersterday, started assembling it and noticed that the ends of the lid are bowed out leaving a 3/8" or larger gap when the lid is closed. what do you suggest? I went ahead and emailed the company hopefully they will send me a new lid. of not then what can I do to seal that gap on the side?
I had a gap on mine as well. I think altogether it was about 1/2". So you can order a thicker seal tape, or you can purchase 1/2" aluminum angle from home depot, cut pieces for the sides and screw them in so they are right next door. Then add seal tape to the top of the aluminum and the door should land on it.
All due respect. I bought this same smoker built it and returned it because it had too many gaps. I shouldn't have to perform all of these mods to make it adequate if its brand new. You can make a smoker out of 55 gallon steel barrel for the same price. Depending on how much you get your barrel for it might be cheaper. Made my own UDS and couldn't be happier. Really glad I decided to return it before using it.
samuel williams. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with this smoker. I guess I got a good one. Mine works perfectly with the mods I did. Glad to here about your drum smoker. You sparked my curiosity and I might give that a try at some point. Are you going to do some videos.
Two months ago I bought a King Griller. Missing and bent pieces. The manufacturer promised to take care of the problems with bent legs and other bent metal lid. They said it is in the mail. Tried to call back and no answer at all. I went to back to Lowes to purchase parts to fix it better. No, I did not return or ask for return, refund or exchange. I didn't realize it was made in China. I should have looked first for where it was made in what country.
Any updates on how you sealed the rear side of the lid? Mine has a significant gap that I don't believe will seal just from a tape gasket. Also, how has all of your mods held up? Some great ideas in this vid.
Yes. Our editing software went down and we just got a new software so we have update videos coming real quick. I love the grill level thermometers. The gasket tape is doing good still. I ended up adding two layers of the seal tape on the back. One on the lid and one on the grill. If there is still a little gap it should be alright. The smoke tube is amazing. I took out the baffles I made, the bricks. I put the charcoal grate that came with the grill upside down and rest it on the 3 bolts that hikd the smoker box. That is the perfect baffle. Then just flip it right side up if you want charcoal. Your gonna love this grill.
The sheet metal was neither aluminum or gavanized. However, I did end up pulling out the metal grates and doing something different after my 1st cook. I found a better way to get even heat. If you take the charcoal grate the unit came with, flip it upside down and place one end onto the 3 bolts holding the smoke box, it works perfectly. Take the bricks out and go for it.
I had purchased 3 sheets of metal from Home Depot to make a deflector and found out that the zinc could be toxic (still learning). Did some research and found exactly what you said about using the grates from the smoke box. So I will go with that. I'll be smoking a 19lb whole suckling pig for Christmas dinner on my char grill pro. Thanks again for the info. Merry Christmas.
No they used to sell metal that was a thin stainless steel and that was what I got. I guess they font have that anymore. The charcoal grate works so much better. I do it all the time.
The only draw back to this smoker is how are you going to clean the ash out of the firebox during your cook so that it can continuously breath. Because once that ash builds up and your fire can't get the oxygen it needs it's going to keep your temps steady dropping every 20 to 30 minutes
John, I've had a CharGriller since May 2003. Still working fine. Cleaning out the ash out of the firebox has not been a problem. I made an expanded metal box that sits on threaded rod, above the ash pan. When the pan is full, just pull it out and dump into an appropriate container until the ashes cool. Only takes a minute or 2, at the most.
Hey man. Something we use for gas fireplace installs is called fire caulk or atleast we call it that. It comes in various colors. Thinking I'll try some of that on mine if I seal it up. Not sure yet. Seems like that seal tape you used would be better used between the firebox and smoke chamber due to the heat? The rest of the grill should be cooler away from the fire. Havent smoked with mine yet, plan to maybe do some this weekend but like the idea of smoking and grilling with it
Fire caulk is good stuff. I use that as well on fireplaces. It should be fine after it drys. I dont know which one is less toxic. I've been using mine through the fall and winter and haven't had any problems with the seal tape. Good luck with whatever you do and keep us posted
@@thedadlifechannel6038 will do. Just got mine. Found this video searching how to go about using the sidebox for smoking. I plan to do some this weekend, maybe a few fryer chickens just as a test. Thinking of trying some of these things atleast to keep the smoke where I need it
Thanks for the video. I've noticed that, when laying the baffles on the bricks, that almost half of the opening between the box and the smoker is closed up. How has that been for you? Also, have you had any problems with the gasket tape flinging fiberglass particle around? Thanks!
I used to have a upright smoker and leaked all over the place but at the end the things I smoked were delicious and had an awesome smokes ring and flavor all the way thru does a little leaking smoke really make that much difference?
If I only want to use my 55 gallon barrel as a Charcoal grill only at first, would you still recommend adding the heater vent. Id plan on indirect use. If so , and i know its very basic, but id like to see a video on your Heater vent process
I got the same smoker about a month and a half ago. I did the gasket around the lid and the extra thermometers but didn't bother with all the silicone. I just didn't see that there was a lot of heat/smoke loss that made it necessary. The best mod, in my opinion, is a charcoal basket. I made mine 12"x12"x12". It sits on the rails, that keep the drawer from tipping when it opens, and then I used a piece of threaded rod to hold up the other end (yes, I drilled holes in the fire box to hold the threaded rod). The advantage of the charcoal basket, especially with this model, is that you can pull out the ash drawer while you're cooking and empty the excess ash so that you can maintain good airflow under the fire. After the mods, I cooked a 13lb brisket and it came out great. It cooked for almost 9 hrs. Avg heat about 250-260. Meat temp was 202. It was done early so I wrapped it and put it in a cooler for 3 hrs and it was still incredibly warm when I cut into it. The meat was so tender that a slice would totally flop over when held in the middle. I had never smoked/BBQ'd a brisket before. I cant' wait to do another one. With the mods, this BBQ performs like one costing hundreds of dollars more. It is worth the money and effort. You just have to take care of it. Spray a little vegetable oil on the grates when you're done, even around the inside and out. And don't forget to empty the ashes. All that will keep it all from rusting over time and it should last beyond the 5 yr rust-through warranty.
GuiTuber. Thank you for reaching out. One of my next mods will be making a basket. Thank for the advice on the 12x12x12 basket. I love what this smoker can do with the simple mods. Our first cook was St. Louis style baby back ribs. We smoked them for about 6 hours at about 250. We made our own dry rub and bbq sauce and also sprayed the meat every couple of hours. They were amazing. Check out our homemade bbq sauce if you haven't seen it yet. We have a list of ingredients in the description section of the video. The sauce was great. We will be posting the rib smoke soon. I like what you did. We have that on our list of things to do now. Enjoyed the comments buddy. Keep up the bbq, and keep on posting those videos.
I like your mods, I still haven't decided on this smoker or the Oklahoma Joe's Highland Reverse Flow Smoker. Do you have any thought on which smoker will produce the best cook
Is that metal you put down galvanized? That’s usually what they use for ducting, if it is galvanized you could get zinc poisoning when you heat those buffers
@@thedadlifechannel6038 those are clearly galvy metal.. I weld that shit for a living but id never cook with it as when my respirator fails I get the galvy flue.. not something that is pleasant.. get som good mild steel instead.. and its cheaper you just gotta goto a metal shop to get it
I will look into that for you. It's been a bit since I bought that stuff so I have to go back to the recipes. I did make some adjustments to the mods since this video and we will be doing an update video real soon because it works better and less money.
Check this out my man i got the same one you see where the wheels at you got the wheels on the smoker box side which that latch is for the handle only thing you have to do is just unscrew the 4 bolts and turn it around
Lol, I did the same exact thing! Noticed right after I finished assembly and corrected it. It will work backwards just fine, just a little dangerous as it will be prone to tip on the wheel side.
I dont. I bought it on Amazon and it says in the video what the brand is and how much I paid. I will have to re watch it myself and then I can post it.
+Steve S. I am out of town and at the moment. I will have to measure and get back to you. I set the brick in the center of the grill and measured to front to back with the tape on top of the brick. I wont be able to measure exactly until after Monday.
Steve S sorry to hear that. It could be the manufacturing. You can double up on the sealants. I had to add sealant to the back of the lid and also on the body to get a better seal on the back. Where are you getting the leakage? Sides, back, drilled holes?
Steve S. I came up with an idea today. They sell half inch 90 degree angle aluminum at home depot. You can get it in 32 inch length I believe for $4-5 each. Cut the length you need and get some soft tapping screws or you can use a drill. Screw the angle so the the top is horizontally to the lid and hold it up tight. You can then put the sealant on that and you should have a tight seal. I may do it to mine and do a video. I am thinking about it.
Donte Moore. Yes, will still be able to use the charcoal part but you may have move the smoker vent a little more into the bbq so the the charcoal tray has room to sit. Everything else is still good to go. If you go for it, please let me know how it turned out. Have a good one.
Great video! I have a smaller and cheaper smoker that was given to me, but I'm going to use some of your ideas to modify it to make it better. The water heater hose, it comes with a connection to tighten to the chimney, correct? Also, how hot were you able to get this thing?
Beau Babb. Yes the water heater hose does come with the connection and it just locks onto the chimney perfectly. With the baffolds I can keep it at a constant 280 degrees, perfect for slow smoking. I have had it up to 300. Keep on getting your smoke on.👍
Quick question. What did you use to drill the holes for the extra thermometers? Did you just use a standard drill bit or did you use a stepping bit? I'm trying to figure out what would be best. Thanks! Your video on seasoning the grill is super helpful as well!
Beau Babb. I bought a DeWalt drill bit set and used that. Make sure you check the whole with he thermometer when you get close to quarter inch. You don't want to have to add sealant there.
Where exactly are you pasting the sealant? I’m gonna modify my grill tomorrow, as it’s identical to yours. And is there a connection for the hot water hose to attach to the chimney? I was looking at your video but was confused how you locked it in? Also, when you ran the strip, along the sides of the grill, what exactly is that? I’m wanting to do that as well.
Is the RTV sealant safe for food? Great video btw, I'm using it as a reference to modify my smoker. Waiting to get all the parts I want for the mod before putting it together, and will also spray paint it first before seasoning it. I read a lot about the firebox paint coming off because of the heat. I also saw that it happened to your grill as well.
+IntaLEK I'm not really sure that any true sealant that works would be food safe because it has to have a good bond. If you let it cure the time it needs and then do a burn off heat for about two house, it should be fine. I did that and haven't had any issues.
I haven't found a way to keep th whole unit then same because heat rises. It doesn't so much matter what the temp is at the top as long as the grill temp is lower and matches. If it doesn't then you will have to move the meat around more. The top temp gauge can be removed if you want to. I just left mine because I like to see just how hot we are getting at the top as well. The main thing is getting your meat to be consistent. Good luck.
@@thedadlifechannel6038 oh i see. During a long smoke it got windy i had temp issues, I'm thinking about putting a gas burner in the fire box to burn da wood to make things more consistent. What's ur thoughts on that.
Man I just got the 1624 snd I tell ya...I’m a little turned off about having to modify it for it to work “properly”. This is my 1st grill. I’m no guru or handyman...Should I just take this back to Home Depot and buy a unit that “works” out the box? And recommendations?
dude just get a better one... treager makes great smokers and the kamado grills are badass too, pit barrel cooker for smoking only. There are a few good ones, but check the ones out I mentioned
I just got done smoking ribs with the baffles (I used 22 guage steel), one on each side. Each baffle was 12 inches wide. I had a 50 degree hot spot in the center of the smoker. I took them back out and tested the entire smoker, grate level, front back and center... 15 degree variance over the entire smoker. All the other ideas in this video are good but f*** those baffles.
Thinking of buying this grill and have a question about the mods. Maybe I missed this part, but how did you get the vent to attach to, and stay flush and even with the chimney?
kebert xela. Thank you for watching. I didn't realize that so many people loved smoking meat. I did have a burp in there. I purchased a water heater vent at home depot and it had the attachment on the end of the tube. The attachment fit exactly on the chimney and It would not come off again. The great thing is it works great in my opinion. Good luck searching. One thing I don't like about this smoker is, it takes about 45 min to get up to about 250 degrees. Patience is the key but it does an awesome job smokin meat.
Sheldon Beaver. I cant remember if the tube said food grade on it or not. If you let it cure for the 24 hours before you use the smoker, you wont have any problems. I never have any off gasping and the stuff is awesome. If you feel more comfortable with the red, then go for it. I just didn't want red on my bbq.
Royce Boone. One, you have to live a little and enjoy the things in life. If fear has that much of a grip on someone then they need to had it over to the Lord and Savior. Second, I did a lot of research before I did anything and tries to find the best things with the least amount of bad stuff. 3RD, we have to take risks sometimes and we pick and choose what those risks are. Everything under the son and in your home will kill you now. How about your household cleaners you expose yourself to. Do you do all of your research on those? I did and we only use no toxic good stuff. We have to pick and choose our battles and do the best we can. Good luck to you and keep on grilling. I'll tell you though, the seals do make a huge difference.
Sinse your not going to charcoal grill in the cooking chamber the sealant is a good idea. Keeping the smoke inside and forcing out the vent. I grill often will the sealant impede airflow thus lower temperature for longer smoking using less wood? I was looking because when I smoke a brisket need to use lots of wood but I use mine for charcoal and sometimes smoking as well so want higher heat than needed for smoking?
I have decided to also use this grill with charcoal as well. This grill is awesome. So far this is my favorite. I have 3 different grills but this one tops them all. Thanks for the note and keep on grilling.
Your talking about the humidity in your griller, well it wasnt made for that, your grill will end up rusting out alot quicker. Grills are made the way they are due to testing over and over again before they sell it.
Just bought the same grill and had to have tons of replacement parts sent from a piss poor quality control department ...stuff bent,parts missing,cooking grates were forged poorly with crust on them BUT, I must say they did make it right after several shipments.
A big no on the sheet metal that's poisonous once the heat hits it and a big no on the silicone inside my pit. Outside I understand but not for food that I'll be consuming with my family no thanks
So the sheet metal came out a long time ago because I did the research and you are correct. The sealer we used is a good grade sealer and after extensive research, I do not agree with that one. We will do a follow up video because we have made other changes that work better and are safer. Thank you for watching.
I know. This was my first video and I wasn't planning on it blowing up. If you watch any of our other videos, they keep getting better as we learn more, get better equipment and so on. I totally agree, that first video is terrible. Sorry about that.
Nope. I don't agree with this guy. Olive oil burns at low temperatures. Bacon grease ok idea. The original coating is to keep the grill barrels from rusting. He destroyed his warranty by drilling into the grill. Heat will kill all the bacteria he says you need to worry about. And he added so much sealant(non toxic or not) the flavor changes. Air flow has so much to do with low and slow smoking. DO NOT DO THIS TO YOUR GRILL IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WARRANTY OR EAT GOOD FOOD!!!
Worries about cleaning the smoker for any dangerous chemicals then proceeds to put galvanized sheeting in. If your still alive please dont cook with that sheeting anywhere near it!!
Everyone is so cancer happy happy these days. But then again, everything in this world causes cancer today. We might as well not even eat, or clean, or breathe. lol
Loose the Dryer vent, you don't need it, take it from me, i've been Smoking Meat for 50 Years on everything from a round 3 leg weber to a 3'x5'x4' Hole in the Ground with a Hand Made, Hand Crank Rotisserie.
This is a very poorly made smoker. One advice, every time you done smoking, remove all the ash from the firebox completely. Then pour some oil and apply it all over inside the fire box. Always keep this smoker inside our garage or under some roof covered, if not in the garage. As this is a very poorly made smoker, these steps will give it few more years of good smoking.
That HVAC sheet metal you're using is galvanized - when that coating burns off it will flake off like newspaper ashes and is poisonous.
agreed. That's zinc coating and is poisonous
What about stainless steel?
I would think a cookie sheet cut in half would work
@@txrsr71 stainless is fine
haha poor guy doesn't read his comments, n now hes gonna continue to get poisoned everytime he smokes meat lmao
I bought this Grill and absolutely love it! It cooks beautifully! The only mod I've done to it so far is seal it up with the red high temp rtv I'm going to add the 2 side temp gauges next! Went together great and no issues no missing parts! I'd recommend this grill my other grill has lasted me over 13 years and it's still going strong
how's the seal going now as a long term test?
👀
Wow...I just realized that dryer vent can be ran to the other side for a reverse flow smoker. Just add a baffle plate of some kind. Yep.... I'm doing mine. Thanks man.. Love your videos
Good luck and thanks for watching. Mine works really well.
I've had one of these smokers for about 10 years, and your mods are all good. However, instead of messing with those sheet metal baffles simply use the main body charcoal grill unit and lay it in the bottom upside down. You will effectively create a tunnel to radiate heat as swell as move smoke to the opposite end of the smokerThere will be an inch or so of end play, but you can use this end play in conjunction with your two thermometers to fine tune your heat distribution. As much as I would like to claim this idea as mine, it was included in the instructions when I bought mine all those years ago.
+Richard Louden. I saw another guy did that as well on a video right before I purchased mine. Were you able to control the temp well with this method and also, what was your average temp. My bottom came with grates that are welded at the bottom and up the sides so that it can be adjusted if you are using charcoal. I would have to cut all of that out to make it fit. They may have changed the bottom since you purchased yours. So overall, it sounds like you were happy with yours and 10 years is a ling time for the price.
Richard Louden. Nice. Keep up the smoking. How are you liking your new one?
Richard Louden thanks for posting this tip. I was going to buy sheet metal for baffles but heck I’m gonna use the charcoal tray and place it upside down like ya said
How do you balance the water pan if I use the charcoal pan upside down to move heat and smoke? And would it be better then to move the smoke stack to the other end of the smoker? You’re essentially creating a reverse flow smoker by doing that ? And thanks for the tips guys. I just bought mine and can’t wait to add these mods.
@@blaircromer5544The whole process has evolved. I've put bricks both under the inverted charcoal and on top of it off to the sides to act as a thermal mass heat leveler. These bricks make a place to balance a water pan as well. I really seldom use the water pan though, being more of a fan of either brining or injecting marinade into whatever I'm smoking to alleviate drying issues.
I've also put thermometers on each end of the front of the lid about 1 inch above the grates. My upside down charcoal grate leaves about an inch of the smoking chamber uncovered and I use the two thermometers at either end to slide the grate unit to tweak the temps into balance. I think both the brick and thermometer additions are worth doing.
Keep the rack inside the barrel and just use your water pan to block the opening, adjust the rack height accordingly
The sealant is a good idea. Thanks! I noticed on my grill (I got the same one), some smoke leaks out. Never thought of adding a mod to keep the smoke inside. Thanks again.
Good luck grilling
I have the exact same Char Griller and the same issues. Thank you so much for posting this video. This is very helpful to me. Time to start working on the modification required. Thank you again. Cheers!!
Nicole Best. This grill has a few flaws as any. With these mods, I have been able to get mine to perform like a high end model and no complaints. Food comes out perfect every time. Thank you for sharing
This video is EXACTLY what I needed, I appreciate you taking the time to put this together.
Thank you
I have the original version which is 1/8” thick black steel. I’ve have had it for almost twenty years! I put a two piece baffle/wall right in the middle! I smoke on one side but I can slow smoke on the opposite side. My baffle seals everywhere but at the bottom. So smoke created in the offset enter the chamber but exits at the bottom of the baffle/wall into the other chamber. The chimney duck is similar to yours so I can cool smoke in the second chamber. Mine weighs about 280lbs. The newer thinner steel rigs can burn out quicker. Nice job!
Thank you. So far it's a favorite.
The water heater pipe had a connection that came attached to one end and it just fit on there and locked perfectly. Works great.
The Dad Life Channel got that at home depot
I just got a char griller 8125 and plan to do similiar mods. Thanks for this!
Good luck
Hey Daryl, I literally just got the Smokin Outlaw model from Chargriller and I am really glad I foundt this video of improving the performance of the smoker.
Can we get some links to the stuff you bought?
Nice concept but is the sealant toxic and affect the taste of the meat?
spent the entire video with my head crooked sideways
I'm sorry. Thank you for watching.
Nice socket wrench lol. Good video, thank you!
Thank you for watching.
dollar tree has like 2 of those aluminum pans for a buck. and a lot of other cheap utensils and things you may be able to utilize in getting a quick set up going for a cos
Andrew Stewart thank you for the comment. Looks like a field trip is coming up.
Take care of your chargriller & it will take care of you
This is a pretty good setup you have here!
Thank you for the great straight forward video! Very helpful.
I wish you have done a demonstration on measuring and installing your temperature Guage. I plan on purchasing a Char-Griller (Maybe two 🤣 Thank you and I enjoy watching!
I just got one and oh lord there is so many gaps on this thang. Towards the back of the cooking chamber it’s there is a big gap. Geez
Hey folks, if you like what your watching, remember to hit that thumbs up button. 👍
I really hope you read your comments and did a little more research.
@@johnwayne8178. It wouldn't be UA-cam unless there was some haters. Ofcourse I read all of my reviews and I respond to them as well. Yes, yes, and yes. I've made changes. There is no poisonous items in char Griller. It cooks amazingly and everything is always perfect. We are all blessed over here for all of our viewers, the comments, good and bad. I hope if you have a channel, you dont get any haters.
@@johnwayne8178 it's free. hope you read all of my responses..
Would it be a good idea flipping the charcoal basket upside down so it’ mimics like a pellet grill and spreads the heat evenly?
Luis Garcia I do that, and I put foil to keep the small gap covered near the fire box. It works best when you use the dryer vent mod. The smoke will have to circulate before finding its way up the vent
Yes that is a great idea. I actually started doing that about a week after I made the video and it works much better. There are 3 bolts that hold the smoker box and you can rest the charcoal basket onto those bolts. Its almost like they planned it that way.
@@thedadlifechannel6038 I set it on those bolts too and voila... amazing. Thx for inspiring the mind to think amidst the chaos in the world. Blessings bro
I just bought a Smokin Champ yersterday, started assembling it and noticed that the ends of the lid are bowed out leaving a 3/8" or larger gap when the lid is closed. what do you suggest? I went ahead and emailed the company hopefully they will send me a new lid. of not then what can I do to seal that gap on the side?
I had a gap on mine as well. I think altogether it was about 1/2". So you can order a thicker seal tape, or you can purchase 1/2" aluminum angle from home depot, cut pieces for the sides and screw them in so they are right next door. Then add seal tape to the top of the aluminum and the door should land on it.
I called char griller and they sent me a brand new lid.
@@jasonpoppell6026 wow! Would like to know if the new lid fit better?? It's a big problem on this smoker. Thanks man!
All due respect. I bought this same smoker built it and returned it because it had too many gaps. I shouldn't have to perform all of these mods to make it adequate if its brand new. You can make a smoker out of 55 gallon steel barrel for the same price. Depending on how much you get your barrel for it might be cheaper. Made my own UDS and couldn't be happier. Really glad I decided to return it before using it.
samuel williams. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with this smoker. I guess I got a good one. Mine works perfectly with the mods I did. Glad to here about your drum smoker. You sparked my curiosity and I might give that a try at some point. Are you going to do some videos.
What kind of strip did you use to line the grill
Two months ago I bought a King Griller. Missing and bent pieces. The manufacturer promised to take care of the problems with bent legs and other bent metal lid. They said it is in the mail. Tried to call back and no answer at all. I went to back to Lowes to purchase parts to fix it better. No, I did not return or ask for return, refund or exchange. I didn't realize it was made in China. I should have looked first for where it was made in what country.
Any updates on how you sealed the rear side of the lid? Mine has a significant gap that I don't believe will seal just from a tape gasket. Also, how has all of your mods held up? Some great ideas in this vid.
Yes. Our editing software went down and we just got a new software so we have update videos coming real quick. I love the grill level thermometers. The gasket tape is doing good still. I ended up adding two layers of the seal tape on the back. One on the lid and one on the grill. If there is still a little gap it should be alright. The smoke tube is amazing. I took out the baffles I made, the bricks. I put the charcoal grate that came with the grill upside down and rest it on the 3 bolts that hikd the smoker box. That is the perfect baffle. Then just flip it right side up if you want charcoal. Your gonna love this grill.
Is that sheet metal aluminum? Zinc plated and or galvanized metal is toxic when heated.
The sheet metal was neither aluminum or gavanized. However, I did end up pulling out the metal grates and doing something different after my 1st cook. I found a better way to get even heat. If you take the charcoal grate the unit came with, flip it upside down and place one end onto the 3 bolts holding the smoke box, it works perfectly. Take the bricks out and go for it.
I had purchased 3 sheets of metal from Home Depot to make a deflector and found out that the zinc could be toxic (still learning). Did some research and found exactly what you said about using the grates from the smoke box. So I will go with that. I'll be smoking a 19lb whole suckling pig for Christmas dinner on my char grill pro. Thanks again for the info. Merry Christmas.
No they used to sell metal that was a thin stainless steel and that was what I got. I guess they font have that anymore. The charcoal grate works so much better. I do it all the time.
The only draw back to this smoker is how are you going to clean the ash out of the firebox during your cook so that it can continuously breath. Because once that ash builds up and your fire can't get the oxygen it needs it's going to keep your temps steady dropping every 20 to 30 minutes
I haven't had a problem with this yet
John, I've had a CharGriller since May 2003. Still working fine. Cleaning out the ash out of the firebox has not been a problem. I made an expanded metal box that sits on threaded rod, above the ash pan. When the pan is full, just pull it out and dump into an appropriate container until the ashes cool. Only takes a minute or 2, at the most.
Hey man. Something we use for gas fireplace installs is called fire caulk or atleast we call it that. It comes in various colors. Thinking I'll try some of that on mine if I seal it up. Not sure yet. Seems like that seal tape you used would be better used between the firebox and smoke chamber due to the heat? The rest of the grill should be cooler away from the fire.
Havent smoked with mine yet, plan to maybe do some this weekend but like the idea of smoking and grilling with it
Fire caulk is good stuff. I use that as well on fireplaces. It should be fine after it drys. I dont know which one is less toxic. I've been using mine through the fall and winter and haven't had any problems with the seal tape. Good luck with whatever you do and keep us posted
@@thedadlifechannel6038 will do. Just got mine. Found this video searching how to go about using the sidebox for smoking. I plan to do some this weekend, maybe a few fryer chickens just as a test. Thinking of trying some of these things atleast to keep the smoke where I need it
What size is the dryer vent hose?
Thanks for the video. I've noticed that, when laying the baffles on the bricks, that almost half of the opening between the box and the smoker is closed up. How has that been for you? Also, have you had any problems with the gasket tape flinging fiberglass particle around? Thanks!
I ended up taking the bricks out. Have not had any problems with the tape.
Can you provide the part number for the thermometers, or the link for them on Amazon?
what are you using to hold the dryer vent onto the chimney stack? my 3” tubing isnt fitting around the 3 1/4 “ opening
I used to have a upright smoker and leaked all over the place but at the end the things I smoked were delicious and had an awesome smokes ring and flavor all the way thru
does a little leaking smoke really make that much difference?
probably not in the long run. I just prefer a good seal to make sure we get as much smoke as possible in our meat. Plus the challenge is great.
If I only want to use my 55 gallon barrel as a Charcoal grill only at first, would you still recommend adding the heater vent. Id plan on indirect use. If so , and i know its very basic, but id like to see a video on your Heater vent process
I got the same smoker about a month and a half ago. I did the gasket around the lid and the extra thermometers but didn't bother with all the silicone. I just didn't see that there was a lot of heat/smoke loss that made it necessary.
The best mod, in my opinion, is a charcoal basket. I made mine 12"x12"x12". It sits on the rails, that keep the drawer from tipping when it opens, and then I used a piece of threaded rod to hold up the other end (yes, I drilled holes in the fire box to hold the threaded rod).
The advantage of the charcoal basket, especially with this model, is that you can pull out the ash drawer while you're cooking and empty the excess ash so that you can maintain good airflow under the fire.
After the mods, I cooked a 13lb brisket and it came out great. It cooked for almost 9 hrs. Avg heat about 250-260. Meat temp was 202. It was done early so I wrapped it and put it in a cooler for 3 hrs and it was still incredibly warm when I cut into it. The meat was so tender that a slice would totally flop over when held in the middle. I had never smoked/BBQ'd a brisket before. I cant' wait to do another one.
With the mods, this BBQ performs like one costing hundreds of dollars more. It is worth the money and effort. You just have to take care of it. Spray a little vegetable oil on the grates when you're done, even around the inside and out. And don't forget to empty the ashes. All that will keep it all from rusting over time and it should last beyond the 5 yr rust-through warranty.
GuiTuber. Thank you for reaching out. One of my next mods will be making a basket. Thank for the advice on the 12x12x12 basket.
I love what this smoker can do with the simple mods. Our first cook was St. Louis style baby back ribs. We smoked them for about 6 hours at about 250. We made our own dry rub and bbq sauce and also sprayed the meat every couple of hours. They were amazing. Check out our homemade bbq sauce if you haven't seen it yet. We have a list of ingredients in the description section of the video. The sauce was great.
We will be posting the rib smoke soon. I like what you did. We have that on our list of things to do now. Enjoyed the comments buddy. Keep up the bbq, and keep on posting those videos.
I've got some pictures I could share but there's no way to do it through UA-cam.
You can email me pics. My email is thedadlifeforever@gmail.com
I just realized that the charcoal basket is actually only 6" high, not 12", so it's 12"x12"x6". I sent you some pics.
GuiTuber id like to see the charcoal basket you made. I agree that the factory setup would choke out the flames pretty quickly
I like your mods, I still haven't decided on this smoker or the Oklahoma Joe's Highland Reverse Flow Smoker. Do you have any thought on which smoker will produce the best cook
I have no idea about which one is better. What did you end up with buying?
Is that metal you put down galvanized? That’s usually what they use for ducting, if it is galvanized you could get zinc poisoning when you heat those buffers
Aaron Roy. Nothing wrong with some zinc. It's a natural mineral our body needs. I am kidding however. The sheets are not galvanized.
I am glad you are kidding and not using galvanized or zinc coated metal
@@thedadlifechannel6038 those are clearly galvy metal.. I weld that shit for a living but id never cook with it as when my respirator fails I get the galvy flue.. not something that is pleasant.. get som good mild steel instead.. and its cheaper you just gotta goto a metal shop to get it
What kind of drill bits did you use to get through the lid of the smoker. Website says the metal in the smoker is 14 gauge steel
It's all in the video. I have the sizes, the brand of bits and everything you need to know in there.
Any chance for an itemized list of what you purchased for the modifications? Tia
I will look into that for you. It's been a bit since I bought that stuff so I have to go back to the recipes. I did make some adjustments to the mods since this video and we will be doing an update video real soon because it works better and less money.
Hate to say but you got that grill built backwards
Everything fit in the right place. There is another model that is set up the opposite way.
Check this out my man i got the same one you see where the wheels at you got the wheels on the smoker box side which that latch is for the handle only thing you have to do is just unscrew the 4 bolts and turn it around
Lol, I did the same exact thing! Noticed right after I finished assembly and corrected it. It will work backwards just fine, just a little dangerous as it will be prone to tip on the wheel side.
@@al10112022 so are you saying the wheels are on the wrong side? I need some clarification please. I just put mine together last night.
Hello do you have a link for that gasket strip I would like to purchase some.
I dont. I bought it on Amazon and it says in the video what the brand is and how much I paid. I will have to re watch it myself and then I can post it.
Just got the grill how wide is the sheet metal so I can cut it to the same measurements
+Steve S. I am out of town and at the moment. I will have to measure and get back to you. I set the brick in the center of the grill and measured to front to back with the tape on top of the brick. I wont be able to measure exactly until after Monday.
Any updates on the measurements?
The Dad Life Channel what you waiting for? Monday of 2024?
Is that the SMOKIN' CHAMP or SMOKIN' OUTLAW....?
Sal Catura. I purchased the smokin champ and love it.
Looked like the blazer with an add one smoker box
What is the name of the strips?
I have the same smocker and I put the same gaskets on but the gaps are to big to seal it up, what do I do now
Steve S sorry to hear that. It could be the manufacturing. You can double up on the sealants. I had to add sealant to the back of the lid and also on the body to get a better seal on the back. Where are you getting the leakage? Sides, back, drilled holes?
The Dad Life Channel sides and back
Steve S. I came up with an idea today. They sell half inch 90 degree angle aluminum at home depot. You can get it in 32 inch length I believe for $4-5 each. Cut the length you need and get some soft tapping screws or you can use a drill. Screw the angle so the the top is horizontally to the lid and hold it up tight. You can then put the sealant on that and you should have a tight seal. I may do it to mine and do a video. I am thinking about it.
OVERKILL
Well, thank you for watching anyways
Other than using the bricks and the sheet metal, would all these mods still allow me to charcoal grill as well?
Donte Moore. Yes, will still be able to use the charcoal part but you may have move the smoker vent a little more into the bbq so the the charcoal tray has room to sit. Everything else is still good to go. If you go for it, please let me know how it turned out. Have a good one.
The Dad Life Channel thank you
Donte Moore. Let me know how it goes.
Great video! I have a smaller and cheaper smoker that was given to me, but I'm going to use some of your ideas to modify it to make it better. The water heater hose, it comes with a connection to tighten to the chimney, correct? Also, how hot were you able to get this thing?
Beau Babb. Yes the water heater hose does come with the connection and it just locks onto the chimney perfectly. With the baffolds I can keep it at a constant 280 degrees, perfect for slow smoking. I have had it up to 300. Keep on getting your smoke on.👍
Quick question. What did you use to drill the holes for the extra thermometers? Did you just use a standard drill bit or did you use a stepping bit? I'm trying to figure out what would be best. Thanks! Your video on seasoning the grill is super helpful as well!
Beau Babb. I bought a DeWalt drill bit set and used that. Make sure you check the whole with he thermometer when you get close to quarter inch. You don't want to have to add sealant there.
Where exactly are you pasting the sealant? I’m gonna modify my grill tomorrow, as it’s identical to yours. And is there a connection for the hot water hose to attach to the chimney? I was looking at your video but was confused how you locked it in? Also, when you ran the strip, along the sides of the grill, what exactly is that? I’m wanting to do that as well.
Where is the baffle from?? Thanks.
I made the baffle
Is the RTV sealant safe for food? Great video btw, I'm using it as a reference to modify my smoker. Waiting to get all the parts I want for the mod before putting it together, and will also spray paint it first before seasoning it. I read a lot about the firebox paint coming off because of the heat. I also saw that it happened to your grill as well.
+IntaLEK I'm not really sure that any true sealant that works would be food safe because it has to have a good bond. If you let it cure the time it needs and then do a burn off heat for about two house, it should be fine. I did that and haven't had any issues.
Is that galvanized sheet metal? 😮
aguie89 nope. That would be a bad thing.
The Dad Life Channel just making sure
Whats ur temp difference a the middle from the top?
I haven't found a way to keep th whole unit then same because heat rises. It doesn't so much matter what the temp is at the top as long as the grill temp is lower and matches. If it doesn't then you will have to move the meat around more. The top temp gauge can be removed if you want to. I just left mine because I like to see just how hot we are getting at the top as well. The main thing is getting your meat to be consistent. Good luck.
@@thedadlifechannel6038 oh i see. During a long smoke it got windy i had temp issues, I'm thinking about putting a gas burner in the fire box to burn da wood to make things more consistent. What's ur thoughts on that.
@@brucewayne-ej3cx crazy people use gas to smoke
Henry Cirrus You don’t live in Texas where it is almost always windy, do you?
@@gsmjr8502 I'm in AZ and it's only windy when I decide to smoke a brisket.
Man I just got the 1624 snd I tell ya...I’m a little turned off about having to modify it for it to work “properly”. This is my 1st grill. I’m no guru or handyman...Should I just take this back to Home Depot and buy a unit that “works” out the box? And recommendations?
dude just get a better one... treager makes great smokers and the kamado grills are badass too, pit barrel cooker for smoking only. There are a few good ones, but check the ones out I mentioned
almost forgot the weber smokey mountain is great too
I will check them out for sure. I wanted something cheap so that I could experiment on it. I love what I've done with this smoker.
If you want a great out of the box grill, traeger makes great smokers.
What did you use to connect the tubing to the smoke stack
Steve S I wondered the same thing.
Steve S I ran into this problem as well. All I can find is a 3 inch aluminum hose. Link to the part you got from Home Depot?
Hose clamps 😁👍🏼
I just got done smoking ribs with the baffles (I used 22 guage steel), one on each side. Each baffle was 12 inches wide. I had a 50 degree hot spot in the center of the smoker. I took them back out and tested the entire smoker, grate level, front back and center... 15 degree variance over the entire smoker. All the other ideas in this video are good but f*** those baffles.
Thinking of buying this grill and have a question about the mods. Maybe I missed this part, but how did you get the vent to attach to, and stay flush and even with the chimney?
kebert xela. Thank you for watching. I didn't realize that so many people loved smoking meat. I did have a burp in there. I purchased a water heater vent at home depot and it had the attachment on the end of the tube. The attachment fit exactly on the chimney and It would not come off again. The great thing is it works great in my opinion. Good luck searching. One thing I don't like about this smoker is, it takes about 45 min to get up to about 250 degrees. Patience is the key but it does an awesome job smokin meat.
any chance you can send a link for the part you bought for this? or the name of the exact name of the part so i can search it on home depot?
Interesting exploitation of the portrait mode.
1st time out on that video.
Is the sealent you used food grade so it doesnt give off toxic fumes.everybody i see uses the food safe red. Ummmm ?
Sheldon Beaver. I cant remember if the tube said food grade on it or not. If you let it cure for the 24 hours before you use the smoker, you wont have any problems. I never have any off gasping and the stuff is awesome. If you feel more comfortable with the red, then go for it. I just didn't want red on my bbq.
Cool mods. I have same grill. I want to seal it but concerned about toxic elements of silicone and gasket maker. Why was this not a concern for you?
Royce Boone. One, you have to live a little and enjoy the things in life. If fear has that much of a grip on someone then they need to had it over to the Lord and Savior. Second, I did a lot of research before I did anything and tries to find the best things with the least amount of bad stuff. 3RD, we have to take risks sometimes and we pick and choose what those risks are. Everything under the son and in your home will kill you now. How about your household cleaners you expose yourself to. Do you do all of your research on those? I did and we only use no toxic good stuff. We have to pick and choose our battles and do the best we can. Good luck to you and keep on grilling. I'll tell you though, the seals do make a huge difference.
Sinse your not going to charcoal grill in the cooking chamber the sealant is a good idea. Keeping the smoke inside and forcing out the vent. I grill often will the sealant impede airflow thus lower temperature for longer smoking using less wood? I was looking because when I smoke a brisket need to use lots of wood but I use mine for charcoal and sometimes smoking as well so want higher heat than needed for smoking?
I have decided to also use this grill with charcoal as well. This grill is awesome. So far this is my favorite. I have 3 different grills but this one tops them all. Thanks for the note and keep on grilling.
@@thedadlifechannel6038 Absolutely
Your talking about the humidity in your griller, well it wasnt made for that, your grill will end up rusting out alot quicker. Grills are made the way they are due to testing over and over again before they sell it.
What kind of tape
Sean Ketterick. I can't remember because it's been a bit. I say the brand the cost and where I got it on the video though.
what size strip did you use?
They came in a 3 pack at Costco. Not sure how long they were.
nice mods but could only listen.. camera work not so good. just bought same unit. will for sure consider similar mods. cheers.
Sorry about the camera. It was my first time out. They keep getting better. Thanks for watching
Looks good - I just did some mods to my new smokin champ!
What did you do to yours?
@@thedadlifechannel6038 Kind of the same ideas.. ua-cam.com/video/xdSayVRXqqo/v-deo.html
Your information is very good, but good goodness your videography could use some work. Maybe try a tripod...
Thank you for the advice. It was one of my 1st videos and only had my cell phone to work with. I think a tripod would work great.
Did you mod the firebox? I have the exact same model and that grate for the firebox pretty much failed under the heat stress.
I ended up just turning the grate upside down. It is all bent up but still works.
A little extreme there smoker man
Sorry you didn't like it.
get with the program...all the true smoker gu-ru's are doing this .ALL !!! DO YOUR HOMEWORK PAL.
@@ELVISRN1 what the hell is a gu-ru? poor dumbass
Insturctions state not wash out grill before you season it. They coat the inside with a special oil to prevent rusting.
You can do it your way. I did it mine and love it. Good luck my friend.
you should never wash a grill before seasoning it.... you season to set the rust preventing chemicals in and then you can wash after your first cook
I disagree but glad that works for you. Thank you for watching.
Thanks bud
BBQ Guru , recorded in vertical =-=
Just bought the same grill and had to have tons of replacement parts sent from a piss poor quality control department ...stuff bent,parts missing,cooking grates were forged poorly with crust on them BUT, I must say they did make it right after several shipments.
Sorry to hear that. I hope everything worked out for you
A big no on the sheet metal that's poisonous once the heat hits it and a big no on the silicone inside my pit. Outside I understand but not for food that I'll be consuming with my family no thanks
So the sheet metal came out a long time ago because I did the research and you are correct. The sealer we used is a good grade sealer and after extensive research, I do not agree with that one. We will do a follow up video because we have made other changes that work better and are safer. Thank you for watching.
Wheels on the wrong side
Just followed the directions that came with mine and it works great.
Lava Lock, not Rock...
👍
fire bricks for 40C??????? where most places they are 15 dollars +
They are standard bricks from Home Depot, grey in color. They work just great. It's been a year now and never had any crack or do anything.
The first thing you should figure out is to turn your phone "on its side" to get a wide-screen picture!
I know. This was my first video and I wasn't planning on it blowing up. If you watch any of our other videos, they keep getting better as we learn more, get better equipment and so on. I totally agree, that first video is terrible. Sorry about that.
Nope. I don't agree with this guy. Olive oil burns at low temperatures. Bacon grease ok idea. The original coating is to keep the grill barrels from rusting. He destroyed his warranty by drilling into the grill. Heat will kill all the bacteria he says you need to worry about. And he added so much sealant(non toxic or not) the flavor changes. Air flow has so much to do with low and slow smoking. DO NOT DO THIS TO YOUR GRILL IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WARRANTY OR EAT GOOD FOOD!!!
Gotta reach out to the haters too. I'm happy with it!
The thermometer holes are necessary to see the true temp at grate level. You're a bit clueless.
THAT SILICONE IS NOT HIGH TEMP - NOT GOING TO LAST VERY LONG
Its been a year and still going strong
Worries about cleaning the smoker for any dangerous chemicals then proceeds to put galvanized sheeting in. If your still alive please dont cook with that sheeting anywhere near it!!
No worries. No sheet metal in the q and still alive a kickin with an awesome q everytime.
Your camera angle sucks. I gave up after twisting and turning my head in various directions.
Sorry about the camera in thos this video. It was my first time out. Much has been learned since then. I hope you check us out again.
TURN THE DAMN PHONE THE CORRECT WAY. COULD NOT WATCH.
Nice job but DUDE! Your camera work made me want to puke. Hold the phone sideways and be aware of your POV.
Thank you for watching. Sorry about the camera. That was one of our first videos and we have since then worked out the kinks.
Yay! Silicone fumes make tasty cancer meat lol.
Everyone is so cancer happy happy these days. But then again, everything in this world causes cancer today. We might as well not even eat, or clean, or breathe. lol
The Dad Life Channel the FDA say it’s food safe I sure hope they’re right. I’m sealing my leaky Char-Griller this weekend.
Good video but you need to learn how to hold a camera I wouldn't even post the video
I know. First video learning curve. All of the other ones are better
Loose the Dryer vent, you don't need it, take it from me, i've been Smoking Meat for 50 Years on everything from a round 3 leg weber to a 3'x5'x4' Hole in the Ground with a Hand Made, Hand Crank Rotisserie.
This is a very poorly made smoker. One advice, every time you done smoking, remove all the ash from the firebox completely. Then pour some oil and apply it all over inside the fire box. Always keep this smoker inside our garage or under some roof covered, if not in the garage. As this is a very poorly made smoker, these steps will give it few more years of good smoking.
One of the worst grills for smoking period!
I like it.
fire bricks for 40C??????? where most places they are 15 dollars +