RRP gasket

johnnyringo

Closed the lower vent about half of what the photo shows. 4PM temp 275.

What to do get it it lower?  I'm out of ideas and frustrated. 

cookingdude555

Don’t overshoot it in the first place. What’s wrong with 275F? I don’t think anything is wrong here. 

Battleborn

I'm happy anywhere between 250-275. The difference is minimal. Through your protien on and have a beer.

Dyal_SC

Show us some pix of your egg along with the gasket and gaps. Might be able to better advise with visual aid. 

RRP

johnnyringo said:

  The feeler gauge I'm using is 7 thousands thick. 

Perhaps if we look at it another way...a US dollar is .0043 vs the .007 feeler gauge. Have you tried any wood in your egg now to see if there is leakage? BTW any leaking smoke carries with it creosote which in turn builds up.

alaskanassasin

If you over shot your temp you can put a pan of water in there to act as a heat sink.
 I will echo what others said, try not to over shoot your target temp

johnnyringo

Desperate measures for desperate times.

Needing to get the temp down!

RRP

johnnyringo said:

Desperate measures for desperate times.

Needing to get the temp down!

I'm going to guess this is some sort of joke - that I just don't get. If your band bolts are tight then those bricks aren't going to do anything.

BTW maybe you answered my previous question and I just missed it...but have you done any cooks using wood for smoke to see if you even have leakage? 

caliking

alaskanassasin said:

caliking said:

This isn’t standard, but some folks (including myself) installed the Rutland on the dome instead of the base. The base can crack, but the dome rarely does. 

That way, if the base needs to be replaced, you still have the Rutland gasket. 

My base cracked probably two weeks after the Rutland install 

QED. 

johnnyringo

No joke!  Only way I can get the front of the dome to seal.  Tried readjusting bands, even using ratchet straps to pull the dome down with the bands loose.  Couldn't make the front of the dome seal. Last resort!  6# Pork Butt about done.  165-170 since this AM.

RRP

johnnyringo said:

No joke!  Only way I can get the front of the dome to seal.  Tried readjusting bands, even using ratchet straps to pull the dome down with the bands loose.  Couldn't make the front of the dome seal. Last resort!  6# Pork Butt about done.  165-170 since this AM.

Then - if I were you I would call Bruce at the mothership and tell him your problems and see if he has an idea. No need to talk about the gasket since your problem has to be the band. I recall someone else had the same issue and Bruce sent him a replacement band gratis. 

And please post a followup! 

Mattman3969

Sounds like you have a hump in gasket keeping the dome from laying flat on the base. You’ve changed the plane of the base.  

RRP

Mattman3969 said:

Sounds like you have a hump in gasket keeping the dome from laying flat on the base. You’ve changed the plane of the base.  

Actually he and I have been in contact separate from this forum and he has assured me that is NOT his problem. I have even seen a couple pictures. He says his gap is .007 of an inch and I have replied that a US dollar is slightly under .004 of an inch. 

What I keep asking him is does he see any smoke coming out from his gasket- and unless I keep missing his reply he has not YET replied!

johnnyringo

First no smoke as I do not have wood for to make that test. The .007 comment may have been misleading. I did not mean the gap was just .007 as that was the feeler gauge I picked up to determine "if" the gasket was sealing tight. Yesterday I dug out the thickest feeler gauge I have in my tool box and it is .025. Even that one was very loose in front near the handle and tight at the back.  We were expecting company for dinner so I used the bricks to accomplish a snug seal and it worked!  I was able for the first time in quite a while to maintain a consistent lower temp.

Not sure what my next step might be yet. Leaning toward re-gasketing as I may have erred in my installation of Ron's.

alaskanassasin

Your bands may be tweaked. I tweaked mine with a hot cook and they never shut right again. They warrantied them and I never looked back.  

Legume

I’m not sure you would see smoke out the gap anyway if you’re trying to maintain low temp - if the lower vent is choked down and the top vent is less choked down, I think you would draw air into the gap.  If the top was choked down more than the bottom, then you may see venting out the gap.  Until it’s fixed, I would make sure you manage the top vent In concert with the bottom so that you’re not drawing air in through the gap where the gasket is - I think you would be better off seeing air leak out (eg top is choked down more than bottom vent)

johnnyringo

Bands are brand new (the newer kit) and this was the first cook.

alaskanassasin said:

Your bands may be tweaked. I tweaked mine with a hot cook and they never shut right again. They warrantied them and I never looked back.  

alaskanassasin

 if you loosen the bands completely or remove them and then do your test. If you still have a gap it’s possible your gasket install didn’t go right. 

alaskanassasin

 Did the dome rest on the base while the glue dried?
 Did you apply down pressure to make sure the new gasket is flattened down?
  Is it possible you used too much glue causing raised areas?

johnnyringo

Following Ron's instructions I covered his newly installed gasket with wax paper. I then set a 3' square piece of 3/4" plywood over the wax paper then placed the dome on it. I let it set for 26+ hours before removing the dome, plywood and wax paper. Then installed the new hinge and band kit.

When I determined that the seal gap was not consistent around the dome , I loosened  the bands, re spaced them and used tiedown ratchet straps to snug the dome down to the base, then tightened everything up again. 

No joy.

johnnyringo

RRP said:

johnnyringo said:

No joke!  Only way I can get the front of the dome to seal.  Tried readjusting bands, even using ratchet straps to pull the dome down with the bands loose.  Couldn't make the front of the dome seal. Last resort!  6# Pork Butt about done.  165-170 since this AM.

Then - if I were you I would call Bruce at the mothership and tell him your problems and see if he has an idea. No need to talk about the gasket since your problem has to be the band. I recall someone else had the same issue and Bruce sent him a replacement band gratis. 

And please post a followup! 

How do I contact Bruce at the mothership?  Thanks

RRP

johnnyringo said:

RRP said:

johnnyringo said:

No joke!  Only way I can get the front of the dome to seal.  Tried readjusting bands, even using ratchet straps to pull the dome down with the bands loose.  Couldn't make the front of the dome seal. Last resort!  6# Pork Butt about done.  165-170 since this AM.

Then - if I were you I would call Bruce at the mothership and tell him your problems and see if he has an idea. No need to talk about the gasket since your problem has to be the band. I recall someone else had the same issue and Bruce sent him a replacement band gratis. 

And please post a followup! 

How do I contact Bruce at the mothership?  Thanks

1-800-793-2292

fishlessman

that lower vent is way too open for under 250. mine runs at 225/235 dome with the bottom vent open about 1/64th. youre .020 feeler gage would be a better start, then adjust from there

Wisv1k

Can you leave the original dome gasket in place with the Rutland? If for no other reason than to protect the edge? 

cookingdude555

yes.  i have put a rutland on the base and nomex on the dome.  works great.

RRP

Wisv1k said:

Can you leave the original dome gasket in place with the Rutland? If for no other reason than to protect the edge? 

Suit yourself - it's your gasket...BUT I don't recommend it...Why? Whether the top gasket is the old felt or even the Nomex then sooner than  later that dome gasket will fail and once failure starts then the leakage will make the failed gasket space just increase and you will be smoking like a man on death row awaiting for the governor to call!

cookingdude555

Ron - theory, or experience? I haven’t seen your hypothesis with both eggs setup with top Nomex and bottom Rutland. Just curious. 

nolaegghead

..and whaddabout BOTTOM Nomex and TOP Rutland?  I want to hear that theory...

johnmitchell

nolaegghead said:

..and whaddabout BOTTOM Nomex and TOP Rutland?  I want to hear that theory...

    Another profound comment made at 2.12 am.. Love it!!!

JohnInCarolina

johnmitchell said:

nolaegghead said:

..and whaddabout BOTTOM Nomex and TOP Rutland?  I want to hear that theory...

    Another profound comment made at 2.12 am.. Love it!!!

Nola does some of his best work on the internets at 2 and 3 am.  He’s like the President that way.