It is sometimes difficult to smoke for an entire day in Virginia and not get hit by a passing rain shower. Do you have to shield the unit or just let it rain? What do you Cookshack vets do when the showers come?? TIA
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Go to your local plumbing supply or hardware store and get a 90 degree galvanized street elbow - 1 1/4". For a pic, check my post in the "Lessons For New Users" topic in the Open Forum.
cigar.
Welcome to the forum.
Nope, you don't have to shield it from the rain. The smoke hole is the only area to worry about, and unless you're having a bad rain, little to no rain is likely to get down the hole.
dls has a good suggestion, but you're making a modification to the smoker and thus can void your warranty. The issue would be restricting the airflow. It wasn't designed with an elbow in place, so i'd just say be careful if you do.
All I ever use is an umbrella. I have one of those beach/sand auger that I put in the ground and put up an umbrella. It gets REAL sunny and hot here and that works for me.
The rest of the time, when not in use, I highly recommend the cover. If you don't have one, get one, they're made custom and fit perfectly.
Good luck and let us know how the first practices go.
Smokin'
Welcome to the forum.
Nope, you don't have to shield it from the rain. The smoke hole is the only area to worry about, and unless you're having a bad rain, little to no rain is likely to get down the hole.
dls has a good suggestion, but you're making a modification to the smoker and thus can void your warranty. The issue would be restricting the airflow. It wasn't designed with an elbow in place, so i'd just say be careful if you do.
All I ever use is an umbrella. I have one of those beach/sand auger that I put in the ground and put up an umbrella. It gets REAL sunny and hot here and that works for me.
The rest of the time, when not in use, I highly recommend the cover. If you don't have one, get one, they're made custom and fit perfectly.
Good luck and let us know how the first practices go.
Smokin'
Smokin - It's not a modification. Simply a street elbow that I place over the vent if I'm smoking during a hard rain or snow. Otherwise, it's stored away. 1 1/4" fits perfectly over the vent fitting and it's heavy enough to withstand high winds. Does not restrict smoke flow at all.
Agree very much about the cover. Should be the 1st option to buy.
Agree very much about the cover. Should be the 1st option to buy.
ok...so the rain doesnt need to go in the hole..how about the top of the unit near the temp dial..is that area all ok to get wet if it happens by chance?
david
david
I know in the past I've been hesitant to use my 008 in the rain for fear that it would short out by rain getting in around the dial or down by the cord. I would get more smokin' done if I could use it in the rain. Maybe I'm being overly cautious? I'd sure get more smokin' in if I could do it in the rain. It seems like everytime I go to do it, it's rains...
Well, as the saying goes, "it never rain's in California"! Not this year.....second rainiest year on record. It didn't stop me once; I cooked overnight at least twice a month, and forgot to cover it while not cooking at least as much. No problem's, and never covered the hole!
Thanks all... it looks like "smokin in the rain" is just fine as long as you protect the top of the smoker somewhat during gushers... elbow, umbrella, large cookie sheet, etc.
We get enough rain here in OK, and I think if you take basic protections, the unit will work fine.
I even once, instead of adding pipe, took for cans (beans of course) and put a cookied sheet above the hole. Worked fine, looked weird, but worked fine.
The umbrella worked the best, kept large quantities from getting on the smoker.
SmokeCrazy. I think you're being too cautious. It's made to be outdoors, after all it's a smoker. If you want, call CS Customer Service and ask, they can tell you if rain will get down the dial.
If you have a cover, put it on when not in use. When it's raining, just give it some basic protection and it will work fine.
I even once, instead of adding pipe, took for cans (beans of course) and put a cookied sheet above the hole. Worked fine, looked weird, but worked fine.
The umbrella worked the best, kept large quantities from getting on the smoker.
SmokeCrazy. I think you're being too cautious. It's made to be outdoors, after all it's a smoker. If you want, call CS Customer Service and ask, they can tell you if rain will get down the dial.
If you have a cover, put it on when not in use. When it's raining, just give it some basic protection and it will work fine.
Kind of timely - I was smoking a butt yesterday in what started out to be a beautiful day in Chicago - low 80s and sunny. Mid afternoon, a hell of a thunderstorm passed through with hail, 3" of water in just a few minutes, and wind gusts up to 70 mph. I ran out to the deck where I have my smoker and put the elbow over the vent hole and dashed back inside.
On the deck I also have a 200+ lb metal table with a large open umbrella with the pole through the tables' center hole to a 50+ lb base. I did not have time to lower the umbrella. A big wind gust got under the umbrella and knocked the table and base over. Elbow never moved.
On the deck I also have a 200+ lb metal table with a large open umbrella with the pole through the tables' center hole to a 50+ lb base. I did not have time to lower the umbrella. A big wind gust got under the umbrella and knocked the table and base over. Elbow never moved.
Wasn't that a fun little storm? 
I was working in the yard when I heard the thunder approaching. I had time to gather my tools and get into the porch just before it hit. My deck furniture was scattered around the yard and the cover from my Weber grill ended up in the neighbor's yard (even though it was on the grill before the storm). I wasn't cooking at the time, but my Smokette just sat in the corner of the deck, huddled under its cover.
I'm cooking spares today, and the weather forecast is for more storms this afternoon...
I was working in the yard when I heard the thunder approaching. I had time to gather my tools and get into the porch just before it hit. My deck furniture was scattered around the yard and the cover from my Weber grill ended up in the neighbor's yard (even though it was on the grill before the storm). I wasn't cooking at the time, but my Smokette just sat in the corner of the deck, huddled under its cover.
I'm cooking spares today, and the weather forecast is for more storms this afternoon...
my method is a bit different I take 4 bricks put them so they are standing long ways up like capitol I's then put a big tray over it and put bricks on top of that to hold it down. I pull the cord up as far as I can so it is under part of the tray and if it looks like it will be really windy and rainy I cover the cord connection with plactic wrap.
I have cooked, in rain, snow, sun, wind and major cold and nothing really effects the smoker and the final product.
I have cooked, in rain, snow, sun, wind and major cold and nothing really effects the smoker and the final product.
I just got off the phone with CS customer service. I thought I'd put this subject to rest in my mind and share what they told me. "Tony" said that using a CS in the rain is no problem. They undergo testing that assures they can stand up to rain. The only recommendation was to try and protect the power cord connection by keeping it off the ground.
I use a large cookie sheet that covers the electronics and the vent hole at the same time. I love to see the smoke coming out from under the cookie sheet during a hard rain.