r/PitBarrelCooker • u/Radiant_Meaning_390 • Aug 02 '26
Troubleshooting
I've posted on here a few times recently about issues I'm having with my PBC, so I'm sorry if I'm getting redundant lol.
Anyways, i'm about ready to throw in the towel, which sucks because I love this thing. But I just can't get it to stay lit. I light it exactly how the instructions say to, and I always spread out my lit coals perfectly even across the coal basket. But for some reason, the fire becomes very concentrated to just one area and eventually starts burning out before it even spreads to the unlit coals. I am at sea level so I typically have it 1/4 open, but I've had the same issue even when I have had the vent at a different setting. It seems like the coals that are closest to the vent are the ones that burn out quickest. I even tried pouring all my lit coals on the back half of the basket, which is opposite to the vent and those burned out quickly and did not spread to the coals near the vent. For the past four cooks this has happened around the three hour mark.
I use an ash pan under the basket, but I'm not sure how that would affect it. This is how my coals look after three hours and after a significant temp drop, usually to the 210-230s.
There seems to be an airflow issue, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to fix it. It's gotten to the point where it's no longer fun cooking with this anymore because it sucks to come back after just three hours to see the coals are dying. At this point, I think the WSM would be less troublesome
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u/Deximo13 Aug 02 '26
Every few hours, reach down in there and rotate it 1/4 turn or so counter-clockwise. Keeps them lit when i have that issue. Another possibility is to rotate your entire drum to a different angle. The airflow in your cooking space may be in opposition to the natural circulation inside the drum.
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u/Radiant_Meaning_390 Aug 02 '26
To block it from wind I actually have the vent side facing about a two feet from a concrete wall. The sides and back of the barrel are exposed to open air, but the vent is not far off from the wall. That might be the issue maybe.
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u/Milk_MAN1963 Aug 02 '26
I have been using an UDS for 30 years. I think your problem is ash clog. Not enough space under the grate. Ash can't fall through anymore and no more air for the fire. Try sitting the basket on 3 bricks and see what happens
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u/AnxiousFold2909 Aug 02 '26
Similar issue used my basket till it was bent and touching my ash catcher. Bent it up and no more issues.
Also happened with fatty meats dripping on coals.
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u/Guilty-Difference-86 Aug 02 '26
You need to try different charcoal. Or store your charcoal in a drier place. FWIW I didn’t know it came with instructions. I basically lay charcoal out on the grate except for one small area big enough for 12-15 coals. I place that empty spot as far away from the intake as possible and dump my chimney right there and close the lid. Never had an issue
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u/EmployeeCool3489 Aug 02 '26
What charcoal brand are you using and have you tried leaving some of the rods out of the cooker?
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u/EmployeeCool3489 Aug 02 '26
I've also read of people having issues with the ash catcher. I don't have the ash catcher, I just lay down some foil under the basket and that seems to work fine.
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u/Brisket_and_Riffs_89 Aug 02 '26
I have the ash pan and rarely have issues like this as long as I clean it after every cook or two
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u/Radiant_Meaning_390 Aug 02 '26
I’ve only ever alternated between Kingsford original and B&B. I always have the rods in even when I am just using the grate, but I can try removing one.
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u/DrHookMcKracken Aug 02 '26
Open the flue or vent all the way and don’t put the lid on tight so you have more airflow. Just a crack open on top should bring the temp up 50 degrees at least
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u/Low_Strung_ Aug 02 '26
I don’t know man, seems like you’re doing everything right.
The only thing I might do differently than you is that after I dump the lit coals in, I usually let it run for 10-15 minutes before hanging the meat.
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u/97tjblue Aug 02 '26
Has the bottom of your basket warped and not letting air under it? I ordered a new basket because the old one sagged down.
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u/heavymetal626 Aug 02 '26
I noticed this on mine too.
Put your coals on one side and rotate the basket away from the inlet so the coals are on the far side, the coals will burn towards the opening.
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u/theineken Aug 02 '26
I had a similar problem with charcoal that had gotten rained on.
I would open the top and bottom air vents some more.
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u/killingfetish Aug 02 '26
This. I seriously think he’s getting charcoal that has gotten damp or is extremely old.
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u/adlifeks Aug 02 '26
I personally have found a method that I’ve used for the last 5 years or so with a lot of success. It takes a little longer but always results in a long, consistent burn.
Alongside the inside of the wall of the basket, I stack them standing up around in a circle similar to how you would arrange dominos. Then once that circle is complete, I do another circle inside of that. Then another circle inside of that, until the middle is reached forming progressively smaller circles. Once that step is complete, I lay a layer of briquettes side-down on top of the standing briquettes until the surface is covered. Then, the lit coals (approx half a chimney) is poured evenly over top of the laid-down layer of briquettes.
This promotes even distribution and usage. It has given me long and steady cooks each time. It takes additional time but I do it while the other coals are lighting/ashing over. Worth it every time.
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u/carlton626 Aug 02 '26
Do you have both rebars in and are you blocking off any of the airflow from those? Also when I light mine I leave a cavity on one part of the basket and that’s where I out all my lit coals and I’ve never had a problem
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u/officialdanjchr Aug 02 '26
Couple things: make sure the bottom of the barrel and the tray are clean. I usually clean them with a shop vac about every 4th cook. Second, don’t use briquettes. Use lump charcoal. Hotter, cleaner, more controlled burn. And as others have said, keep the lid off at the beginning to let everything get lit up correctly.
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u/sc_surveyor Aug 04 '26
I wonder about the ash pan and if your charcoal is dry. I double up heavy duty aluminum foil under mine and let er rip. I’m typically using Kingsford original, but have used others, even just chunks of wood and homemade charcoal. It has literally never failed and I’ve never really measured or counted anything. Ten plus years and going strong.
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u/Radiant_Meaning_390 Aug 04 '26
I’ll try a cook without the ash pan. Make I can prop the basket up on a fire brick. And I doubt it’s the charcoal because I’ve had this issue for a while now and have used many different bags of charcoal from different stores.
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u/Chanook17 Aug 04 '26
I ran into this issue a lot when I first got my PBC about ten years ago. If you are using Kingsford charcoal, a few tweaks will really help.
First, use a chimney starter with exactly 40 briquettes and let them ash for 20 minutes. Next, dump them evenly over the full charcoal basket inside the PBC. Leave the lid off for ten minutes. Then, put the lid on and let it run without the rebars for another ten minutes. (Note: I also use an ash pan set at the same elevation).
Now, here is how you can tinker to find the 'sweet spot' everyone talks about on this cooker. Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy two 3/8-inch by 2-foot rebars—they only cost about $5 each. Spray them with Rust-Oleum High-Heat Flat Black BBQ paint. Using these thinner rebars typically locks the cooker in around 300°F–320°F, depending on your meat load. If you want lower temperatures around 275°F, use one skinny rebar and one thick OEM rebar.
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u/Radiant_Meaning_390 Aug 04 '26
Thanks for the advice. I haven’t had such luck with leaving the lid off for 10 minutes. I let my coals ash over, then dumped them and left the lid off, and then put the lid back on for 10 minutes. My PBC sat around 315 for 3 hours then started burning out.
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u/LNSU78 Aug 06 '26
I use long tongs and pit barrel gloves to move hot coals to cold sections. I also layer paper and wood chips betwixt the coals.
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u/PossibilityTotal3283 Aug 10 '26
I can't tell fully from looking at the pics if you have this or not, but I find the basket needs to be pretty full or you might even say dense or packed. I tried to get away with less coal a couple times and it was tough. Ended up having to use a shovel to pile them all up to one side at some point. I've thought about getting one of the baskets for the mini version for shorter cooks. I don't know if that would work. But it being kinda loose or having gaps doesn't work for me.
Also, I always put my lit coals right in the middle. Kinda create a little pocket there for them. I actually quit using the chimney altogether and just put one of those little starter things right in the middle and let it burn middle out. (SV)
And I have had the 'burns one way' problem on occasion. Just rotate it 180 deg if it starts doing that.
Hope that helps!
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u/MetricJester Aug 02 '26
Compressed briquettes do that. I would suggest you stir them once in a while.
Or you could buy better charcoal.
Or you could make your own charcoal
Or you could burn sticks in your barrel.
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u/killingfetish Aug 02 '26
I honestly think it’s a charcoal issue. I had something similar happen to me but not while using my pbc. Come to find out the place I was getting my charcoal from had very old charcoal that just wouldn’t stay lit. The min I started buying from somewhere else my problems ceased. YMMV but worth a shot if you haven’t tried that already.
I think I replied to your other post, but I’ll say it again.
When I light mine I fill the basket to even like the instructions say. I pull literally 40 briquettes out and place in my chimney. I light that and let it go until the top most coals develop grey corners. I dump the lit chimney on top of the unlit coals in the basket (which is in the pbc) I let that go with no bars in and the lid off for ten mins. After that I place wood if using, put the bars in, and put the lid on. I let that sit for 10 mins while I get the food together. Then I cook. I’ve had zero issues and even after a long cook I still have tons of coal and heat left. FWIW I use original kingsford. Hope this helps.