Fitting the Smokai to my Coldsmoker - 30 HOUR Test and Review. 

Hello from Finland, I have about 20 years’ experience of constructing cold smoke generators and using them as a home user. Maximum batch size has been about 15 kg of salmon at once - usually less. Some experiences here: Spiral burners do not work at all - regardless wood or grain size. Silo - type generators suffer from bridge formation as on the video. Occasional cleaning with a steel brush helps. I also have an easy system to remove ash at replenishment of ships. I use a fixed glow plug from an automotive diesel engine to keep the fire going instead of lighting the fire once. Works reliably well. A simple 12 V and only 4 A battery charger keeps the plug just glowing and it lasts for years. The amount of compressor (blower) air is not the only critical matter regarding smoke draught. The construction and condition of the venturi must also be considered. My pump is an aquarium pump and I regulate it with a by-pass valve. No need for higher sophistication. Just buy the most effective pump at the pet shop and a 3-way valve. I make my wood chips myself by felling Alder (Alnus incana) during winter/spring, then cutting, chopping, drying and chipping it to about 10 - 15 mm size chips. It gives a soft and clean smoke good for fish. Some oak, apple etc. have also been used. Bigger chips may make solid bridges on the silo but some single solid pieces may be used along with the chips. The water observed in the smoke comes mainly from the combustion and cannot fully be avoided by drying the wood. Nor can its formation be avoided in the silo. It makes the sticky soot as seen on the video if it is not ventilated out from the silo. Here further experiments are needed. The water must be separated from the smoke before it is used on the fish. I have constructed a smoke dryer at the inlet to the chamber at the end of the cooling pipe from the smoke generator. During one smoking session (3 days for me), it extracts more than 1 l of black, bitter and poisonous water that else would come into contact with the food. We do not have to eat that! During winter, it is necessary to have an electrical heater at the bottom of the smoke chamber. It keeps an upward draught preventing the smoke from escaping downwards and keeps the chamber and the fish dry. It also prevents the fish from freezing. Fire safety must be considered. Several homes have been lost due to fire from cold smokers - often left un-attained for a long period. My generator is located in a qualified garden fireplace (open stove) and the smoke is led with a steel pipe to the chamber. There is no fire or warm temperatures outside the stove. The smoke is cooled in this pipe and much water is separated already here. Carcinogenic PAH compounds will always be created at wood combustion. The higher temperature at which the smoke is generated, the more PAH will result. Slight glow is better than full flame burning. I also believe that many harmful compounds will be flushed from the smoke at the dryer. At least, the black fluid collected tastes python.

Built myself a very similar smoke generator with stainless tube and battery pond pump. I used Manuka fine chips and due to our high humidity, the chips absorb moisture resuling in same issue as you. You did the test in UK during a very wet winter so they may have succumbed to that high humidity. Try drying the chips from your now opened bags in a cool oven first or microwave.

Another great video and review. Thank You. When I was researching these Venturi type of cold smoke generators, I saw quite a lot of discussion regarding condensation and the unit choking itself out. The general consensus was to ensure that the wood chips were of a smaller size, were well dried out and the tube itself had been brought upto the ambient temperature (much like a telescope would need to be) to work properly. There didn't seem to be much discussion about the actual airflow from the pump. Another couple of "things" were to fashion an ash catcher underneath the unit, so install a mesh at the bottom of the tube and then an extension of the tube onto this...To me this seemed a bit much; If you're going to do this, just make a VCSG from the get go! The other suggestion that seemed to work was to install a coiled piece of stainless rod in the tube, this seemed to provide enough air space between the wood chips to ensure a better burn. Take a squizz at the smokedaddyinc CSGs...The design is somewhat reversed to the Smokai, but might help.

I’m in Canada and enjoyed your video, I built my own smoke generator very similar to what you have, the difference is that instead of smoke pipe at the bottom I have my on the top and what it does it discharges the smoke and the moisture into the smoke chamber and I have a small metal can at the end of the smoke pike to catch the condensed moisture.

On sites I see here in Canada. They recommend microwaving the chips / pellets for two minutes before using them, and making sure there is no dust in there as that chokes the burn. I am on the verge of buying one after hearing rave reviews about smokai. Really looking forward to your update video. 👍

I've been using a similar product for over a year and initially found the same problems. I solved them by redisgning the diameter of the the wood chip holder to a 120mm pipe and cleaning after 20 hrs in a caustic soda solution. I also went for a variable speeed air pump that you can experiment wiith to give the correct amount of smoke to your particular smoke box.

I have no experience with this smoker, however I have a similar model and I find pre drying the wood chips or pellets in an oven 60 mins at 100c helps, it ensures most of the moisture is removed and the fuel drops down as it should. Also I do the same with the pro q smoker dust, the tip came in the instructions with that product. Seems to work well and the amount of cresote produced fell away dramatically when using chips in this style smoker. Wood be it chips, pellets or dust pulls moisture from the air depending on humidity and even product I have pre prepared and kept in a vacum tight container has failed to burn properly so I just dry a batch every time I smoke. I find this gives a first rime ignition and a full time burn

I purchased the 1 litre unit and also ran into creosote build up. I used a propane torch to heat up the smoke tube and the creosote melted and quickly dripped out. I ordered some properly sized, dry wood chips - hopefully that will result in better combustion.

I wonder if it’s worth insulating the tube. This might alleviate the condensate. I looked at a number of cold smoke generators around 10 years ago. Issue of ash and cleaning put me off. Could you add a 10mm galvanised mesh at the bottom?

I have just bought the 1L Smokai with a variable speed pump. I used some old ( so probably damp) Hickory pellets had from using a smoking tube. On the lowest pump speed the kept going out, at a higher speed too much smoke. I will try with new (dry) pellets and post again with results.

I discovered if you make sure the vent hole is just outside of your smoker, it burns very nicely.

Have you tried wood pellets? Their website says you can use them.

Creosote is produced by distilling wood in an oxygen poor environment. So I went back to the paperwork that came with my Smokai 1L. As well as advising on chip size it mentions adequate airflow and venting. Poor air circulation could starve the burning chips and lead lead to incomplete combustion and hence creosote production which gums up the works. It might also explain why the chips go out. My smoking chamber has only a small vent in the top of it. This is OK with the ProQ maze which produces a lower volume of smoke than the smokai. Several designs of DIY smokers include quite large vent holes at the top and bottom of the smoking chamber. I am planning to build my own (wooden) smoke box witha larger volume than the one I have been using and incorporate large and adjustable vents top and bottom possibly with a small fan to improve airflow. The fan may not be needed as the relatively warmer smoke should rise to the top of the chamber. I was interested to note that ProQ's own box for use with the maze has no vent at the top. Any thoughts anyone?

I suffer from way too much sticky creosote in my (smaller) similar smoke tube. I think this is the same ... sticky, smoky goo! Very hard to get rid of!

What about using wood pellets as opposed to chips?

I like to keep my wood chips is a cold environment try placing in the refrigerator to pull the moisture out of the wood chips with the container lid open or the bag unsealed

It’s possible the chips aren’t properly seasoned and maybe still little green (hence the moisture). Check the source of your chips and ask the question.

I have the 1 litre Smokai., and am getting bad results. Lots of moisture and coating a paint like gloss of smoke on the cheese I smoke. If I use a tube smoker on the bottom of the smoker its perfect which also takes all kinds pellets. This new Smokai which I thought would help is really annoying. I used Traegar brand pellets and they stuck in the tube silo tube. Big job cleaning. Then tried NZ Manuka wood chips very fine, burned quickly and the covering was very light after 3 hours. Had to use more chips. Still a light coating. Last night used a new pellet from Oklahoma joes, pure hardwood. No sticking in Silo, but the weirdest coating ever on Cheese. Like an enamel paint and only on the top. Very unattractive. Also had to fill the entire silo which is at least 2X the amount I would use with a smoking tube.

The Smokai seems to me at least, trying to solve a problem which doesn't exist, but only to create problems. Ill stick with my ProQ

Stay with th pro q smokeer

I have a Smokai 3 liter. I have never had an unburnt wood chip before. I use dry wood chips. If you do not know how to operate the device, then do not give a review for the product!

So a small weight or use the right air pump and the right chips. Basically you’re lazy😂

Pretty much not a review if you're not using the proper pump. 👎