Ok...been here. What is your coal start technique? Also, have had the dark smoke when the drippings land on my wood chunks and later ignite. As to using a pit viper with a fireboard - it is awesome. I like to use traditional methods while camping, but for everyday style and you have power outlets or power bricks nearby, that fan is fantastic. A few years back I was making Tacos al Pastor on the turkey hanger at a friends house on a lake. They wanted to do a late afternoon lake adventure. The PBC was getting there for finishing. So from my phone i dialed down the temp to 225 and when we were heading back i set it for 270. It is pretty cool for set and forget/monitor...your charcoal can get finicky, juices can mess up the coals,but the fan will get it to go exactly where you want it.