Dave
Those cables are a little too expensive to pinching in the door. I think that was my 3rd mod on the smoker drilling a hole in the side of smoker, installed a silicone grommet in the hole and I can run 3 cables through it easily.
As for your question about minimum temperatures I have a few answers for different scenarios. #1 In the summer with gas burner on, wood chips smoking, 190 deg. with cold water and ice in the water pan. This takes a group of tending to the smoker and 4 hours of this takes the fun out it for me.
#2 Winter with gas on burning wood chunks and water in the pan I can hold 155 deg. But in these 2 cases with flame turned down so low wind blowing around the smoker base has blown out the flame a few times. (Winter ambient temps below 50 deg., Summer temps above 75 deg. )
#3. Winter with no gas, after starting wood chunks with out the water pan 78-85 deg. I did my first cheese smoke using this method for 1 1/2 hour smoke.
#4. Winter with no gas, 4 pieces of charcoal lit and wood split chunks and cold water and ice the pan the temps finally evened out between 72 -78 deg. I smoked more cheese for 2 hours and 40 min. I had to replenish wood 5 times during this smoke along with 1 more piece of charcoal. I put to much wood on the 2nd replenishment and the temps started to climb towards 90 deg. so I opened the door got more ice for the water pan and things settled back down. I will never do anything on this smoker using items 1 or 2. I feel confident with item #4. I have one more scenario to try: I purchased a 12" pellet tube smoker and I want try it by itself. Smoke salt?
I am trying to upload an pic of my smoker: Item1= Water pan resting on the upper rail for for the lowest rack. #2 Foil lining for the water pan( easy cleaning). #3 Foil cover over the sand to keep sand clean. #4. Wood chip bowl.
CM