Char-Broil question. Hi All, Newbie to smoker-style cooking, and i need advice on how set the

Question

Hi All, Newbie to smoker-style cooking, and i need advice on how set the charcoal pan up on a Char-Broil water smoker. Having a  problem with ash buildup, tried stirring the ashes + moving the charcoal around whenever i had to add more to it, didnt help much.. The excess ash seems to cause problems keeping the airflow constant to the coals... Any ideas?? On a positive note, the chicken this thing makes is unbelievable ! Used  water/italian herb chicken broth in the water pan, and mopped it once every hour with full strength of same broth.. Rubbed it with lemon juice/worcestershire/salt before putting it in the smoker for 4 hrs... Mmm-M ! Whatta hobby ! Steve