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DigiQ Question: Uses more charcoal?

TJP
TJP Posts: 20
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hey all - I've got another DigiQ II question. Doing my first cook (7.5 lb butt) and basically ran out of charcoal after about 12 hours at which point I noticed the constant temp (235 degrees) starting to decline. Typically this same size load of charcoal would last around 18 hours. It's not that big of a deal, as I just reloaded a bit, but just want to know if this is the standard operating procedure with a blower.

I've got the damper of the fan open half way and the top of my daisy wheel open just a tad.

Aside from the charcoal issue, it has held my set temp perfectly.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • What kind of charcoal were you using? How Much meat did you have on the BGE. What size of the BGe?
  • What kind of charcoal were you using? How Much meat did you have on the BGE. What size of the BGe?
  • TJP
    TJP Posts: 20
    Large BGE, BGE charcoal and one 7.5 lb butt with a plate setter.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    When I do an overnight cook I fill the lump, up to within 1" of the top of the fire ring. I can get at minimum 18 hours cook and probably 24 or more.

    As far as you settings are with the q2 as long as you settings are not letting the egg overshoot pit temps than you wouldn't be using any more lump.

    I have not tried to check how much lump is used with or without the q2 running. If I go by the 'feel' I would say I am not using more lump with the q2.

    My thinking is that it is going to take a certain amount of energy to get the egg up to any given temp and cooking. The only difference of using a powered vent system is that a little more lump might be burned getting up to temp. Other than that the same amount of lump, it seems, would be used to keep the egg stabilized.

    That's my 2¢ worth.

    GG
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Hmm...did you fill up the firebox and some of the fire ring? I use the DigiQ for both SBGE/LBGE, and I'll only crack open the dameper door 1/3 per some recommendations here. I'm using the 10cfm Pit Viper on mine, and I'll generally let the fire spread across the top for a while before attaching the blower. During this time, I'll have the lower vent wide open and the dome up (not shut) so that all the nasties in the lump burn off before I start shut the cooker. Just before I do that, I'll put a nice-sized cchunk of hickory dead center and let it burn for a few while, so it'll also not impart a bitter smoke taste.

    Oh yeah, you can mix some smoking woods at different layers in the lump to get a nice smoke throughout the cook.
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Well, the laws of physics say that you shouldn't use any more fuel to maintain the same temp, all other things being constant.

    My guess is that something else wasn't constant compared to other cooks where you haven't used as much fuel. Either different lump, different temp, different setup, different cold mass....something.

    I wouldn't worry about it much. I have had 25+ hour cooks on my large with a guru running at 250 dome.
  • You said you used the platesetter.... Did you have a drip pan inside filled with water or just the platesetter by itself? Using a drip pan with liquid in it will require you to burn more fuel in it naturally. The pan with the water inside acts as a barrier in a sense and plus you are heating water/liquid at the same time you are trying to cook the cold meat.
  • Firetruck
    Firetruck Posts: 2,679
    I have only used my q2 twice since I got it last month. The first time was ribs and everything went fine. The second time was (2) 7 lb butts. I did try putting water in a pan under the meat. I also used most of my lump and was wondering the same thing, do you use more fuel forcing air into the fire than letting the fire draft the air as needed. One thing to consider is the evaporation of the water. Steam will absorb a considerable amount of heat. If the pit probe detects cooler air it will force more air to raise the temp. thus creating more steam which in turn absorbs more heat etc. I have never put more lump than to the top of the fire box in my large. On this cook it took 18 hrs to finish the butts, and was running out of fuel at the very end. :whistle: whew. Anyway I love the q and it held the dome at 230 the entire time.