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Vents WAY open for 230-250 temp, HELP please

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erichboss
erichboss Posts: 27
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
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The last few cooks I have had to crank open my vents to maintain temp in the egg. I have cleaned to the egg completely, made sure it was stable in temp before putting the meat on and it still requires the vents to be this open to maintain temp. The grid temp is 213 right now. Any ideas? Or should I not worry about it.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    How much lump are you using? Is that as much as you open the daisey wheel?
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  • LDD
    LDD Posts: 1,225
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    I think some of the common issues are

    1. thermometer calibrated?
    2. damn lump?
    3. air flow - give it a good tap from below.(I use the ash tool to give it a little tap from the bottom. (also check the air vents along the ring are free of coal.

    I'm assuming things are lined up and that you've been able to reach high temps before. Is that right?
    context is important :)
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    I fill the firebox up with lump and I can get a little more on the daisy wheel but not much.
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    Wigglerod3.jpg

    As long as your firebox is placed correctly, with the opening lining up with the intake vent.... you most likely just have an airflow problem in your new lump. It helps to put larger pieces in first, and not to use the real tiny pieces you often find in the botton of the bag.

    Anyways, take a coat hanger and put a 3" bent in one end. Use this to enter the lower vent and up into the lump. A GENTLE back and forth wiggle in 4 or 5 holes will stimulate some airflow, and your fire will come back to normal.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    Yeah i calibrated the thermometer before this cook. Never done the tap thing on the bottom. Just take the ash tool and rap the underside? And yeah I have had the bbq up to the high temps a few times. I am using the green egg charcoal.
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  • SmokinParrotHead
    SmokinParrotHead Posts: 532
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    Hook a corner of the ash tool into one of the holes in the fire grate and shake the grate back and forth GENTLY so as not to move it so much that it shifts out of place and fills the bottom with lump.
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  • SmokinParrotHead
    SmokinParrotHead Posts: 532
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    I just noticed that you said you cleaned it out completely before the cook. Are you sure you lined the bottom hole in the firebox DIRECTLY in front of the bottom door on the egg?
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    hmm i might have to try the wiggle rod thing.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    If that is as much as you can open the top, I say there's your problem. Open vents, plenty of lump, unclogged holes don't matter if you only open the petals. You're not getting enough air flow.
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    Yeah I am sure. When I look through the bottom vent everything is lined up nice.
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    Going to go crack the top open a little more to see if that fixes it.
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  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
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    Sounds like a standard air flow problem. Bet Thirdeye is right. I have a stainless rod made just to clean the air holes in lower fire grate. To late this cook but if your great is cast make sure the hole bevels are facing down. This will help keep the holes open on future cooks.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    That WILL fix it! Open it all the way and watch the temp rise. When it gets close to where you want it, start closing it a bit at a time until you hit your temp.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    how much lump did you put it?

    doesn't look bad to me, frankly. your daisy is in control here. it's more choked than the lower vent.

    air out equals air in, so if one of your vents is shut more than the other (roughly), that's the one running the show.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    IMG_20110313_150924.jpg
    This is as open as I can get the wheel without sliding the big opening open.
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  • BajaTom
    BajaTom Posts: 1,269
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    How many places do you lite your lump? I lite my in at least 2 or 3 places. Good luck to all.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    The guy says he can't get temps, but look at his daisy, He has the petals open, nothing else on the DMPT. No wonder!
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    I did make sure the bevels are facing down.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    You WANT to slide it open!
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    hmm only lit it in 2 places. I will try 3 next time. This is all really strange as I have only had this problem the last 3 cooks and I cleaned the heck out of the egg after the 2nd time to make sure that wasn't it.
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  • SmokinParrotHead
    SmokinParrotHead Posts: 532
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    Are you letting the fire get rolling a little before closing the lid and putting on the daisy wheel?
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  • erichboss
    erichboss Posts: 27
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    I let the egg go about 10-15 minutes the close the lid with the daisy off and let it get to about 250-275 then put the daisy on? Is this where I am killing it? I have left it off for longer but then she will get up 400 or so and then it takes over a hour to cool back down to 300. So i started catching it earlier to prevent this.
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    Yes, that is where you are killing it. Try to catch your temp on the way UP. Open the daisy slide a little at a time until you get your desired temp. Next time you fire your egg, open everything and then start closing the bottom vent and the daisy until you get it where you want. It's a bit of a learning curve, you'll get the hang of it soon. :)
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I haven't read all the responses but you are correct. That lower vent is way to open that should get you to above 700°.

    I see thirdeye has posted, I am guessing he is talking about a wiggle rod and that is the problem.

    You don't have a good air flow in through the lower vent up through the fire grate. The wiggle rod will clear some of those holes in the fire grate and 'wiggle' around to allow for some air passage up through the lump bed. There is a possibility you have a poor light or have only light in one spot too. But I am sticking with the air flow up through that lump bed.

    When loading the lump make sure the fire grate and the holes in the fire box are not clogged or blocked. A few pieces of larger lump over the fire grate will work best then there is no problem dumping the rest of the lump.

    Light in 2 to 3 spots off of center. Let the dome stay open for not much more than 3 to 5 minutes, until what ever you are using to start has a full light and burning well.

    Your lump has to develop its own draw of oxygen through that lower vent. If the burn is being fed by air traveling up around the outside of the fire box and fire ring and than back down into the lump or from the open dome you will be having stabilization problems and problems getting the egg higher temperatures. At some point in time the lump will end up drawing through the fire grate and at that the question will be 'why did my temperature spike so high'.

    One note, making a wiggle rod out of coat hanger will only do a so-so job. If you must use a metal hanger open it up bend it in half, twist the tow wires around each other (something like a rope) then bend the end upwards. This will give you more strength in the wire. Get a wiggle rod as it will serve you well.

    GG
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  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
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    GG, he's only opening his daisy petals. He says he has a completely clean egg with a full bowl of lump. He can't get above 250. He needs to open the slide on his daisy to go higher, IMO. Can you post the visual guide you made so he can get an idea of settings?
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    Fire for the most part is pretty simple.. fuel & oxygen in the proper ratio.
    One or the other is off if your fire isn't what you want..
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  • Morro Bay Rich
    Morro Bay Rich Posts: 2,227
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    Take the daisy wheel off!
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    erichboss,

    Kinda wish I had your problem today. Trying to do a prime rib at 200*. No cooperation from the egg

    DSC_0087.jpg
    DSC_0088.jpg
    DSC_0089.jpg

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
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    1. I would suggest lighting in 1, 3, or 5 places. Depending on how fast I want to get to cooking temp. determines how many places I light. I do 1 - dead center - when doing a low and slow. 3 - in a triangle - when wanting to get to temps. in about 20 mins or so. 5 - north, south, east, west, and center. This gets me to temps within 10 mins. I only do 5 when I can watch the fire. It gets up there pretty quickly.

    2. Open the bottom vent completely and take the daisy wheel off.

    I shoot for 50° above target temp (unless doing low and slow). So if I want 350° I take it to 400°. Open and scrape the grate. Opening will drop your temp a bit. Now I'll close the bottom vent half to three-fourths way. And now I'll put on the daisy wheel and open it the way you have in your pics.

    I leave everything alone at this point. Minor adjustments may be needed.

    I hope this helps!
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I saw the third picture on his original post...

    I'll post the visual guide shortly.

    Thanks, Kent
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