Is there a reason NOT to fill the Egg up with lump every cook???

I rake the used lump to allow ash and small pieces to fall through.  Then I top it off with fresh lump to about 2 inches above the air holes.  That seems to work well for me for most cooks.

Everytime you add new lump you have to or should wait for the VOC's to  to burn off. With used lump you've already completed that process and can throw the food on as soon as you get to the desired temp. I usually get 3-4 cooks out of a load of lump. Most of the fires that go out being discussed are during low and slow cooks which can be affected by a multitude of reasons. But I always clean and fill before a long cook.

I do the same. Take my tongs and stir the fines down thru the fire box grate then add to about 2" above the air holes unless I am doing a long low and slow then I clean out everything and fill to top of fire box. I have a butt on now has been on for over 16 hours at 250 and there is plenty of "wood" left.

I'm not rich enough to fill it up every time.

I think that is his point, why do you feel it cost more to top off?  You still burn the same amount of fuel, just having extra available reduces the chance of "lack of fuel" conditions.  

 

I try to keep double the amount I feel I need for each cook, just in case I would like to kick it up in temp at the end for any reason.

After every cook, I totally empty the lump and save it then clean the BGE.

On the next cook, I add new lump (so the larger lump is on the bottom allowing better air flow) then add the saved old lump.

This whole strategy maximizes the desirable air flow during cooks.

. . . . .  Pete

I could be wrong, and it may just be a few dollars and cents here and there, but I feel that I get the most bang for my buck if I don't have my "used" charcoal burning up while I'm waiting for the rest of the full XL egg to burn off and get ready. Do I have any science or proof? Absolutely not. I guess it's more of a "don't take any more than you need" or a  "waste not, want not" mentality (that may or may not be wrong).

After every cook, I totally empty the lump and save it then clean the BGE.
. . . . .  Pete

I love cooking on my egg, but not enough to do this...

call me silly... but i look in the egg, and decide whether there's enough lump. if i want more, i add it.  if not, i just stir and light it.

adding new lump means a little longer wait for VOCs to blow off, but that's no big deal.

i only fill it when i think it needs it

I normally will empty the coals and sift threw um..pick out the good stuf and reuse them...the rest I chunk..it is too costley to replace with new lump coal...The only time i use all new is before a long, slow cook.like a pork shoulder etc..

I have found the only issue is AIR...make sure all the holes are not clogged up and the Egg can breath good..

I really don't get all this talk about the VOCs burning off, if that was needed as the fire sinks into fresh coal you would get VOCs all through the cook.  To me it is important to get the fire to temperature and heat the dome so you don't have condensation build under the dome and rain on your food.  The VOC thing just makes no sense to me, actually I don't even know what VOC means.

Google it. VOC's don't have to be technically "burned". They are organic fumes that are removed by heat and air movement, namely the updraft through the eggs. So while very little of your lump maybe burning at the start of a cook the heat and airflow eliminates them within 15-30 minutes. Think paint fumes. And they can, and do affect taste of the food just like cooking with briquettes before the starter fluid is burned completely off.