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Lighting from the bottom

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Tjcoley
Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
in EggHead Forum
After my unexpected success lighting the Egg from the bottom vent while trying to unfreeze a stuck Egg, decided to try again tonight for a pizza cook. Stirred the used lump and added more to fill the firebox. Cleaned out most of the ash, and used 3 oil soaked paper towels burning in the bottom vent. After about 15 minutes, I had flames coming out of the top of the Egg. This was at 400 degrees dome (calibrated probe) with plate setter legs up, grid, raised grid, pizza stone. With all the hardware in the Egg, still had flames coming out the top. No Daisy wheel, bottom vent open about an inch and a half. Closed bottom vent to about an inch, flames stopped and settled in at 500. Amazed at how fast it came up to temp.
__________________________________________
It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
- Camp Hill, PA
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  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
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    Hmmmmm. And here I think the lump burns in an inverted cone shape downward. 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,375
    edited February 2013
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    As mentioned above and contrary to most here-I light low&slows around bottom center (build the lump in the center to the rest of the load).  Never lost a fire (now jinxed) but subscribe to the observation that fires burn up as long as there is fuel. Heat/hot rises and structural fires (and this is not an oxygen unlimited environment for sure) tend to burn"up" before heading "down" for more fuel. FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Interesting. Would you use more lump this way though? I am at temp in 15 minutes anyway so no need to change but just curious. I am in the oil soaked paper towel lighting method clan myself just put it top front center and light. Teepee a few bigger pieces over the flame and leave done open for a few minutes. Close and in 15 I am at my vent setting.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    I always have lit from the bottom but not the bottom vent. I take whatever lump is left from the last cook and stir it and then teepee it around the paper towel. Give it a couple minutes like that and then poor fresh lump on. One thing I like is that the leftover lump doesn't pop near as much as fresh lump. I don't think it would burn any extra lump lighting from the bottom, either way it takes the same amount of lump burning to get to a certain degree.
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  • canegger
    canegger Posts: 540
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    I used the oil and paper towel method a couple of times now. I run out of starter cubes and had to do something. I think it starts better this way.imo. as for starting from the bottom I'll have to try it sometime
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Guess you are right. Never thought of doing that way, Lit. Pretty cool.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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