daisy wheel only

henapple · March 8

While cooking last night i forgot to adjust the lower vent and i set the daisy wheel. Got it tuned in and actually maintained a steady temp better. This might be my new temp control method.

tyenic1 · March 8

So did you have the lower vent completly closed?

Mickey · March 8

I have said before I don't use the daisy wheel at all. But several on forums do like you and only use the daisy wheel. Why use two when one will do.............. It seems you have to be double bright to tune in two over just one setting.

lousubcap · March 8

The good 'ol garden hose analogy-you can control at the faucet or the nozzle or some combination..just like the air-flow thru the BGE. There are many ways to get there-enjoy the journey!

RICHIED777 · March 8

Was the bottom vent open or closed?

fishlessman · March 8

its too bad the bbq guru went to electronics, fans, interfaces etc. they used to make a simple plate that sat on top that used a spring similar to the thermastat in your car that regulated the temps. i still use one, bottom vent open, plate on top, 250 grate all day

MrCookingNurse · March 8

RICHIED777 said:
Was the bottom vent open or closed?

I don't see how he was cooking with the bottom vent closed. Same as if the ceramic cap was on and bottom vent was wide open. Air FLOW is the key. Can't have air flow if one side is closed.

MrCookingNurse · March 8

tyenic1 said:
So did you have the lower vent completly closed?

Air flow. Can't do it with one side closed.

Andymizunogolfer · March 8

I found that having the bottom vent open too much caused too much flare up. That was cooking with direct heat though. I guess with indirect it may not matter as much.

Charlie tuna · March 8

Unless i am doing a "low and slow", in which case i have my DigiQ fan on the bottom vent, my bottom vent is wide open.

henapple · March 8

I was cooking stuffed thighs, indirect. Bottom open. I've been struggling settling a temp and last night was a breeze. Stayed within 15 degrees for the whole cook. Might try dw open and control with bottom on burgers tonight.

Skiddymarker · March 8

Makes no difference what you use, air in = air out, unless you can throw a cat through the base dome gap.

I use the daisy as it is at eye level and I always spill my drink when I bend over to adjust that sticking, finger slicing lower vent....

Mickey · March 8

@henapple. Try it without the the daisy wheel at all. That is how I do it. If I was starting over I would do like @Skiddymarker and control with the daisy wheel for the reasons he named. To old to learn new tricks.

Eggcelsior · March 9

Skiddy, it's worse if the gap is big enough for a cat to get out - if you're into kittyq. Not quite my cup of tea :-&

Skiddymarker · March 9

Eggcelsior said:

Skiddy, it's worse if the gap is big enough for a cat to get out - if you're into kittyq. Not quite my cup of tea :-&

Ha! Reminds me of the Monty Python skit - "We buried the cat last week, took us hours, the darn thing would not lie still".

ratcheer · March 9

You learn something new every day.

I've had my LBGE less than a year and, trying to follow the instructions, I have always messed with both the top and bottom vents. I have actually gotten pretty good at it, but the consensus here seems to be to set one opening and forget it, and only adjust the other one.

So, for today's cook, I am going to try doing all my adjustments at the daisy wheel. Should the bottom vent be wide open, or something less? I'm doing a Boston butt for several hours.

Tim

Charlie tuna · March 9

I have no problem controlling all my cooks, except "low and slows" with my bottom vent wide open and controlling with only the big sliding part the of the top vent. ie: the actual daisy wheel stays closed(small holes). For low and slows i use the fan on my digiQ on the lower vent with the top vent completely closed. This works for me, and it has got to be an automatic operation. Set things up and walk away-- come back in 45 minutes -- check the readyness of the meat and take it off to rest!!

henapple · March 9

I guess the only potential problem i can think of might be leaving it open on a very windy day.

Charlie tuna · March 9

I have a perminently mounted fan that forces the smoke off my cooking porch when necessary and it has no effect on the "open" lower vent while cooking. But this fan will make the lighting of the lump much quicker.

Foghorn · March 9

Ratcheer, just close the screen down low and do the rest with the daisy wheel. I do this a lot on my XL. I get good control between 275 and 450 with the daisy wheel only. Getting below 250 definitely requires reducing flow through the lower vent.

While it is easy to think of the BGE as a chimney, I'm convinced that there is some diffusion of air through either the top or the bottom if you leave it open. That means (I think) that you could entirely close the lower vent and leave the daisy wheel fairly open and get enough air to maintain low temps - I just haven't tried that.

henapple · March 9

One advantage is not fooling with the bv is that allows more time to drink beer. :((

Charlie tuna · March 9

With my bottom vent wide open -- and my top vent totally closed, my egg will level off right at 300 degree dome temperature. This is a function of all my egg's air leaks. When i first installed my Rutland gasket this temperature reading was 275 degrees. My Rutland has a damaged area right under the hinged area about five inches long. I think it's all about getting aquainted with each person's egg. There are many ways to control it..

BYS1981 · March 9

I have only been using the bottom vent for about a year. I only use DW for 250 low and slows.

Mama Roneck · March 10

I agree with all about either vent controlling temp, but what about controlling humidity? My guess (no empirical evidence to support it!) is that a nearly closed daisy wheel would allow the egg to retain more moisture, which is desirable on low and slows, and not so desirable for roasts (chicken, leg of lamb, etc). So on roasts I try to leave the DW mostly open and control temps with the slider, and the reverse for ribs, butts, briskets, etc.

I willing to be proven completely wrong about this. Engineers of the forum, I await your comments!

henapple · March 11

I'd love to hear some input on this. Isn't one of the egg's features is that it holds moisture in

Charlie tuna · March 11

I don't think once the egg is stabilized that there is much humidity inside. If you use a water pan, the water boils off as soon as it reaches 212 degrees F . And the major advantage of the water is that it helps to maintain temperature -- by it's mass.

henapple · March 11

Tuna...so using the top versus bottom vent is the same?

Fred19Flintstone · March 11

I use the bottom exclusively above 300.

fishlessman · March 11

incase nobody here has seen mickey t rings, this is how some did temp control years ago, simply put a ring with a hole on top for the daisy, diffferent sized holes, different temps

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/966604/mickey-ts-smoke-rings

Charlie tuna · March 11

I am with Fred here, i only use the top vent for control on cooks over 300 degrees! My "low and slow" cooks are controlled by my DigiQ fan.

nolaegghead · March 11

Mama Roneck said:

I agree with all about either vent controlling temp, but what about controlling humidity? My guess (no empirical evidence to support it!) is that a nearly closed daisy wheel would allow the egg to retain more moisture, which is desirable on low and slows, and not so desirable for roasts (chicken, leg of lamb, etc). So on roasts I try to leave the DW mostly open and control temps with the slider, and the reverse for ribs, butts, briskets, etc.

I willing to be proven completely wrong about this. Engineers of the forum, I await your comments!

Well, water is a byproduct of combustion.

CH₄ + 2 O₂ → CO₂ + 2 H₂O + energy

And moisture is evaporating off the food. I have a hygrometer in the shop. I'll check the relative humidity next time I cook something and see if we can resolve this mystery with some motherflippin' science.

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