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Small Bge top temperature?

I bought my dad a small bge last christmas and when I talk to him he tells me his temp will only reach about 300 degrees. He has already upgraded the fire grate to the large breathing hole. I told him that he should reach a much hotter temp than that. I also told him to check his thermometer for an accurate reading. What does others experience with their small egg? I live to far for me to check out all these things for him. Thanks 

Comments

  • Lowflyer
    Lowflyer Posts: 785
    High-Que grate= 600+degrees every time.
  • smokesniffer
    smokesniffer Posts: 2,016
    Lowflyer said:
    High-Que grate= 600+degrees every time.
    +1
    Large, small, and a mini
  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
    his fire box must be clogged or their is to much ash in the bottom I have a large and I had the same problem so now after 3 or 4 cooks I take it apart and clean the holes in the fire box and shop vac all the ash out and now 750 with no trouble

    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    575-600 for mine with a High-Que. 300 is awfully low. Might want to make sure the fire box is line up properly with the lower vent in addition to what was already suggested.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    edited June 2013
    I actually had the small up to 700* by accident while I was tending to a stubborn batch of wings on the Large.  Something has to be clogged somewhere I would think. That was before adding the High-Que and on a Egg that had only been cooked on a couple of times.  I've wrapped around the thermometer on my medium which was intentional just to see how hot it would get.

    Or, cooking with damp or bad lump. That would be the only other thing I can think of.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Jrod72
    Jrod72 Posts: 67
    He already has the high-que. All cleaned out and vented. When I get a chance I will take it apart and do my own investigation. Thanks for all the comments
  • Jrod72 said:
    He already has the high-que. All cleaned out and vented. When I get a chance I will take it apart and do my own investigation. Thanks for all the comments

    wonder if he's wrapping the thermo and it's reall 1000? maybe he's not loading enough lump? no way a properly funtioning egg would only go to 300
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    Jrod72 said:
    He already has the high-que. All cleaned out and vented. When I get a chance I will take it apart and do my own investigation. Thanks for all the comments

    wonder if he's wrapping the thermo and it's reall 1000? maybe he's not loading enough lump? no way a properly funtioning egg would only go to 300

    =))

    haha just let him open it and lose an arm and eyebrow and we will know!! 

    My dome thermo went out and wast stuck at 200, I was doing some other work while I let it heat up and just kept seeing 200 so kept working.

    When I finally went to investigate, I opened an egg that had been cut loose for over 30 min and it exploded when I opened it!! Who knows how hot it was.  


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    I have a Hi-Que in my small and with a full load of lump it will hit 600* but be patient, it's nowhere near as fast as the Large or Mini and a brisk wind or some blower assistance might be needed.  I am totally convinced there is some kind of air flow problem with the small when it comes to going nuclear.  I think the lower vent is too small and the shape of the base does not create a good draft. 

    Call me crazy, but the other four sizes of eggs will spin the thermometer around with little effort, but not the small.  If I was willing to void my warranty I would cut out the lower vent just too prove my theory.  I can get it over 600* if I use a bellows, but the second you stop it will not hold close to the high temp.  Pretty clear that it's an air flow problem.

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    @BOWHUNR

    My small will run pretty quick up to about 450 when I'm lighting it. Then It's just creeping. A large will run to 700 + before you know what happened.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • My small runs to 600 to 700 without any problem--using hi-que grate, royal oak filled to top of firebox, light with looflighter and then shut lid, bottom vent full open and daisy wheel off until I am ready to start bringing temp down.

  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    I've had a small to about 900, fwiw.  However, if anyone remembers TimM, he had a small that he could not get over 550, as I recall.  He was as experienced an Egger as anyone, so it certainly wasn't a problem with the nut that holds the steering wheel.  Eggs can be funny.  But 300, no way.
    The Naked Whiz
  • Mathieu
    Mathieu Posts: 2
    I have the same problem with my egg. Almost everything I have on is standard though, this is not the first issue I have heard about the small either.
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,188
    Mathieu said:
    I have the same problem with my egg. Almost everything I have on is standard though, this is not the first issue I have heard about the small either.

    Count me in the same boat. I've had my small about four years, and I have gotten it to 900, but conditions have to be super ideal. The other eggs are blast furnaces, especially the medium. It likes to run.
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    My small has no problem reaching/pegging the temp gauge, except,  when I use the plate setter then I cannot reach 300 and eventually the coals are snuffed out.  DOW has the same problem with her small+plate setter.  Since I have a Woo for the small the plate setter is relegated to hold hot food or hot grates.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx