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Platesetter (ConvEggtor) Installation

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weekender
weekender Posts: 61
in EggHead Forum

I have searched the forum, but cannont find any information on this.  Does it matter whcih way I place the 3 legs of the platesetter in the egg?  I am not talking legs up or legs down, but if one leg should be lined up with the hinge or two legs on either side of the hinge?  Just trying to figure out how to place the 3 legs and if it even matters for heat flow.

Northwest GA, Large BGE (w/Nest), Plate Setter

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
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    Personally I place mine so one leg is above the lower vent as that always seems to be the most re-occuring hotspot in my eggs.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • mshump
    mshump Posts: 212
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    There is no "you have to put it here"  most are placed as in the pic. One leg in the back(supposedly this helps with a hot spot in the back)
    Danville, Il
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  • Zarcon
    Zarcon Posts: 540
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    I put one leg directly in the center of the BACK of the egg. Meaning if you are looking down on your egg, it would look like an upside down Y

    Since more heat is generated in the back of the egg, have a leg back there will help flow the heat left & right.

    My 2 cents worth..
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  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 894
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    I put mine in the little indentations!!

    <ducks for cover>

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



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  • weekender
    weekender Posts: 61
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    Thanks to all for the quick responses.

    Northwest GA, Large BGE (w/Nest), Plate Setter

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  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
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    mshump said:
    There is no "you have to put it here"  most are placed as in the pic. One leg in the back(supposedly this helps with a hot spot in the back)
    I usually have mine the opposite, one leg in the front.  I do it this way as I run my probes in from the left rear side, so my probe wires are situated above one of the legs and out of my way when opening and closing.  It also happens to be right where the band tightening bolt sits.
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
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  • tgkleman
    tgkleman Posts: 216
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    I have also heard there is a hot spot a the 12 oclock position.  I orient one let directly over this spot
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
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    I orient mine like all above (except Zmokin) - one leg straight back at the 12 spot.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Never even thought of it. I just put it in there.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
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    Well - so far for those responders it looks like @Zmokin and I are the only two with a hot spot in the front and not in the back. Here is a picture of my large and while the depth perception isn't real good in the picture the front is burnt down into a well compared to the backside. The reason I believe is the kerf in my firebox runs right through the bottom vent opening. That large gap is very visible at 6:00 and there is no question that gap is feeding air directly to my front and thereby creating my hot spot! Are they now cutting the kerf elsewhere?
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
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    Here's another shot of my 2 piece firebox clearly showing the kerf was cut through the middle of the lower vent.
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
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    It appears that your Fire Box is broken in that area in the picture which I would think would allow more air up into the Lump at that location. Is it broken or am I seeing things. RRP
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
    edited October 2014
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    GaryLange said:
    It appears that your Fire Box is broken in that area in the picture which I would think would allow more air up into the Lump at that location. Is it broken or am I seeing things. RRP
    Yes it is broken, but my point is the kerf is cut up through the vent opening which is placed in the front. Even though the other break is like at 1:00 the onslaught of rushing air causing my hot spot is at the front 6:00 not at 1:00. Look at this picture again:
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
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    Zmokin said:
    mshump said:
    There is no "you have to put it here"  most are placed as in the pic. One leg in the back(supposedly this helps with a hot spot in the back)
    I usually have mine the opposite, one leg in the front.  I do it this way as I run my probes in from the left rear side, so my probe wires are situated above one of the legs and out of my way when opening and closing.  It also happens to be right where the band tightening bolt sits.
    I also strategically place pit wires over legs to try and keep them from getting fried. Good call.
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  • weekender
    weekender Posts: 61
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    Thanks to all who responded.  It appears that I will need to watch my next few burns to see where my charcoal burns more.  As I recall my past cooks that were lit in the middle of the egg tend to burn hotter in the back of my egg (12:00). 

    Northwest GA, Large BGE (w/Nest), Plate Setter

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
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    weekender said:
    Thanks to all who responded.  It appears that I will need to watch my next few burns to see where my charcoal burns more.  As I recall my past cooks that were lit in the middle of the egg tend to burn hotter in the back of my egg (12:00). 
    Good idea, but you might want to simply look at your fire box and see where the kerf is. That allows a major stream of fresh air to to drawn in and directed to a precise area of your lump.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    My hotspot is in the back. I light 2 spots in the front and on towards the middle and it still burns from the middle back on cooks under 400. I get this 2 inch border of unlit coals along the border halfway around almost every time.
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  • SMITTYtheSMOKER
    SMITTYtheSMOKER Posts: 2,668
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    I have found that the draft in a Large Egg drifts slightly front to back. Thus giving you a slightly hotter grid temp in the back (indirect and direct). Watch something cook and you can see evidence of this, which side of the Egg browns faster.

    Platesetter with a leg in the back is best.  Be careful with you adj rig round stones, the oval is best to counter the hot spot as well.

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

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  • Central_Bama_Egger
    Central_Bama_Egger Posts: 886
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    My hotspot is still in bed...... Oh crap, I mean in the back as well. Slightly left as well.
    Huntsville, Al LBGE
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    For years my hotspot was at the 12 o'clock position. It's slowly shifted to around 9. No idea why. I've taken it apart numerous times, cleaned it of all ash and put it back together. No cracks or broken firebowl. Might have something to do with a large expanding crack on my original cast iron charcoal grate, but I have no evidence to support that. maybe it keeps going back in the same way and since there is more airflow through part of it, it gets hotter on one side.

    Regardless, I have always put one leg at the 12 o'clock position and have stuck with that. Tradition I 'spose.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    I place it at 6 o'clock. That way I do not get a direct hit on my dome thermometer with the heat rise.
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
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    I to place it at the 12 position but only cuz it's easier for a drip pan. Guess i really never put a whole lot of thought into it.
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
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  • GreenHam
    GreenHam Posts: 22
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    I know this is and old discussion but I am new this week. Does the position of the legs affect the reading on the temperature gauge? I was thinking of lining up on leg directly below the gauge to get a more accurate reading of indirect heat. What do you think?
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I think you are overthinking. Seems to be a lot of that going on around here lately. The temp at the gauge is the temp at the gauge. Which is the only temp I ever use. If I want a higher temp, I will open a vent. Lower? Close a vent. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    Another vote for the back slightly too the right of center-line (referenced when looking into the BGE) as the lower vent is slightly to the left of center-line (LBGE).  Charcoal burn pattern confirms a burn toward the back bias.  YMMV-
    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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  • GreenHam
    GreenHam Posts: 22
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    Thanks.
    I could be overthinking it. I am on my first cook and always focused on continuous improvement. I put a digital thermometer thru the gasket below the dome above one leg of the conveggtor and I am 50 F lower than the spring meter that comes with the Egg. I see now on Oct 30 Hotch answered this issue.
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Carolina Q said:
    I think you are overthinking. Seems to be a lot of that going on around here lately. The temp at the gauge is the temp at the gauge. Which is the only temp I ever use. If I want a higher temp, I will open a vent. Lower? Close a vent. 

    there's a flood of new members in the last few weeks. That's awesome, but I think we all overthink initially, especially if you spend a lot of time reading here.
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,767
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    Ok Ok, I admit, I Googled Kerf
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Durangler
    Durangler Posts: 1,122
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    I've got an XLBGE & place one leg over the vent. I'll take an IR reading at each leg on my next few cooks. Have a low n slow scheduled Friday night, 3 butts 25# total. Not sure when my next pizza cook will be. Maybe Sunday. I'm curious of hot spots on the XL. 
    XL BGE, 22" Weber Red Head, Fiesta Gasser .... Peoria,AZ
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    here is how you figure out where the hot spots are:

    1. buy a package of biscuits from the store.

    2. fire up the egg to the temp specified on the package, raised direct

    3. place the biscuits on the grid in a uniform pattern. you may want to oil the grid so the biscuits don't stick.

    4. check the biscuits after several minutes. the ones over hot spots will brown more.

    5. eat the biscuits after they are done.


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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