Maintaining temp on long cooks

ATLJack · November 2014

I've only done 2 overnight cooks and both times my maveric woke me up with the temp dropping rapidly forcing me to get up and rescue the fire. I think I am building the fire correctly (remove old lump and place the larger pieces on the bottom). Is it normal on overnight cooks to have to maintain the fire or am I doing something wrong? I will probably end up getting a controller for long cooks...

jcaspary · November 2014

On longer cooks fill all the way to the top of the fire ring or just below the plate setter if you have one. The other problem is trying to maintain a temperature that is too low. Once you get to 225 or below it is very hard to maintain without a controller.

dldawes1 · November 2014

Need more info...

How high is your lump level ?? To top of firebox, to top of fire ring, etc ?

Is your temp stable before going to bed and what temp, are you cooking at?

What setup are you using, indirect, drip pan, water pan, etc ?

What are you cooking ?

That will be a start in troubleshooting.

FYI, I use a Maverick and never have a problem on low and slow cooks. Should not have to touch fire during the cook.

bcsnave · November 2014

Merry Christmas...

Get a Digi Q DX!!!!!

grege345 · November 2014

+1 @dldawes1‌

ATLJack · November 2014

dldawes1 said:

Need more info...

How high is your lump level ?? To top of firebox, to top of fire ring, etc ?

Is your temp stable before going to bed and what temp, are you cooking at?

What setup are you using, indirect, drip pan, water pan, etc ?

What are you cooking ?

That will be a start in troubleshooting.

FYI, I use a Maverick and never have a problem on low and slow cooks. Should not have to touch fire during the cook.

Lump is to the top of the firebox and the temp is stable at 250 for at least 1 hour before I go to bed. I am using a pizza stone lowered in a spider to create indirect heat, a drip pan sits on the pizza stone, and pork butt or brisket is on the adjustable rig. Do you think the spider/pizza stone combo for indirect is causing problems?

ATLJack · November 2014

Or could it be the fact that the outside temperatre dropped significantly both nights?

Mattman3969 · November 2014

What kind of lump grate are you using?? You could be getting blockage from the ash that is restricting the airflow. And what kinda temp are you trying to hold?

rifrench · November 2014

Twice now on low & slow rib cooks I have had to open up the vent and kind of agitate the coals from the bottom, because the temperature dropped to 200* from the 250* it had previously been stable at (1 hour). Biggest lump in the bottom and then a mix of old and new lump. It has happened with RO, and Rockwood lump. I am also using a Hi-Que lump grate...LOL, it is easier to stick the rod through the grate and agitate the lump, than trying to do through the OEM drain grate.

Ladeback69 · November 2014

Of the night cooks I have done, the last one my temp was dropping because it was raining. The other times it went up about 20-30 degrees after being stablized at 250. I am looking at getting a Pitmaster IQ 110 or IQ120 temp controller.

rifrench · November 2014

Yup, had 'em go that way, too! I enjoy sitting out by the egg, and reading. But not in 40* and wind, for sure!

grege345 · November 2014

Do you think you can snap a pic of that set up?

dldawes1 · November 2014

Ambient temp should not effect your cooking temps. I've cooked low & slow when it was -9*F and the egg held temp just like it was 72*F outside.....no difference, and no variance thru the night.

I use the BGE fire grate and never have a airflow problem except a couple times when I used cowboy or frontier lump on a L&S...never seen Rockwood ash -up the fire grate..

If your temp was stable for an hour...it should have stayed there for the duration.

Has to be an airflow problem...but I don't know what could cause it.Did you reassemble everything correctly and align firebox with bottom vent correctly after cleaning ?

sumoconnell · November 2014

Air flow issues, hi-q grate is the solution! Got it love it, done. No more plugged holes in the shower drain during a low and slow. Good luck whatever path you take... there are many ways to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same. Who took my beer?

XC242 · November 2014

On o-nite low and slows my DIgiQ lets me sleep like a baby.

jhl192 · November 2014

@ATLJack‌ what size BGE are you using. My guess is medium or large. As others have suggested. Use more lump. Also, I would vacuum out the base at the beginning and ensure that the firebox air holes are open. My guess is you need a high-que grate. Ash build up is disrupting the airflow.

Sundown · November 2014

jhl192 said:

@ATLJack‌ what size BGE are you using. My guess is medium or large. As others have suggested. Use more lump. Also, I would vacuum out the base at the beginning and ensure that the firebox air holes are open. My guess is you need a high-que grate. Ash build up is disrupting the airflow.

That was going to be my question. All of those responses and no one asked.

Terrebandit · November 2014

I fought the same battle and ended up getting a PartyQ. It's a very simple and inexpensive controller that works very well for low and slow applications, especially when used in combination with a Maverick (which you already have).

rifrench · November 2014

L BGE, always clean out after cook, take care when loading lump not to block air holes. Always fill to the fire ring, or higher. It is possible the "cull" on top of the load was too thick. Stabilized at 250*, put ribs on and closed the top. Temp returned to 250*. I left the area for an hour or two and the next time I looked, it was at 200*. I stuck my bent antenna up into the lump and agitated it, then opened the lid and rolled the lump on the edges into the center. AR with oval grills makes that easy. I've been egging for two years now, at least once a week. No longer a virgin, but always eager to learn....

Skiddymarker · November 2014

Along with the suggestions above, in my MBGE the fire is lit on the top near the front. The fire will follow the air down towards the fire pit. Once it stabilizes it stays pretty much at one temp.

For overnights a stoker will give you a good nights sleep with visions of glazed butts dancing in your head.

Makes sure fire box holes are clear.

Rake ash from between fire box and base and from the ash pit - no need to vacuum just rake it.

Use a High-Que or other better airflow grate.

Fill to almost top of the fire ring.

Light on the top in the front.

Beavercreek_Smoker · November 2014

One my large, I've done 3 slow cooks. My first time I didn't load enough charcoal and started to go cold around 12 hours. After that, I loaded near the top of fire ring. After putting in platesetter and reach 220-250 I close vents down almost all the way. Bottom vent open about the thickness of a quarter. This usually holds me for right on for my whole smoke of 15 hours with coals left to go longer if I needed. Fyi, I seem to be able to hold 250 easier than 220. I also use the Orginal grate but sue a stainless top vent. Smoke ware is the brand I think. I also stay with the grill for a few hours till the meat temp warms up and stops influences the Egg temp. Once it locks on the temp, it stays there. At least for me, no need for additional hardware/electronics.

BYS1981 · November 2014

I have had my medium go for 18+ hrs just like my XL, I don't think I'd need to go past that many hours, which would make size diff not that big of a deal.

theyolksonyou · November 2014

No problems on L&S on my large. Clean it out, filler up and let it rip. Agree to let the meat temp stabilize because it will suck the heat out initially. And use good lump.

jaydub58 · November 2014

I.m with @Terrebandit on the PartyQ.

Great unit, and a real winner!

Maintaining temp on long cooks

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