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How long does an extinguished lump last before relighting?

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edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
You guys were so helpful with me on my last question, I am going to try your patience again.[p]One of the things I need to know before buying my first BGE is how long a lump lasts when it stays in the fire box before being relighted. I live in the wet, humid east Texas area, and the BGE will be outside under an awning, protected from rain. One of the great features of the BGE is its little appetite for charcoal. I understand, depending on cooking requirements, that I can get several uses out of one load of fuel. What I am wondering is if by waiting as long as a week between lightings, the charcoal left in the firebox will still be useful. You see, one of my wife's complaints with charcoal is loading up the grill and getting all that dust on her. My tactic is to tell her that if the BGE is loaded beforehand, she won't have to worry about that. [p]Thank you so much in advance for your replies.
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Comments

  • Cajun
    Cajun Posts: 147
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    No Method,[p]My experience is that it will last quite a while. I have filled up my egg and have 6 to 10 cooks, each one week apart. At the time, I was cooking short cooks like fish and kabobs and the like.[p]And we live in central Florida... humidity not a stranger here either.[p]Protrude on![p]Cajun
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    No Method,
    if it's out, it's still lump. a thousand years later you could dig it up and burn it.[p]
    it doesn't go bad. if it's still mup, it'll burn. otherwise it'd be ash
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,895
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    No Method,
    so iffin I read that right the Mrs. will be the one loading the lump plus cooking on it while you do what? If you really wanted to help her overcome her concern of the dust and all, you might want to build her a simple frame box using a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth for the bottom. That way she can dump a new sack of lump out and shift out the dust. OTOH some women folk here may suggest that you also grease up that frame you make her! LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • cbs
    cbs Posts: 99
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    I'm in Austin and have had no problem leaving lump out for any period. I've got two eggs so lump can sit in one weeks at a time and no problem.[p]My wife is like yours in that she doesn't want to mess with the charcoal to start anything. What I do when I need her to light the egg is clean it out the night before and put new lump in or otherwise get it ready to go (that may mean just making sure the ash is gone and that there's room for air). Then, she just throws a starter cube or two through the bottom air vent and lights the starters underneath the lump. That usually gets the thing going by the time I get home.

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  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
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    No Method,
    I would say forever.Ihave used lump that was 10 years old and gotten wet to boot.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    No Method,
    even though the lump will last for a long time in there, you will have to give it a stir to get the dust to fall thru the bottom grate, lump is dusty and so is the ash, you will have to atleast get it stirred up the night before if you dont want complaints.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Unknown
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    fishlessman,[p]Thanks, I can do that.[p]No Method

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  • Unknown
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    cbs,[p]Terrific. I think that my wide would like that, too.[p]No Method
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  • Unknown
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    stike,[p]Thanks for the physics lesson. I forget the properties of carbon, sometimes. [p]No Method

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    RRP,[p]point well-taken and dead on.[p]Thanks,
    No Method

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  • Unknown
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    darnoc,[p]Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. I really want one of these BGE's and need as much help getting over the experiences of using a bag of briquetes in a grill, and burning my food up just about time the coals are getting ready to cook on.[p]No Method

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  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
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    No Method,
    You need also to buy a box of one-use "rubber" (latex, polypropylene, etc.) gloves. They'll keep the lump dust from under the nails of whoever loads and stirs the lump.[p]Ken
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    No Method,
    sorry man. just tryna help a brutha out
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Unknown
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    Cajun,[p]So it really seems the efficiency of the BGE can cut fuel costs and save money, helping to defray the initial cost of the BGE. Every day the fellow who demonstrates the BGE at the local patio store fills up a chimney of charcoal, lights it, removes the grill, dumps the lit coals into the fire box, replaces the grill, cooks his lunch, and keeps it burning thoughout the day. Each morning he rakes out the ash from the day before. It seems he could sell more units if he just half-fill a fire ring, light it for lunch, shut it down when finshed, and then re-start with a couple of starters the next day. He needs to demonstrate the efficiency of the BGE and the ease of re-lighting a lump.[p]Thanks,
    No Method
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    BlueSmoke,[p]That's right! And they are good for tire-changes, where I use them most.[p]Thanks,
    No Method

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    stike,[p]No problem. We're cool. I'll have another question in a couple of days. [p]Thanks,
    No Method
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