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Does it matter how you light lump, bottom or top?

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EggPlant
EggPlant Posts: 70
in EggHead Forum
I had some lit coals at the bottom of the egg, so i just added fresh lump.  It seems to take longer to get clear smoke.  I'm using center cut by the way,  first time using it.   Maybe its the lump that take longer to get clear smoke or should i have lit from the top?
Mundelein, IL
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Using any lump I've purchased, always light from the top towards the front. The fire will follow the air down. This also lets you mix smoke wood into the lump and it will do its thing as the fire works past it..IMHO. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
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    Personally I would stir the lit coals with the ash tool before adding fresh to the  mix.
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,467
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    I used to light the leftover lump first, once going add fresh on top; I figured heat rises and it would clear the volatiles from the new lump quicker (I never "tested" this in any manner, however).
    Now, I just shake the ash off the old lump, add fresh on top, light, and it clears when it clears; saves me a trip back out.  
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    Heat goes up, and halfway used lump lights faster.......so if you light from the bottom, pour fresh lump on top, you will have a fire faster and hotter than the other way around.  Even you're not adding any, light from the top for low and slows, or from the bottom (through the draft door) for hot and fast.
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  • bigbadben
    bigbadben Posts: 397
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    These days I add a lighter cube or two in the bottom vent after 10 min I close the dome and set the vents.  It takes longer to get to temp, but rock solid and no fuss.  
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,208
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    I will usually light the leftovers first, using a propane torch. Once they're going I'll add lump and wood chunks to fill up the firebox. I never use lighter cubes any more. The burning wax leaves an odd smell and coats the inside of the egg with a film.
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • The_Stache
    The_Stache Posts: 1,153
    edited February 2017
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    Old habits die hard... I continue to use a weber chimney to light my new or used lump.  By the natural chimney effect the coals on the bottom of the chimney are the hottest fully burning by the time the lump is ready to be dumped into the egg.  The dump, of course, fully reverses the lit and places them on top of any ready to be burned lump in the egg.

    I simply stir and go... the smoke clears very quickly and temps stabilize in just a few minutes.

    (I don't really think there is a wrong way to light the lump!)  Well, don't try gasoline! :)

    Kirkland, TN
    2 LBGE, 1 MM


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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,467
    edited February 2017
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    bigbadben said:
    These days I add a lighter cube or two in the bottom vent after 10 min I close the dome and set the vents.  It takes longer to get to temp, but rock solid and no fuss.  
    I use the cardboard squares, that are sometimes hard to light even propped upright between chunks of lump; do the cubes light easier, so they burn sitting flat on the bottom of the Egg?  
    This thread got me to thinking.  Since I'm pulling my KAB out before lighting and to clean out the ash at the bottom anyway, that's an ideal time to drop an oil-soaked paper towel (a method I haven't tried yet) into the bottom, before replacing the KAB/lump, then lighting through the intake vent.  Hmmm.  
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • xfire_ATX
    xfire_ATX Posts: 1,112
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    The_Stache said:
    Old habits die hard... I continue to use a weber chimney to light my new or used lump.  By the natural chimney effect the coals on the bottom of the chimney are the hottest fully burning by the time the lump is ready to be dumped into the egg.  The dump, of course, fully reverses the lit and places them on top of any ready to be burned lump in the egg.

    I stir the old, scoop the chimney full of previous lump and add more as needed.  Use the Gas Grill to light the old lump and them dump it on top.  Works for me.
    XLBGE, LBGE, Charbroil Gas Grill, Weber Q2000, Old Weber Kettle, Yeti 65, Yeti Hopper 20, RTIC 20, RTIC 20 Soft Side - Too many drinkware vessels to mention.

    Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
    Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting.  The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president. 
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