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Lining up bottom vent with firebox opening

JudyFoodie
JudyFoodie Posts: 124
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Sometimes users ask why the temps don't go up high/fast enough. When advice is given to check that the openings line up properly, does one assume that a shift can happen along the way? I would think that everyone would set it up properly from the start.

Comments

  • Like any other group of folks, dealers and their delivery crews can be careless or have off days (let's get this thing together and get out of here). Owners can be in a hurry. And you need to remove the innards periodically to clean out ash build up. It's a quick check in any event.

    Having said all that (and yes, my firebox opening is carefully aligned with the vent door) I'm not really sure it matters. The air is drawn in by convection as a result of the hot lump, it's not being blown in by the wind (and if it is, you'll have control problems.) How much friction / slowing / diminishing of the air flow can be caused by going around a corner?

    If this isn't too much of a thread hijack, anyone ever do controlled tests to find out if this makes much or any difference in time to temp or max temp possible? I'd honestly be surprised to find out that it mattered much if at all.
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    Might a slight offset temper the hot spot at the back?

    Something to try.
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    If one is putting it together themselves they don't always get it lined up properly as they don't really know.

    It's such an easy thing to miss, or you think it's lined up but it's not. They don't normally shift unless maybe on is stirring the lump and the tool gets caught in one of the firebox holes and they pull on it.

    I use the ash tool to stir the lump and have done this.

    That's my take on it. :)

    Regards,
    Bordello
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    but if you dont line it up, you cant reach in and remove the ash which will effect the airflow
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    How hard is it to turn it when you're cleaning?

    I'm gonna try it.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    the last time i cleaned the egg other than pulling the ash out thru the bottom vent was in the summer of 2007, and my firebox was puzzled together in 9 separate pieces :laugh: i dont think mine will spin. but give it a shot and see what happens
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    No doubt a firebox in pieces would complicate the issue. I replaced the one in my Medium about 4 months ago. Guess I was lucky, it was only in 4 pieces. :cheer: I had used it like that for probably 5 or 6 years.
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Not that hard, I do it when I'm using my ash tool and it gets caught in the firebox hole. I make sure to correct it right away.

    Just as easy to set it up rigth the first time or if you take it out for cleaning and are putting it back in to do it right.

    Regards
    Bordello
    Firebox twister :S
  • GirlyEgg
    GirlyEgg Posts: 622
    Mine has never shifted that I recall. I usually take everything apart and vacuum out the egg before a long cook. I also make sure to clean out the "holes" in the firebox. There are holes along side of the firebox that help with the airflow as well. If these are blocked, I would imagine that the fire would be challenged....
  • Stanley
    Stanley Posts: 623
    A few months ago there was a thread started by someone who intentionally aligned these openings 180° off and was totally convinced this was superior. The thread got really ugly and personal and I haven't seen that individual back on the board since. FWIW, I'm in the alignment camp.
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    That's the second post this morning talking about vacuuming out the Egg and cleaning it spotless.

    I watch my ash build up closely and brush out the accumulation of stuff between the walls and the firebox a couple times a year, but that's about it. In fact, I'm still trying to get my new large "seasoned" as well as my old medium. You gotta get that layer of chicken/pork/beef fat and rub spices just right before you're really Eggin' :woohoo:
  • I'm a long way from spotless, and the inside of the egg has quite a "patina" of soot and grease and who knows what. But GirlyEgg is spot on about removing all the ash. If those holes get blocked it does mess up the air flow and you get an uneven bed of coals. Most times I don't pull the firebox, I just push the vac hose around inside from each direction. Probably vac every half-dozen cooks, and before a long low-n-slow.

    At the risk of emphasizing the obvious, make sure the egg is STONE COLD before using the vac. And if there's much of an ash buildup, make sure the ash bed is COLD too.
  • GirlyEgg
    GirlyEgg Posts: 622
    Absolutely! When I say "clean", I'm only talking about vacuuming the ash. I think it's easier than pulling out with the ash tool... definitely less mess! Believe me, my fire ring and platesetter are as cruddy as they come!
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    I just put on my my gloves, pull all the interior components out and brush everything out the door.

    Now that I think about it, where your Egg sits could be a factor, too. In a factory Nest, it's pretty easy to put an ash bucket under the damper door and brush it through. On a table, where you can't get the ash bucket under the door, a shop vac has more appeal.
  • What ever works. Mine is on the nest and use a small paint can to dump the ash into. Prefer a non windy day.
  • jeffinsgf,

    I vacuum, Not because I want the egg spotless but because I am an incredibly sloppy person and when I do it manually I make a mess. I use a dust bag in a shop vac and dispose of the bag when it's full. One point about this is I do not clean any egg until it has had two days at least of non use. Had one fire don't want another. I also store the vacuum out of doors well away from anything flammable.


    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    My wife always whines about the ash and stuff that misses the ash can and ends up on the patio.
  • Just remember that it is a potential fire hazard.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    Yeah, I have a stove insert in my fireplace and burn wood all winter. I'm careful about fire and wind combinations. :ohmy:

    I've been threatening to buy a fireproof vacuum for the house, this might tip the scales.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    it wont convince me, being single i pull the ash out and let it fall onto the patio, when it rains its washed into a zone of pine needles i have along the edge of the lake which slows the runnoff and is actually good for the lake, in the pine needles i have blueberries growing, with the blueberries i make pie on the egg. dont want to mess up the circle of life ive created. vacuum my egg, i dont think so :laugh:
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    It actually does matter, unless you will always want to cook low and slow.

    Air is like water it will take the path of least resistance. Yes it will probably get sucked in, but only through the little holes in the firebox.

    As fishlessman said the other function of the opening the bottom is to facilitate the removal of ash. It is a royal pain to turn it while it's hot.

    Line it all up as it has worked for 800+ years..
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Actually in my haste to get out of a competition site I often just put the parts back in the egg and load it up. In my haste to get setup for the next competition I occasionally just dump the lump in and and light it up. I have had a couple times when the vent and openning wasn't lined up. Hench my knowledge of knowing turning the fireboac while hot is a royal pain :)

    Chit Happens :)
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    even with the low and slow, if the opening isnt in front, you cant get a wiggle rod in there. dont mess with what works. i had an engineer in here that redesigned the wheel a few years ago, he spent about a 100k on his design and after we built it for him it didnt work, go figure. ;)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Why do you think I added at the end??

    "Line it all up as it has worked for 800+ years.."
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    well i was just ageeing with ya, wish i had a pic of that wheel, but then i probably would get sued, it had about a hundred parts to it
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    I once embarrassed an Electrical Engineer into redesigning a circuit board when I didn't use two-thirds of the devices he designed into the board.

    He kept saying that's why I put that chip in there. I kept saying I re-wrote the embedded software so this chip works too.

    The board ended up costing 25% of what it would have cost if they let him run free and it ran 50% faster. That board was re-inventing the wheel too.

    I don't think I want to fix a simple design that has worked for 800+ years

    Glad we agree on more then one thing in this thread :woohoo:
  • Now Pete you don't do that now come on. Your a dam Yankee you know better then that. :) Hope things are going good with you and hope the wife is doing good also.
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Yes I am afraid I did do that a lot this season. Hopefully when I get back to work the hours won't be so bad and I won't make those mistakes..
  • I vacuum (with a shop vac) too. And YES! One must be very careful.
    I've seen a vac that is made for ash...I assume it is built to be fire proof. Would most likely be a good idea to one for the Egg.