Mesh Screen - retrofit

James MB · February 2009

Someone very kindly sent me a mesh screen to fit to my Med as I was getting a little worried about the risks of an egg near a timber building. So over the Christmas holiday I managed to fit it.
I had to get the medium out of its nest, remove the door and set about widening the channel the door slides in with a screwdriver.
On about the 28th attempt at fitting the screen and the door I reckoned that it would slide well enough because I didn't want to risk damaging the channnel.

Now I wonder whether it was worth it, I certainly haven't bothered on the "home egg" and don't know how easy it will be to use.

Anybody out there have any experience of this? My head says take the precaution in case it's worth it, my heart says it wasn't broken to start with - manage the risk!

Haggis · February 2009

My large does not have a screen and after stepping on a hot coal in my bare feet a couple years ago, I looked forward to the introduction of the screen. I bought my medium shortly after and thought it'd be a big improvement.

In practice, however, I find the screen to be generally a nuisance, making it somewhat harder to make airflow adjustments. I fully intend to remove it someday. But I hasten to observe that my Eggs are on a brick patio near a brick house with a slate roof - little danger of fire exists absent really dry conditions, and more sparks occur when lighting with a torch than fall from the vent. If I were on a wood or TREX deck, near vinyl siding, or lived in a dry area with woods or grass nearby, I'd be sure to use the screen. As far as stepping on coals - that's a learning process that all kids, even old ones, have to go through.

Grandpas Grub · February 2009

Hello James, good to hear from you. Hope all that cold I have been reading about over there hasn't hit you too hard.

All but one of my eggs came with the lower vent screen. The egg that didn't come with one, BGE sent out a screen to me for that egg.

I open the screen and vent door when lighting then I completely close the screen, then adjust the vent slider. Regulating with that setup has been very little problems for me.

Over here there is at least one house that burned out directly from a spark coming out of the lower vent. This was before the screen was made. There are more egg related house fires but I don't remember the specifics.

A few years back, my neighbors house burned down due to a spark on their patio. It took less than 15 minutes before that small fire consumed the entire back side of their two story house.

The sliding on my large and medium have been fine, not too tight or too loose. On the small and medium eggs the vent channels are too loose making the screen & door were sloppy. I ended up using some gasket material to tighten up the fit.

Be well, Kent

James MB · February 2009

I guess you're saying it's worth persevering.
One of the eggs is on a paver patio about three feet from the house - timber clad on a stone plinth. That's the one I've fitted the screen to.
My other is on concrete a fair distance from a brick house. No screen, yet, but I may try and add it just to see if I can iron out the issues with getting the other one to work - I don't spend enough time with my "other egg" !
Thanks for the comments - hey I lurk on here in my odd moments between things. One day I'll get some of those photos posted.

Grandpas Grub · February 2009

Problems usually don't happen, but for those that has dealt with fires have a lot of warnings.

I am thinking 3 or 4 folks on the forum have had serious fires from their cookers.

Looking forward to seeing some of your photo's when you get time.

Be well, Kent

Mesh Screen - retrofit

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