Temperature issues

Leaving the lid open?

I had to change my handle from wannabe since I now cook on a BGE :laugh:

after you light it leave the daisey wheel off and the bottom vent full open and close the lid. First the temp will go way up then go back down. After it goes down it will start to climb back up after maybe 10-15 minutes. As it approaches say 25 degrees below the temp your looking for is when you put the daisey wheel on and start to adjust the bottom vent and the wheel. It takes practice to get the position of the vent and the wheel right.

Rib Bones wrote:

Have you taken the fire ring out to make sure no ash is built up behind it? Also, check to be sure the holes are lined up correctly to allow air flow.

What do you mean "Are the holes lined up to allow air flow/ The holes on the firebox???

Sounds like you have small pieces of charcoal clogging the air passages through the main body of charcoal. Try just using the largest chunks of charcoal in the bag and see if that doesn't solve your problem.

Yes...the hole between the legs of the firebox needs to be lined up with the vent door. And the small holes in the firebox get clogged up with small lump and ash.

We took our Egg completely apart and found a considerable amount of ash built up behind the firebox. This solved our heat (or should I say lack of) problem.

Hope this helps!

 
What size egg are you using?

The formula is easy - Heat = Air + Fuel.

I have had a similar problem with my medium egg, I have now for the most part have gotten around the slow startup and lower temperatures.

Some folks will say to align the fire box opening directly with the lower vent, however, I don't feel that is all that critical other than for cleaning out the ash.

I would think your problem is with the air movement into and up through the lump. A powerful fan through the lower vent is almost useless.

You need to buy or build a wiggle rod - and use it. Thirdeye has some nice the wiggle rods available. A wire hanger does not make a good wiggle rod. If you are forced to use a hanger, straighten the hanger out and fold it in half. Twist the wire to get more strength then bend the end up for the wiggle rod.

Here is something to try. Loose the powerful fan. Pick up a fan something like this.


When lighting, use a soft low CFM breeze. This type of fan will assist greatly when using MAPP.

Before using the fan try the following one time.

Load you lump, don't worry about new, old, small or large lump. You don't necessarily to have to worry about cleaning out the entire egg or even cleaning out the ash from the last burn. I only clean out the ash on my large once in every 5 or 6 cooks (always before an overnight or long cook).

Here is what you need to pay attention to. Don't stir the lump up. MAKE SURE you do not have any small pieces of lump blocking any of the fire grate air holes or blocking any of the fire box air holes.

You say you are using MAPP so make an hole of sorts about 1 to 1.5 inches below the lump surface. The width of the hole, not real important about size of a 50¢ piece. Do this at 3, 6, 9 o'clock and center.

Use the MAPP to light down into each of the 4 holes. When those 4 spots are lit close the dome. No DFMT and bottom vent & screen full open.

Watch the thermometer and begin to close the vent and put the DFMT on as you approach your temperature.

Using this method without any fan you should be at temperature up to 450° within 10 to 15 minutes. Lower temperatures in a shorter time.

If you see a low temperature stall or it is taking a long time. Use the wiggle rod to clear the air flow up through the fire grate.

If there is still a stall, then use the soft air flow fan from the top side of the egg, yes dome open.

Just like building a camp fire, find some embers and let the soft flow feed those embers. As the lump burns wider move the fan to the other side of the egg and do the same thing.

When using air flow from the top make sure the best you can to get an even burn over the entire surface of the lump. Should you build a strong burn on the left of the egg, and not the right, obviously you will have created a hot spot.

Long to explain but easy to do.

If you still have problems ping or email me. There are some other things you can do to 'hop' up the egg.

With what I have explained above I have had my stubborn medium up to 700° (with out fan assist) in 11 minutes.

It is a simple matter of air flow up through the lump.

GG

 
Interesting idea, thanks for sharing.

GG