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Need help getting to 650 degrees

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CrimsonTideGirl
CrimsonTideGirl Posts: 130
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
The first time I cooked steaks I was able to get to 650 degrees, but haven't been able to do it since and need some help. I load it full of lump, use the electric lighter and when the lump is flaming, I close the lid. I have exeprimented by opening the daisy wheel all the way, and closing it, and opening and closing the vent at the bottom and just can't figure it out. I really want the great seer on my steaks so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!!!

Thanks,
Katie
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Comments

  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Very simple.

    Heat = Fuel plus Oxygen.

    Take off the DFMT or open it all the way (slider and petals) and open your bottom vent use a wiggle rod to make sure you have a good air path up through the lump.

    If you have a good air path through the lump and have a wide burn on the lump you will easily take the egg to well above 650° and up to 1100° or more.

    Beware of those gaskets when getting up into those temperatures.

    GG
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    I agree, no reason it shouldnt get as hot as you desire. Just start with your Egg clear of ash,with grate and firebox holes clog free, lower vent open wide, and no daisy wheel.
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  • CrimsonTideGirl
    CrimsonTideGirl Posts: 130
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    Thank you Granpa. I do use a buckethead shop vac to vacuum out the ash, but probably need to empty out the firebox and clean it too. Should I let the lump flame for a little while before closing the lid?
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  • CrimsonTideGirl
    CrimsonTideGirl Posts: 130
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    Thank you Granpa. I do use a buckethead shop vac to vacuum out the ash, but probably need to empty out the firebox and clean it too. Should I let the lump flame for a little while before closing the lid?
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  • CrimsonTideGirl
    CrimsonTideGirl Posts: 130
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    Thank you Granpa. I do use a buckethead shop vac to vacuum out the ash, but probably need to empty out the firebox and clean it too. Should I let the lump flame for a little while before closing the lid?
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Double post, sorry. :)
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  • CrimsonTideGirl
    CrimsonTideGirl Posts: 130
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    oops... I hit submit too many times and can't figure out how to delete. Sorry.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    That back button will get ya...

    Getting the egg above 600° requires good air flow through the lump.

    I don't worry much about cleaning out the ash other than an overnight cook. I haven't pulled the fire box out of the large in over one and a half years now. Folks get picky about having a perfectly clean egg, new lump fire box opening aligned with the vent opening in the egg.

    However, if one thinks about it the amount of air opening of the lower vent feeding the lump isn't much at all. That being the case the fire box/vent opening alignment and or cleaned out ash doesn't seem to be all that important.

    A 350° burn on my large requires the lower vent being opened about 1/2 inch by the height of the vent. The screen is closed so that reduces the actual opening by 30 to 50 percent. As long as that amount of air gets to the lump that is all that is needed. Even if the ash under the fire grate was 1/2 full it wouldn't affect the temperature.

    Here is a cook using very small lump (smaller than the thumb to the first knuckle) left over from other cooks and only loaded up to the air holes in the fire box.

    smalllumptst3.jpg

    smalllumptst4.jpg

    smalllumptst1.jpg

    If you want a quick light and the ability to get the lump to have a good air path quick here is another tip. Put an air tunnel under the lump. The aluminum foil makes little difference and is not needed. This is a 3" vent tub cut short, available from most any hardware store. I only leave it in for the initial lighting and temperature climb. After that the lump will draw the air needed.

    venttube.jpg

    GG
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Ron, what are we gonna do with you? :whistle:

    CT Girl, don't use the back button. Causes double posts. You can't delete the double, but you can edit. Open the post in question. In the lower right of any of your posts, you will see and EDIT button. That will let you change the post title to NM (no message) or whatever you want to put there. Also, you can delete the words in the duplicate post. Or edit the text to say something like "Double post, sorry. :) " Bacchus was just being a smart a.... er, helpful. hahaha

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    I double posted also, was apologizing for it. Merely a coincidence with CTG's.
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Pulling out the firebox and cleaning the ash arent mutually inclusive. Allow the bottom to fill with ash, and your fire wont burn, whether the result of low/slo or hot/fast.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Then my apologies are humbly offered. :)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • bluckdaddy
    bluckdaddy Posts: 7
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    Had the same problem at first. I tried everything even removing all the lump and taking out the smaller pieces. What I finally figured out was that I wasn't getting the grate on the bottom clean. All I do now is use the ash rod and stir the lump well all the way down to the grate making sure the holes are clear. Make sure you don't move the grate out of place. The other thing I do is take the daisy wheel completely off. Last, I also leave it burn with the lid open longer then normal which helps it get really hot quicker.
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  • ibanda
    ibanda Posts: 553
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    Open the bottom vent wide open, and take the metal top completely off. Watch out for flames shooting out the top in a few minutes!
    "Bacon tastes gooood, pork chops taste gooood." - Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction
    Small and Large BGE in Oklahoma City.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I use the eggs on 6 to 10 cooks a week on average.

    I usually go 5 cooks and as many as 10 cooks before cleaning the ash out from under the fire grate on my large. Haven't pulled the fire box out in my large in 1.5 to 2 years now - still fires fine.

    Medium, 6-8 cooks before cleaning. Small, haven't used enough to now. Mini 4 cooks and I remove the fire ring and fire box when cleaning - it is just easier. The ash tool is almost as good as a plastic spoon.

    However, I always clean the ash out from under the fire grate on every overnight cook - just to be sure.

    I do go between the fire box and egg wall as far as the ash tool will reach when I do clean out the ash.

    The lump only needs a small air path to burn efficiently with the egg design.

    Everyone gets into their own habits. There are a lot of different ways of doing most things with the egg and it seems most of those ways work well.

    GG

    GG
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  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
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    put your leaf blower in the bottom vent.... it will reach welding temps in a couple of minutes( leave the daisy wheel off)...
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  • tigeregghead
    tigeregghead Posts: 17
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    Why leave the daisy wheel off? Also, isn't leaving the lid open kinda like cheating???
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  • bluckdaddy
    bluckdaddy Posts: 7
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    I just leave it open for a little longer then normal for it to get hot then shut it. Just helps it get hot faster. Although I do like the leafe blower suggestion that someone else made!
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