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Ideal setup for maintaining 250-275 indirect?

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A-Baum
A-Baum Posts: 29
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am having a problem getting my indirect smoke temperature up above 200 degrees. I have both the bottom vent and daisywheel wide open and it still won't get above 210 now.
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  • Big Knife
    Big Knife Posts: 35
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    Sounds like it might not be drawing properly. Do you have any wind outside?

    I've had mixed results when the bottom vent is wide open at the start, sometimes you'll see smoke coming out of it as a clear indication the air is not drawing the right way. Try closing it down to 1-2" wide so some heat builds up inside and you get hot air moving up, drawing air in from the bottom.
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    How long has it been burning and when did you put the platesetter in?
    You need a full load of lump. Put the platesetter in early, as soon as your starter cubes burn down or the fire is established, then it takes a while to bring that extra mass up to temp. If you waited to add the platesetter, it will take even longer. Either way, you should be able to reach your target temp in no more than one hour.
    If this is so, then you have an airflow problem, clogged grates, etc, or your thermometer could be out of calibration ;)
    Others will chime in.

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • Chubby
    Chubby Posts: 2,955
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    Check the inlet chanel on the firebox to make sure it's aligned with the bottom vent!

    Whe you bend down and look straight in...can you see in...all the way under the charcoal grate?

    Evans
    I spent most of my money on good bourbon, and bad women...the rest, I just wasted!!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Big Knife wrote:
    Try closing it down to 1-2" wide so some heat builds up inside and you get hot air moving up, drawing air in from the bottom.

    The egg doesn't work this way. DO NOT close the vent if you are trying to increase the temp. More air flow is what you need, not less. Otherwise, the usual suggestions...

    Plenty of lump
    If reusing old lump, stir it up to get rid of the ashes
    Make sure the old ash has been removed from the bottom
    No holes blocked anywhere (charcoal grate or firebox)
    Large access hole in bottom of firebox aligned with bottom vent

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • A-Baum
    A-Baum Posts: 29
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    I closed the vent to about 1/4 open and the temp is already rising. This is contrary to what I thought that vent door did. Always something to learn I guess.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Welcome to the forum. "Indirect smoke temperature" is a bit ambiguous. Getting to and holding temperature is not a hard task with the egg. Some of this depends on the lump, how you light and IMO most importantly air flow, specifically air flow up through he lump bed.

    Here is and example of some settings I use for different temperatures.

    Visual Guide to Vent Settings & Clear Smoke

    It's been a while, I will post some helpful tips in a few minutes.

    With more information about what you are doing we can help you in more detail.

    GG
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    It is not rising because you closed the vent. If it is rising in spite of that, there is another reason.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Big Knife
    Big Knife Posts: 35
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    Carolina Q wrote:
    Big Knife wrote:
    Try closing it down to 1-2" wide so some heat builds up inside and you get hot air moving up, drawing air in from the bottom.

    The egg doesn't work this way. DO NOT close the vent if you are trying to increase the temp. More air flow is what you need, not less. Otherwise, the usual suggestions...

    Oh I agree completely, but the air needs to be moving the right way first.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Depending on the settings of the DFMT, a lower vent 1/4 open will get pretty hot.

    It sounds like the lump is still trying to stabilize with the lighting of the lump and possibly where you put the lump chunks or chips.

    GG
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Chubby's helper. :lol:

    This is not a good alignment

    000_1155.jpg

    This is a good alignment

    000_1154.jpg
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
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    The first....and last...word on the subject. Great photo essay, GG.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    If you started with used lump in your egg be sure to stir the old lump in order to sift the ashes through the lump grate. Also, make sure the air holes in the fire box are clear of ash and chunks of lump. I use a wiggle stick in order to wiggle up from the bottom to help with the air flow. Tim ;)
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