Order of the Singed Hair

Doc_Eggerton

OK, I know about blow back.  You don't forget your first big blow back, and I sure didn't so I take appropriate precautions.  Well tonight the Large decided to show me some personality.

I am cooking marinated pork chops on the Large, and a big basket of vegetables on the Extra Large.  The XL is behaving normally, but the Large is not warming up fast enough.  I know it isn't blocked up because I stirred the lumps and raked the ash box before starting.  After a few minutes I opened the lid to get it cranking and I notice that the fire is all underneath the top layer.  The top is black, the underneath is glowing.  I never saw that before.

After a few minutes of open time I close the lid, and start watching the temp.  Suddenly the thermometer jumps and climbs like crazy.  OK, I guess I reach critical mass.  I go a bit beyond the target temp and close down a little.  Well, the thermometer drops like a stone.  Open it climbs like crazy and a little closed it plunges.  I never saw wild swings like that before.

So I'm fiddling with it to try and get stable, when whoooomph, I get blow back out the top vent and the firebox screen.  I close the top vent to just cracked, and the bottom is open, and step away for a few minutes.  If anything I expected it to have lost heat, but when I return It is up at 800.  I close everything and leave it alone until it cools back to 500, and I start cooking.

After that it behaved pretty normal.  I get it stable on the target temp (which was only 450) and leave it for about 15 minutes so the dome can heat soak.  I open it and get whammed by another good blow back.  Both vents were open and I was not at high heat, but it still blew back.

For the rest of the evening it behaved normally,  although it seems to be slow in cooling out.

The only other possible factor, it for the first time this bag of BGE brand lump has had some stones and lumps of dirt in them.  I wonder if the coal was contaminated.  The food tasted fine.

Chubbs

I had a similar situation a few weeks ago on my first use with Royal Oak. A few thoughts. Was it the first cook after completely cleaning the egg? Did you fill the lump all the way up? Did you use the end of a bag of lump with the dust? These are the things I realized I did. I wad quick to blame the new brand of lump, but 99.99 % of the time it is the Indian and not the arrow!!! It sounds like you and I both had the perfect scenario for flash back. My takeaways were to try to eliminate loading the dust at the bottom of the bag in the egg as it is flammable. I also do not fill the egg with lump unless I am doing a low and slow. I also make sure I let the lump burn for a bit before I close the dome to burn the VOCs then wait until little or no smoke is coming from egg before I begin. I am no pro by any means but this is the feedback I received and made sense to me. I hope it helps.

ribmaster

The reason you hit 800 is because of the blow back. You cleared the clog and got air flow.

Your high temps before the blow back where the heated gases collecting in the top of cooker.

 

gerhardk

 I also make sure I let the lump burn for a bit before I close the dome to burn the VOCs then wait until little or no smoke is coming from egg before I begin. 

I think letting it burn a bit with the lid open will actually create ideal conditions for blowback.  What you are doing is giving more coal an opportunity to catch fire, then when you close the lid and shut the vents to control the temperature you will be depriving burning coals of oxygen.  Now you think you have the desired temperature you open the lid and boom all the gases that did not burn because of lack of oxygen get a hit of fresh air and light up.

Gerhard

Chubbs

I use starter cubes so I leave lid open until cubes have burned then I close. Should have clarified. I have only had the one flashback and I think a big part was the dust- and that seemed to be the consensus from the forum too.

Doc_Eggerton

While tonight has me a bit puzzled, the basic issue with blow back is the combustion triad. Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen.  You have to have all three for combustion.  It is easy to get fuel and heat with the Egg, and have it deprived of 02.  Have it hot with vents closed, and you are looking for blow back even if you open the lid slowly.

Ragtop99

If I see that situation and I'm paying attention, I'll open the top and bottom vents and wait 10 seconds before lifting the lid.

Dust is very combustible.   

NewEnglandEgger

I believe this picture should get me immediate membership into the Order?

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/PHAZEZER0/2deabe60.jpg

Chubbs

Please tell me that is you and please share the story. I just opened a cold one.

Flamethrower

Please tell!!!!!!

ChokeOnSmoke

Yikes!

Never had a flashback yet & hope I never do!

NewEnglandEgger

Ok...story time!

I was switched to Royal Oak lump today. Decided to make some burgers.

After a number of opens & closes, I left the lid down for about 3 minutes...then opened it again w/o thinking.

WHOOSH !!! and the immediate stench of burned hair! :(

Lost all the hair on my right forearm, singed my eyebrows and as shown in the pic...fried my freaking head o' hair!

Brushed it out...gross!

Tom

Chubbs

Oh lawd. That is for real?? Nicely done!! How was the flame face level is what I want to know??

Gato

@NewEnglandEgger

You are definitely in. My wife and I are rolling.

NewEnglandEgger

I am 6'5"....and was standing up straight when my Egg decided to reach out and touch me. So it was quite a fireball. It seems my glasses limited me to just some eyebrow and eyelash burnage.

Btw...my Golden Retriever is now completely fascinated with my forearm and forehead. He might as well be the Fire Marshall based on the amount of time he has spent investigating the 'scene of the crime'.

Definitely have a healthy respect for the Egg now!

Tom