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Help. Temperature has Dropped

bcc73186
bcc73186 Posts: 24
in EggHead Forum
Im currently smoking an 11 pound turkey. It has been cooking at 350 since about 10:00 am. I went back to check and the grill temp has dropped to 300. I have the bottom vent opened all the way and the wheel on top open to try to bring it back up to temp. Any ideas on what i can do to get it back up to temp. I filled it with fresh charcoal this morning. the plate setter insinde for indirect cooking. It is raining outside but i have my egg covered by a large umbrella to keep it out of the elemets. Any help would be great.
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Comments

  • Smokinpig
    Smokinpig Posts: 739
    At 350 I find it easier to cook with the DMFT off and control the temp with bottom vent only. You could give that a shot.

    LBGE Atlanta, GA


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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    I'm assuming it was at 300 before you oped the lid? Maybe the lump got clogged. You can try sticking your ash tool through the bottom and try to tap/wiggle the fire grate.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    I ran out of charcoal (only filled to the top of the fire bowl) after 3.5 hours at 350 during my first/only turkey cook ... the fire looked good through the grid, but not enough charcoal there to keep the temp up.

    If opening the top (pull the daisy wheel) and the bottom vents doesn't bring up the temp rapidly, you have a fire problem ... dah.  Pull the bird and stick it in the oven to keep the cooking going.  Then investigate and correct the fire problem.


    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Either fuel or air supply. If you still have enough lump (see jeepster's comment), take a coat hanger and bend about 3" to 90° at one end. Open the bottom vent and insert the coat hanger below the fire grate and poke it up thru the holes in the grate. Then wiggle it a bit to loosen and small bits of lump so the air can flow again. 

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    ^^^ that's what I was trying to say.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • bcc73186
    bcc73186 Posts: 24
    just pulled it and had to put it in the oven. Hate that I had to do that but its raining like crazy here. Maybe I ran out of charcoal or either it got clogged. I did notice this morning while i was cleaning it my fire grate had broken in half. It still worked, i just flipped it upside down. Is this common. I have only cooked on it 2 times before today. I figured the grate should have lasted longer. Maybe I will call BGE on monday and see what they have to say. The Turkey had cooked on the egg about 2.5 hours on 350 before I had to pull it and put it in the oven 
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831

    Jeremiah said:
    ^^^ that's what I was trying to say.
    Yep. I don't think the ash tool is the right tool though. Unless you have the High Que aftermarket fire grate, IMO, you really need a wiggle rod. You can buy em for a few bucks from thirdeye


    or you can take some heavy gauge wire and make one. The coat hanger will work in a pinch (OP needs something now... assuming that's his problem), but it isn't stiff enough to work very well.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Shut down the egg and check it out later tonight when it's cooled off.  Then you can figure out what when wrong.  Too little charcoal.  Plugged vents.  If the grate was installed with the bevels up, did they funnel the chunks of coal into the hole and block the air flow? Etc..

    The cracked fire grate shouldn't have been a problem, unless it dumped the charcoal into the bottom of the egg.  Your dealer shouldn't even hesitate to replace it.

    @Carolina Q ... thanks for the prod ... I'll be making up a wiggle tool next week, so that I'll never need it.  Thirdeyeq makes theirs out of 3/32" material, I've got some 5/16" stainless ... do you see any problem with double the diameter?

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Jeepster47 said:
    @Carolina Q ... thanks for the prod ... I'll be making up a wiggle tool next week, so that I'll never need it.  Thirdeyeq makes theirs out of 3/32" material, I've got some 5/16" stainless ... do you see any problem with double the diameter?

    I think mine is only 1/8" or so. It's what I had. 5/16 is pretty hefty, but if you can bend it and it'll fit through the holes, give it a try I guess.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    I've never had to use a wiggle rod...but have seen numerous posts mentioning them ever since I've been here (almost a year).

    Wonder why ????              Rockwood lump ???

    Very curious !!!

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685
    edited November 2014
    dldawes1 setting me up with Rockwood lump.  I've used it a few times now, just pulled a butt after 7 hours.  I will drive a LONG way to keep in stock of this now,  Huge difference.

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    FarmerTom said:
    dldawes1 setting me up with Rockwood lump.  I've used it a few times now, just pulled a butt after 7 hours.  I will drive a LONG way to keep in stock of this now,  Huge difference.
    Wicked Good burns a while too. These days, I just use RO because it's convenient.

    image

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,836
    @dldawes1‌ You have an XL. The XL fire grate has larger holes than the others. This is probably why you have never needed a wiggle rod.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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