Firebox Crack.....Again

KRhea02

I LOVE my Green Egg but what is the deal with the weak Fire Box? I have had my Green Egg for over a year and already had the Fire Box replaced once and now my second Fire Box is cracked at two locations which makes it tough for the grating to stay in place. Am I doing something wrong? Is the grating to heavy? I've never dropped the lid or anything. Any advise would be much appreciated.

RRP

2 in 1 year does seem excessive or just bad luck. I'm on my 3rd fire box in 15 years. Unless you fear your dealer is going out of business then think on the bright side - your firebox stress was released and should last now for years! If the former, then go get yet another replacement, but tuck it away and keep using that box you just pictured.  Many of us here are doing just that have have cracked boxes that are in several pieces and fit together like a ceramic jig saw puzzle. Stuff happens! 

YukonRon

Any chance of moisture getting inside at all? 

KRhea02

No, I keep it covered... I use it 5-6 times a week, do you think I'm over using it? 

YukonRon

I use mine about the same. Has to be the casting of the firebox. Get another. Use what you have until you can't hold it together then insert the next one, as mentioned by RRP before. Hate you having this issue.

biggreenrob

Were the cracks in the same spot on the first fire box?  Also, what's your setup?   Are you using a platesetter?  

Ladeback69

I am on my second and have had it almost a year.   I tried using it like @RRP said,  but my XL didn't seem to want to get up to temp very well and the grate wouldn't stay in like the problem your are having.  I don't convert mine in the summer,  but I can't think that would make that much difference.   They should replace it is the good thing.   When my element on my old gas grill I had to pay for it.  Another reason to like the EGG. 

RRP

KRhea02 said:

No, I keep it covered... I use it 5-6 times a week, do you think I'm over using it? 

No - my personal record is 15 cooks in 6 days. That was not abusing the egg as much as the egger! 

RRP

Let's go back to something you said.
my second Fire Box is cracked at two locations which makes it tough for the grating to stay in place.

I don't quite follow that - your fire box actually rests on the bottom of your outer shell and then the fire ring rests on top of the fire box and then the grate on top of that fire ring. Please explain or better yet please post a picture to show us just how a cracked fire box 
 makes it tough for the grating to stay in place.

We are all trying to help you - OK - so no flames - OK?

KRhea02

The cracks were similar but not exact. Here's a pic of the first crack on the first fire box. A month later the second crack came which made it extremely tough to keep the grate in place. I use the platesetter almost all the time. I wish the grate wasn't so heavy cause I feel like that adds to the stress

Ladeback69

RRP said:

Let's go back to something you said.
my second Fire Box is cracked at two locations which makes it tough for the grating to stay in place.

I don't quite follow that - your fire box actually rests on the bottom of your outer shell and then the fire ring rests on top of the fire box and then the grate on top of that fire ring. Please explain or better yet please post a picture to show us just how a cracked fire box 
 makes it tough for the grating to stay in place.

We are all trying to help you - OK - so no flames - OK?

Ron, I think he may be talking about the grate that the lump sits on. 

biggreenrob

I think the back right portion of your egg is getting the bulk of the heat which is causing stress to that section of your fire box. I may be off but take a look at this video when he talks about the alignment of the firebox/fire ring and using the platesetter. In my experience, this guy is right and explains it very well so you may want to check this out. Starts at 4:52 in the video https://youtu.be/BcBOETTzqt0?t=4m52s

RRP

Ladeback69 said:

Ron, I think he may be talking about the grate that the lump sits on. 

You are probably correct, but then I have to ask how crooked or un-level a grate has to be while sitting on the bottom of a cracked fire box to make a bit of difference of any sort. Good night - I have a headache trying to figure this one out!

KRhea02

The grating sits on the 3 "bumps outs" on your fire box, the fire box sits center of the egg without touching any of the sides. When the fire box cracks at two location, the weight of the grate pushes the cracked half of the fire box against the side of the egg making it hell to rest the grate on the three "bump outs".

Good video, thank you for sharing 

Jeepster47

Do you install the fire grate with the bevel up or down?

canuck19

i recently bought an xl, 2 cooked in and my charcoal grate cracked in half then 2 cooks later my fire box cracked down one side I am frustrated and don't know why it would happen

RRP

KRhea02 said:

The grating sits on the 3 "bumps outs" on your fire box, the fire box sits center of the egg without touching any of the sides. When the fire box cracks at two location, the weight of the grate pushes the cracked half of the fire box against the side of the egg making it hell to rest the grate on the three "bump outs".

Good video, thank you for sharing 

Hey, guy, just trying to help you. My present fire box that I have been using on a very regular basis for 6 or 7 years is now in 7 pieces. BTW I still have a brand new firebox in  my basement until this broken one becomes 12 or more pieces. This unlevel problem you say you are having isn't a real issue IMO, but please go back to your dealer for yet another replacement.

KRhea02

RRP, I didn't mean anything by that. After reading back it did sounded like I was talking about the grating the food goes on, my apologies. I didn't know what the lower part was called so I looked it up and it said the lower part where the lump sits on is the grating and the upper part where the food goes on is called the grid. I will take your advice and get a new one and keep using the cracked one until it can't be used anymore. I should have done that the first time.

Jeepster47, Installed with the bevel down.

ChiliPepper

I think we have all had a ceramic piece crack at one time or another. For what its worth I have followed the advice of many of our forum friends, and ordered a warranty replacement, and continued to use my cracked component until it is unusable. I have been using MEECO'S RED DEVIL 610 Refractory Cement as a "mortar" to hold my fire bowl together for over a year and it has held up great to low and slow, and full blast temperatures.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ACIWN9Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01

hope this helps.

GATraveller

Is your fire grate upside down?  I know that the factory one is beveled on the bottom side and if placed upside down can place undue stress on the firebox when it expands.

SkinnyV

Order another use this. You don't need to remove it, or you can piece back. Really not a big deal.

scmoose

Made in Mexico my man.  The warantee is what makes these things so expensive.  They know that with each egg they sell, there going to have to send out replacement parts. 

Sonny3

biggreenrob, thanks for sharing that video.  I purchased my eggs about a month ago but haven't taken delivery yet.  Been building my tables for the outdoor kitchen.  But I have been reading and researching as much as I can.  I learned a lot watching that video, much more than I had to date.  Thank you very much for caring to share the video.

biggreenrob

Sonny3 said:

biggreenrob, thanks for sharing that video.  I purchased my eggs about a month ago but haven't taken delivery yet.  Been building my tables for the outdoor kitchen.  But I have been reading and researching as much as I can.  I learned a lot watching that video, much more than I had to date.  Thank you very much for caring to share the video.

You are welcome.  Good luck with the tables.  Congrats on the eggs.