Lid open or closed when trying to get HOT

Mark from Utah

I think that I have the charcoal and lighting technique down as well as having the bottom vent all the way open when trying to get the BGE as hot a fire as possible.
My question, as well as possibly several others lately, is what do I do with the lid? Do I leave the lid all the way open to allow more air or do I take off the daisy wheel and leave the lid closed to create a draft. I have been doing a combination of the two, but never seem to get much above 600 or 700 degrees. [p]I have a large and a small BGE, is the technique identical for both?[p]Thanks in advance, Mark from Utah

Souldaddy

Mark from Utah,[p]Definitely leave the lid closed. It'll create a draft.[p]Leave the daisy wheel on, but have it wide open.

Inna Avrelina

I leave the daisy wheel off until I reach the temperature that I am trying to get. It seems to heat up quicker with that little bit less restriction. As soon as I put the daisy wheel back on, the temperatures will level off or, usually, drop some.[p]The heating theory with either the daisy wheel on or off will work with both eggs.

Souldaddy

Alan P,[p]Weird. Mine has "no" problem getting up to temp FAST with the daisy wheel on. It's up to 600 in 20 or 25 minutes. If I let it keep going, it'll be up to 1000 degrees in another 15 or 20 minutes.

Smoked Signals

Mark from Utah,
Checklist for hot fire:[p]clean out ash from last cook.[p]lump charcoal - med. to big pieces for lots of air flow. no small stuff to clog up the works (new stuff burns hotter then used - I have heard that cowboy burns the hotest) I put charcoal all the way up to the middle of the firering.[p]light charcoal in at least 4 places ... 3,6, 9, 12 on a clock.[p]bottom door wide open, & top off and wait.[p]no grid, grill, or placesetter[p]Fire will gradually get hotter from about 200 to 450.[p]Fire should "suddenly" jump from about 450/500 to 600 or 700 - typically this movement seems to happen much faster then other 200 degree increments. Its like it takes on a life of its own. [p]After 600 it takes a few more minutes to get everything lit. Flames should be licking all over the egg and all lump should be molten color. Bottom vent hole should have a nice red color coming out of it and egg will be extremely hot to touch. [p]If you are using a cast iron grid, I would put it in when you are at 300 or so .. if you are using the standard grid you can through it on at 400 or so. Be sure to have welding gloves or something for your hands or you WILL loose the hair on them. Also, when the egg is 600+ never look through the top you will loose your eyebrows or gotee. [p]Whole process took about 30 minutes last night with old charcoal and lots of little pieces.[p]If you want to help things along ... a small fan blowing in from bottom or hair dyer on low speed.[p]Good luck and be sure to have on shoes.
Doug[p]

Inna Avrelina

Mine will do temperatures with the daisy wheel on also. But it just does it quicker with the daisy wheel completely off. My theory is the less restriction to the exhaust, the faster the temperature rises.[p]And the quicker it does it, the less lump you burn trying to reach the desired cooking temp.