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The lid on my BGE is frozen shut.

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jnovakbge
jnovakbge Posts: 38
in EggHead Forum
This is my first Fall/Winter season in MN with my BGE and we've had some above freezing wet days and now a below freezing spell.  I went out to fire up my grill to smoke a turkey and the darned lid is frozen shut.  Any ideas on why this happens and how to unfreeze it?  I'm assuming the gasket around the lid got moist during the rain/snow we had a couple weeks ago.

I'm currently in the process of building a table for my BGE and I have a cover for it as well so I'm hoping this won't happen in the future....but for now, how the heck do I get it open?

A friend of mine suggested throwing a couple of firestarters in the air chamber at the bottom of the grill and it will eventually heat up the grill enough to break the ice seal.  I tried this a couple of times and was not successful.  I guess I could roll it into my porch and put a blanket over it to warm it up....but unless I dry out the gasket I assume it'll probably freeze shut again....and I don't really care to replace the gasket since it isn't that old.

Help!!
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  • GaBGE
    GaBGE Posts: 556
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    Put something in the bottom through the bottom vent such as a paper towel soaked in cooking oil or a fire starter if you have any. Light the paper towel/fire starter, it should heat up enough to allow you to open the lid.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    small fire in the bottom will do it.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    When you get it open and next shut it down, layer some aluminum foil strips on the gasket surface.  Will open fine, next cook.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
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    Do NOT force it. 
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  • The_Stache
    The_Stache Posts: 1,153
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    lousubcap said:
    When you get it open and next shut it down, layer some aluminum foil strips on the gasket surface.  Will open fine, next cook.  FWIW-
    or a couple of golf tees....
    Kirkland, TN
    2 LBGE, 1 MM


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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
    edited November 2018
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    @The_Stache I am glad you mentioned the golf tees as I guess you have to remember to use them just after the BGE is cooled down and before the freezing occurs other-wise doesn't the tee produce an air gap to keep the lump ignited?  I have never gotten a good answer to the above question.  You can be First!
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • The_Stache
    The_Stache Posts: 1,153
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    lousubcap said:
    @The_Stache I am glad you mentioned the golf tees as I guess you have to remember to use them just after the BGE is cooled down and before the freezing occurs other-wise doesn't the tee produce an air gap to keep the lump ignited?  I have never gotten a good answer to the above question.  You can be First!
    If you use them, yes,... let the egg shut down fully closed, as normal, vents shut.  Then ... insert Tee or other gapping device... (skewers, tees, etc) to give a little gap between the top and base.

    Here in mid TN... If I know it's gonna hard freeze/snow/ice, I usually head out to the egg that I plan on using and make sure the gap is there...

    Foil, wax paper or parchment paper would probably work just as well!!
    Kirkland, TN
    2 LBGE, 1 MM


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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Mine's been frozen for a few days now. Had a warm day today and it opened as normal. If I had needed it, I would have stuck a torch into the bottom vent and lit the lump left from the last cook.

    I use a Rutland gasket and it's only frozen twice in 9 years. Dunno if that's the Rutland or not. No gasket would probably be even better.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
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    Gives you northerners a use for Golf Tees between now and April!
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,208
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    I wiped my gaskets down with olive oil. Problem solved. 
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,659
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    Pour a pitcher of hot water around the gasket! Cmon man! Or use a torch to heat it!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • jnovakbge
    jnovakbge Posts: 38
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    Great ideas folks.  Not sure which one I'll try....but they all sound like great ideas.  Thanks for helping me out.  I love this BGE Forum.
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  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,653
    edited November 2018
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    A lot of good comments above, but the most obvious answers is to move south  =)=)
    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
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  • jnovakbge
    jnovakbge Posts: 38
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    Ha..ha....that's my wife's dream.
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  • Hub
    Hub Posts: 927
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    GrillSgt said:
    Do NOT force it. 
    This.  Wait it out, or drop in some fire-starters, or start a fire in the bottom vent, but whatever you do DON'T force it. 
    Beautiful and lovely Villa Rica, Georgia
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  • Otis04
    Otis04 Posts: 5
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    Used to drop in fire starters, then moved to San Diego - no longer an issue
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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     Remove cap, drop in a couple lit canola oil soaked paper towels, wait about one to two minutes, gently lift dome lid.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • BobDanger
    BobDanger Posts: 323
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    I had the same thing to my mini max a couple days ago. I wound up putting 4 or 5 pieces of hot lump down the chimney. Took about 10 minutes... temp got up to 200 before it released.
    Eastern Shore Virginia 

    Medium & Mini Max
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  • slick_rick
    slick_rick Posts: 55
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    The_Stache said:
    lousubcap said:
    @The_Stache I am glad you mentioned the golf tees as I guess you have to remember to use them just after the BGE is cooled down and before the freezing occurs other-wise doesn't the tee produce an air gap to keep the lump ignited?  I have never gotten a good answer to the above question.  You can be First!
    If you use them, yes,... let the egg shut down fully closed, as normal, vents shut.  Then ... insert Tee or other gapping device... (skewers, tees, etc) to give a little gap between the top and base.

    Here in mid TN... If I know it's gonna hard freeze/snow/ice, I usually head out to the egg that I plan on using and make sure the gap is there...

    Foil, wax paper or parchment paper would probably work just as well!!
    So as someone who lives up North about to go through my first winter with the egg I am interested in this golf tee setup.

    Just want to make sure I have the steps right. Finish up a normal cook and let the egg cool down. Once the egg is cooled down I would slide a few golf tees or quarters so the gasket isn't touching. Then I would just leave the tees in there until the next time I want to cook? 
    MED - Manhattan
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    slick_rick said:
    The_Stache said:
    lousubcap said:
    @The_Stache I am glad you mentioned the golf tees as I guess you have to remember to use them just after the BGE is cooled down and before the freezing occurs other-wise doesn't the tee produce an air gap to keep the lump ignited?  I have never gotten a good answer to the above question.  You can be First!
    If you use them, yes,... let the egg shut down fully closed, as normal, vents shut.  Then ... insert Tee or other gapping device... (skewers, tees, etc) to give a little gap between the top and base.

    Here in mid TN... If I know it's gonna hard freeze/snow/ice, I usually head out to the egg that I plan on using and make sure the gap is there...

    Foil, wax paper or parchment paper would probably work just as well!!
    So as someone who lives up North about to go through my first winter with the egg I am interested in this golf tee setup.

    Just want to make sure I have the steps right. Finish up a normal cook and let the egg cool down. Once the egg is cooled down I would slide a few golf tees or quarters so the gasket isn't touching. Then I would just leave the tees in there until the next time I want to cook? 
    You have it down.  The challenge is to remember to make the golf tee move after the shutdown while sober and the BGE is truly shut-down.  I don't know how you measure the shut-down finish-line.   And if you miss the window and it is cold outside you either restart the fire or the BGE is frozen shut.  No pressure...
    BTW-welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Toss some foil strips on the gasket when you last shut the dome and then use the tee's the next day or beyond.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,659
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    I Threw the lid open this morning and tore half the bottom gasket off!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 280
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    Happened to me this morning.  I got my wife’s hair dryer, put it full blast, shot it down the top vent for about fifteen minutes, and it was good to go!
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,528
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    lots of good suggestions, and if both top and bottom vent are frozen shut, pour hot water
    canuckland
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  • lentsboy007
    lentsboy007 Posts: 416
    edited January 2020
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    Egg stock gaskets are crap . This used to happen to me in southern Indiana winter. Gaskets get moist and freeze. Ended up ripping gasket off trying to get open .  You shouldn’t have to light a fire in the bottom to get your egg open, or use hot water or a hair dryer  .  A cheap Rutland gasket from @RRP on the bottom half of egg and no gasket on the lid solved the problem for me . Takes very little time to install properly and they work great . Got it several years ago and no issues at all gasket wise since 

    1 Large Egg, Blackstone griddle

    Belgium...........The Netherlands??

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  • wardo
    wardo Posts: 398
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    Jcl5150 said:
    Happened to me this morning.  I got my wife’s hair dryer, put it full blast, shot it down the top vent for about fifteen minutes, and it was good to go!
    Could you use a hairdryer or heat gun just on the gasket seems?  I'm thinking I won't have to deal with this too often in NC, but good to know you brave northern Eggers have tried and true solutions!
    NC - LBGE
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  • rifrench
    rifrench Posts: 469
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    I just point the propane torch though the lower vent and point it up, lighting the lump from the bottom.
     1 LBGE, 1 SBGE, 1 KBQ and a 26" Blackstone near Blackstone, Virginia
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  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
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    What would Bear Grylls do? You’re welcome.  :)
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
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  • wardo
    wardo Posts: 398
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    sumoconnell said:
    What would Bear Grylls do? You’re welcome.  :)
    #lifeadvice
    NC - LBGE
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  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,429
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    Well.  . . Did you get it open? 
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
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  • bobroo
    bobroo Posts: 143
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    Bring it to Costco, they'll take back anything!
    If it's brown, it's cook'in....If it's black, it's done ---my Grandfather     Medium BGE
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