Old medium - new fire ring and firebox would not fit

cookingdude555

I have had a medium for a long time, and I have been a huge fan of this egg size over the others.  I had a warranty fire ring and box replaced under warranty a few years ago as I was legoing the cracked ones together.  In November, I finally tossed the old ones, and broke those warranty parts out.  It was like they were made for a new egg size that was bigger than my medium, but smaller than my large.  The fire ring would not even sit down on the firebox.  I had clues of this about a year ago when I bought a new woo and stainless grid.  The stainless grid could not sit on the firering.  It would only sit on top of the woo, and it went all the way to the edge all the way around.  I rationalized more that the grid was oversized for some reason.  I only cook raised anyway, so it didn't matter.



I called Bruce @ BGE, and he explained that the medium got bigger a few years back.  I asked if I could get internals for the original medium I have, and that apparently wasn't possible.  He gave me a letter to go to a dealer to get a new dome and base that matched my new internals.  Well it took my dealer 3 months, but they finally came today.  While I was there I bought  a nest, and reggulator because, well no reason I guess.  I thought 100% new was better for some reason.  It is definitely wider, I had to widen the spot the old one was in to make it fit between another egg and a table.



The old egg doesn't have internals anymore. I am considering a planter, fire pit of sorts, or maybe a BGE grilling toolbox of some kind.  The trash doesn't seem right.  We've been through too much together.

Ozzie_Isaac

Glad Bruce sorted it out for you!  I new the mediums internal pieces changed a little, did not realize the entire Egg changed.

DoubleEgger

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Glad Bruce sorted it out for you!  I new the mediums internal pieces changed a little, did not realize the entire Egg changed.

I think it is about 3/4” give or take larger in diameter. 

cookingdude555

Pics didn’t show up, here were the ones I thought I posted. 

 

stlcharcoal

I had the same thing happen......firebox and fire ring cracked and couldn't fit it in my (old) medium base.  The only way to get it to work was to put an old ceramic firegrate under the firebox to lift it up about 1/2".  Finally when I compared it to a new one I had in the shop it all made sense that the changed the dims a little.

cookingdude555

stlcharcoal said:

I had the same thing happen......firebox and fire ring cracked and couldn't fit it in my (old) medium base.  The only way to get it to work was to put an old ceramic firegrate under the firebox to lift it up about 1/2".  Finally when I compared it to a new one I had in the shop it all made sense that the changed the dims a little.

Didn't even think of that.  Do you still use it with the raised firebox?  I suppose it would have been a little hard to scoop the ash out that way, but could work.

stlcharcoal

cookingdude555 said:

stlcharcoal said:

I had the same thing happen......firebox and fire ring cracked and couldn't fit it in my (old) medium base.  The only way to get it to work was to put an old ceramic firegrate under the firebox to lift it up about 1/2".  Finally when I compared it to a new one I had in the shop it all made sense that the changed the dims a little.

Didn't even think of that.  Do you still use it with the raised firebox?  I suppose it would have been a little hard to scoop the ash out that way, but could work.

Nah, the base was cracked anyway, so my distributor swapped it out.

cookingdude555

DoubleEgger said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Glad Bruce sorted it out for you!  I new the mediums internal pieces changed a little, did not realize the entire Egg changed.

I think it is about 3/4” give or take larger in diameter. 

I went out and measured the two. The interesting thing was that the inside diameter at the gasket level is about the same on both, 16 1/4”. The new medium is just wider where the fire ring sits. I think this is to allow a wider cooking grid but the rest is about the same diameter. Looking back I could have cut the ring at two locations making it two pieces, and probably cut another blade width off of each piece. I may just go buy a new fire ring and try it out because I am curious. 

Gulfcoastguy

that is why I will upgrade to a large rather than refurbish my old medium. I was lucky that the Kick Ash Basket fit.

cookingdude555

Gulfcoastguy said:

that is why I will upgrade to a large rather than refurbish my old medium. I was lucky that the Kick Ash Basket fit.

A medium is a tough solo egg, but I find the most use from it outside of larger cooks. If I were you, and I’m not, but if there were only two sizes to be had, I would go XL and medium. 

Gulfcoastguy

I have no need for an XL. The medium did fine for eleven years but they don’t make replacement parts for the old medium. On rare occasions I have needed a bit more cooking real estate, mainly when the store won’t stock a turkey if less than 16 pounds. My medium might end up gifted to a nephew or relocated to my parents house.

cookingdude555

Gulfcoastguy said:

I have no need for an XL. The medium did fine for eleven years but they don’t make replacement parts for the old medium. On rare occasions I have needed a bit more cooking real estate, mainly when the store won’t stock a turkey if less than 16 pounds. My medium might end up gifted to a nephew or relocated to my parents house.

You’re a good citizen to gift it like that. 

Gulfcoastguy

cookingdude555 said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

I have no need for an XL. The medium did fine for eleven years but they don’t make replacement parts for the old medium. On rare occasions I have needed a bit more cooking real estate, mainly when the store won’t stock a turkey if less than 16 pounds. My medium might end up gifted to a nephew or relocated to my parents house.

You’re a good citizen to gift it like that. 

Well the two locations are about 80 yards apart currently. He and his wife live in a trailer behind my parents house. There would have to be a pledge of no lighter fluid and only lump charcoal though I might have to let him learn the Cowboy lesson the hard way. I might throw in my old Looftlighter

cookingdude555

Gulfcoastguy said:

cookingdude555 said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

I have no need for an XL. The medium did fine for eleven years but they don’t make replacement parts for the old medium. On rare occasions I have needed a bit more cooking real estate, mainly when the store won’t stock a turkey if less than 16 pounds. My medium might end up gifted to a nephew or relocated to my parents house.

You’re a good citizen to gift it like that. 

Well the two locations are about 80 yards apart currently. He and his wife live in a trailer behind my parents house. There would have to be a pledge of no lighter fluid and only lump charcoal though I might have to let him learn the Cowboy lesson the hard way. I might throw in my old Looftlighter

No lighter fluid!