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BGE vent guide for temperature

YukonRon
YukonRon Posts: 17,105
in EggHead Forum

"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

XL and MM
Louisville, Kentucky
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Comments

  • vb4677
    vb4677 Posts: 687
    Interesting - I find I get about 350F at their 375F top vent position, but with my bottom vent wide open.  I usually run the bottom wide open and control with the top...
    Kansas City: Too Much City for One State - Missouri side
    2 Large BGE's, Instant Pot, Anova Sous Vide, and a gas smoker...
    Barbeque, Homebrew and Blues...
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    I just saw this in another BGE room and thought it may have value to someone in this forum.

    For those of us that still have the daisy wheel, this may apply in principle. Not sure?


    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,329
    YukonRon said:
    For those of us that still have the daisy wheel, this may apply in principle. Not sure?
    Courtesy @Grandpas Grub:
    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/746823/vent-settings-a-visual-guide#latest
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    Botch said:
    YukonRon said:
    For those of us that still have the daisy wheel, this may apply in principle. Not sure?
    Courtesy @Grandpas Grub:
    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/746823/vent-settings-a-visual-guide#latest
    My man, thank you for remembering this post snd sharing.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • PigBeanUs
    PigBeanUs Posts: 932
    If you can hit 800 like that, i’m impressed. 

    Still not fully open?

    i take the chimney vent off completely, fwiw
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    PigBeanUs said:
    If you can hit 800 like that, i’m impressed. 

    Still not fully open?

    i take the chimney vent off completely, fwiw
    Must be the new top vent?
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Bar
    Bar Posts: 166
    That is helpful.  Thanks for posting.  👍
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,856
    It depends when the last time I cleaned out the egg is. 
    NOLA
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  • CPFC1905
    CPFC1905 Posts: 1,999
    Bottom vent accelerator, top vent brake. 
    Other girls may try to take me away 
    But you know, it's by your side I will stay
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited July 2021
    I remove the top vent completely and control temp (from 300° and up) with the lower vent only. Below 300°, I use the daisy AND the lower vent. But now that I turbo cook, I'm rarely below 300°.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,077
    Personally I have never found any of these hints all that accurate, much less working every time to make them surefire. Maybe as a crutch for a newbie, but I find wind conditions, wind directions, humidity and even lump storage methods are issues affecting times and temperatures. 

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  • PigBeanUs
    PigBeanUs Posts: 932
    YukonRon said:
    PigBeanUs said:
    If you can hit 800 like that, i’m impressed. 

    Still not fully open?

    i take the chimney vent off completely, fwiw
    Must be the new top vent?
    No vent can be more open than taking it off completely. 


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  • Slkegger
    Slkegger Posts: 40
    I have an xl and cook something every day. 1 bag of charcoal a week. All settings are one step off for me. Like 425-450 is that 600 setting and 250-275 is that 325 setting. My egg will go out at the first setting. 
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  • ChrisgrillsSTLMO
    ChrisgrillsSTLMO Posts: 399
    I agree with @RRP on the confounding variables for the settings. I think it varies on each Egg, my settings for 400 degrees are not the same as my brother’s Egg for the same temp. Natural variations in ceramic thickness, dome construction will also impact the amount of oxygen needed to maintain a given temperature. I know exactly where to set things to hit a temperature on my Egg, but trying those same settings on another Egg may not work. My $0.02.

    Cheers,

    Chris
    St. Louis, MO
    Unit 1: LBGE, cedar table Unit 2:Akorn
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  • DonWW
    DonWW Posts: 424
    +1 on what RPP says.  Also, the biggest variable - how much lump you have in your egg.  A half loaded egg will not burn as hot as a fully loaded egg. 
    XL and Medium.  Dallas, Texas.
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    DonWW said:
    +1 on what RPP says.  Also, the biggest variable - how much lump you have in your egg.  A half loaded egg will not burn as hot as a fully loaded egg. 
    I would agree if you do not control the oxygen. I can control the temperature on my XL to within + or - ~ 15°F, which is better than my supposedly state of the art oven in my kitchen.  I am able to do this, on half loads, or loaded up to the bottom of the deflector. I can do this on 20 hour cooks down to 5 hour cooks. Learning your vents for your BGE, is critical, each size is different. 
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    RRP said:
    Personally I have never found any of these hints all that accurate, much less working every time to make them surefire. Maybe as a crutch for a newbie, but I find wind conditions, wind directions, humidity and even lump storage methods are issues affecting times and temperatures. 

    In addition intensity of solar radiation hitting the egg makes a big difference. So do cooling rain showers. 
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,287
    Everyone must have much better temp control than I do, although I did notice one time that the relative humidity was up about 6% and my ribs took at least 4.5 minutes longer.
    Love you bro!
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    Legume said:
    Everyone must have much better temp control than I do, although I did notice one time that the relative humidity was up about 6% and my ribs took at least 4.5 minutes longer.
    Humidity is no joke.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,569
    top vent sitting on ground, bottom vent wide open, screen removed...1200 dome temp.   never been able to get it over 1200f, maybe a fan would help
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Sasspan
    Sasspan Posts: 1
    Purchased a LBGE a about two months ago and enjoying the heck out of it. Thank you for posting this! 
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,105
    Sasspan said:
    Purchased a LBGE a about two months ago and enjoying the heck out of it. Thank you for posting this! 
    Congrats and welcome to wallet genocide! Great to have you. Anything I can do to help just reach out.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 10,089
    Welcome aboard @Sasspan

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 34,155
    @Sasspan - welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.  
    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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  • gbvinla
    gbvinla Posts: 96
    There is a world of good information here. Most of them are constructive. Great bunch overall. 
    Large BGE x2  Now we're cookin' in Dothan Al.
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