Temp running away.

GrillinSailor

Does anyone use a spray bottle of water or apple juice to help bring temps down when they start running too high?

I’ve opened the dome and let heat out, but it also lets fresh air in with inconsistent results and doesn’t lower it much. 

Closing down the vents takes a long time to get results because the egg is so efficient at retaining and spreading heat. 

I know the best answer is to control the rise in temperature so it doesn’t get away from you in the first place, but I’m not always that good?

what do you do?

fishlessman

for anything under 300 light the starter fire small. at one time i started using a weed burner which just lit too much lump which creates a runaway fire when you open things up.

you can also limit a runaway fire by shutting the lower vent completely when opening the dome, works good at stabilizing a 500 degree fire when using a wok

stlcharcoal

Opening the dome is just going to give the charcoal an unlimited amount of O2 and just make the problem worse.  The best thing about the BGE is also the worst part when you're trying to cool it down......that ceramic holds heat like crazy.

Best thing to do is start right.  Make sure your gaskets are good, no cracks in base, dome aligned, then light from the top for low and slow.  After that about all you can do is snuff out the fire and wait for it to cool down before relighting.

MaskedMarvel

It’s definitely faster to manage the heat from the beginning than to try and bring it back down …

calibrate your dome thermometer (and have a good seal), and do your best to get the lump lit and set those vents early. I mostly run around 225° for my low and slow, and both the bottom vents and DFMT are barely open at that temp. BARELY cracked open. 

If the temps still run away, it’s just a waiting game to have them come back down. Opening the dome only lengthens this process - I’ve introduced too much oxygen by doing this. 

lousubcap

During a brisket cook a while ago I somehow managed to get a grease fire going as some found it's way to the lump bed.  After hours of steady-state the thermo was moving up in short order. I run with a PS woo so I pulled everything out and tossed in some ice cubes on the general area of the runaway fire.  Knocked the fire down and got back to the cook.  
As you note it is way better to catch on the way up.  If you miss it then it is a waiting game to lower the temp.