Top vs. Bottom vents?

OzarkQ

How does the function of the top vent compare to the bottom vent? When I first learned how to Q we were told to keep the top vent open to prevent creosote from forming - but that was on other cookers. As far as the eggs go - are there some rules of thumb to use for getting started with temp control?

Pharmeggist

Check out this link for temperature control
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/tempcontrol.htm

Think of the Bottom Vent as MACRO adjustments and the small vents on top as Micro Adjustments. When you light the egg have the bottom and top vents fully open.. Once the temperature starts climbing roughly 5-10minutes start close the bottom vent half-way then watch what happens then close it some more before you over shoot your target Lets say 350 degrees. Do the same with the top vent at roughly the same times. Be careful to not go past your desired temp as it takes a while for the egg temp to come back down. After a few cooks you can dial it in real fast.
~Pharmeggist

Celtic Wolf

Adjusting the bottom vent gives you course temp control. Adjusting the top vent will give you fine temp control.

Creosote is for Stick and Pellet burners. While you may get some from the chucks you will get very little from Lump Charcoal.

Michael B

Make it easy on yourself and, as much as possible, stay with what you know.

I do about 90% of the temp control with the lower vent, and don't generally put the topper on for cooks above 300*. I want to feed a small fire, not keep a bigger one choked down.

Others will do the opposite. The idea here being that air in must equal air out, regardless of how or where it is controlled. There was even a list member who used to sell plugs for the exhaust that had individual holes drilled in them. I don't remember what he sold a set for, but the idea was that you could leave the lower damper open and set one of these on top for consistent fire control. 350*? That would be plug BB. etc.

One thing that does not work...
Don't try to chase a temp using both dampers. Small changes can make a big difference. Adjusting both dampers, even a little, makes a big difference.

DynaGreaseball

This may be splitting hairs, but while you're learning just where your bottom vent should be for certain temperatures (1/4" open for 250° for example), you might always start Miss Daisy's flutes open half way in the beginning. That way you can make small adjustments either way...up or down, whichever you may need.

Also, when you put Miss Daisy on, always put the pivot screw toward the front, so that if it becomes necessary to open the dome (bad bad bad) the slide will stay in place, rather than flop open.

Am I neurotic?

[Deleted User]

I don't use smoke much except for my low and slow cooks so like Michael said, I only use the daisy for cooks under 300.

If I was cooking something hotter than 300 and I wanted to add smoke, I'd incorporate the daisy when setting my temp.

My thought is that when you limit the exhaust hole, you retain more smoke in the cooking area rather than letting it pass straight out the chimney. I don't know if I'm right or not, but as the song goes:" that's my story and I'm st..stickin with it".

TomM24

Interesesting approach. This may be a good approach for cooks were smoke flavor is unwanted or for the folks who's food is too smokey. Is Temperature control difficult when its windy.

stike

i agree with celtic. i use bottom for course, top for fine control.


BUT.

that's a choice.
you can take the daisy wheel and throw it into the woods, using only the bottom for ALL temp control, and it'll work.

conversely, you can rip off the lower vent door and use only the daisy, and it'll work.

i'll tryta paint you a word picture:
think of a garden hose. turn it on wide open at the tap, and with the hose end closed, nuthin passes thru.
shut it off at the tap, and open the hose end wide, nuthin either.
but turn the tap at the wall roughly where you want it and use the sprayer at the end to fine tune.

same for the egg. full open bottom vent, but half shut daisy, and the egg temp is being controlled by the daisy. half shut bottom, wide open daisy, then the egg is controlled now by the lower vent.

i have always adjusted the top/bottom equally at the same time, but that's because i thought you HAD too. it works for me, so i still do it. but you can do all control with one or the other. if you eat enough from the egg, you probably aren't a fan of bending at the waist anymore, and so you kick the bottom vent with yer foot, and fine-tune with the daisy.

see?

[Deleted User]

Hi Tom,
No, I haven't had a problem holding temps when it's been real windy. Some problems getting it started but to the best of my recollection once I've been able to level out at my desired temp, the cook went fine. Keep in mind, the only difficulties I experienced were when it was really windy.

Jeffersonian

Yup...ultimately, what goes in hasta come out. Pick your preferred way of making that happen.