Flaming lump

Davidg5700

I've been experimenting with new lump lately, specifically Kroger brand (I think I read that it was Royal Oak rebranding).

I've been through 2 8 lbs bags and each has been throwing up flames, even in the lower temp ranges of 300 - 400. :ohmy: When I first got my BGE back in January, I used the BGE brand and didn't notice this happening, even at higher temps. I don't think this is a burping issue because when I crack the lid slightly, it doesn't appear to flash.

The only things I've done are replacing the gasket and pulling the innards out to clean out the built up ash. Is it possible that putting the firebox in slightly askew (don't think I've done that, though) would cause something like this? Is it just that there are more VOC
s in this lump?

Thanks.

RRP

my gut reaction is you are experiencing heavy sparking from some foreign wood used to make the lump. Royal Oak had a bout with it from Paraguay and other countries. They may have used that for the Kroger lump.

stike

if you have the giant lazy orangey-blue flames that wave back and forth along the underside of the dome, it's likely the VOCs burning off. this will happen only with new lump (and lots of it) during the start up.

i find that often what will happen is i'll open the dome, the flames will grow and then go out, and that upon shutting the dome, they don't seem to come back.

these are different than flames from fat or anything like that, like you get when there's a flare up from an open lid. those are much brighter orange. these look cooler, purpley/blue/orange. make any sense?

i rarely do. :woohoo:

by the way. i'm not proud of it, but i paid my way and put myself through college by dancing under the name "flaming lump".

Little Steven

We thought it was Captain Peppermill?

stike

that was for my Master's Thesis

graduate school is pricey

Davidg5700

The flames that I have been getting are not very intense in their orange color and don't seem to die down after start up. Also, with the Kroger lump, I've noticed a lot more ash build up. Are these two symptoms related?

I probably should grab another bag of BGE lump to compare. I was hoping the Kroger would work out because it is much more convenient to grab a bag or two with the milk and bread.

I delivered pizza to partially pay my way through college. Didn't have a specific name, but was frequently referred to as the "pizza dude".

The Naked Whiz

If it appears to be burning similar to wood, it is possible that the charcoal wasn't completely carbonized/taken to a high enough temperature. I've seen one brand of lump that was like that and you could get wood-like flames off of it.

Fidel

I've seen your peppermill.

I was not impressed. It was rather diminutive.

Fidel

I think this is what he is seeing too Whiz. I noticed in the past 2 bags of Royal Oak I have used that there is an abnormally high percentage of bark that is not completely carbonized in the bag. It smokes like crazy and flames up (yellow flames) when the dome is opened.

I just pull the grid and grab the pieces with tongs to get rid of them. Usually only one or two chunks in a full eggload.

The Naked Whiz

Cozy Cline made me an 8" pepper mill that's more like 9". Really! :-)

Fidel

Yea, stike has one of those Unicorn "mini" mills. It was 3.5" at best. Poor fella. No wonder he drives a Hummer.

stike

you worked it like a pro, though, and never made me feel funny about it being smaller than yours.

stike

a hummer. hahaha

a hummer would be bigger than my house

stike

yeah. sounds like those flames are from VOCs. lazy, not too intense. they should die out after a while, unless you fill the thing right to the top.

shouldn't be a lot of ash if it's RO lump branded in a kroger bag, though.

can't tell you much more than that, unfortunately