Vent Settings, a Visual Guide

Grandpas Grub

Please, Calibrate your dome thermometer, if you don't know how, ask.

There are many ways to reach any given temperature and any method is fine. I tend to use the lower vent for course temperature control and the DFMT to fine tune the final temperature.

Hopefully the following will give new users a head start in learning to control and stabilize their egg.

The following are settings on my Large. The setting for my medium, small and mini settings will vary somewhat.

A stable clean burn can be seen by looking at the dome pictures below. You want a clear or light blue smoke coming out of the egg.

265° Using 1/16” open lower vent


315° Using 1/16” open lower vent


The following have a larger lower vent opening

250°


300°


370°


390°


I need to open the lower vent to go higher. 450°



GG

Deplesis

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not seeing your pix. the titles are there, but no pix
Thanks,
Bob

Grandpas Grub

 
Bob,

I am seeing them on my screen, not sure what's up. Others can chime in and let you know if they see them.

GG

Misippi Egger

Pics are showing up on my screen.

Sooner Egg

I see the pics just fine

crabby

All the pics show for me.

Serial Griller

They look good from here. Thanks for the remedial course Grandpa
Jon

Kokeman

looks fine to me, thanks. it looks like you got a little rough with your screen.

Deplesis

The pix are showing up now.
Thanks for the short course in temp control.
Regards,
Bob

EggTurner

The oics where fine but I am not sure of the time course. Do you let things build up to heat then go to the pictured settings or are you setting the lower vent early on?

Teach42

Do these look pretty similar to what most of you are doing?

I've usually got my lower vent open MUCH more than that. Wondering if I've been doing things wrong.

Only time I have my vent open that little is when I'm doing an overnight cook at 225-ish. Otherwise I usualy have it open more.

Curious to hear other opinions.

Regardless, thanks for the pics! Very helpful.

[Deleted User]

My lower draft door is open more, but at 450 or less it's still less than 1". With the exception of overnighters, I keep the daisy off altogether.
from a recent cook:






and here's another, same temp:


that's a nickel I'm holding next to the door for scale.

so the low temp is consistent with GG

Grandpas Grub

 
Yup, it is the DigiQII blower adapter that is causing the tear.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
These settings were just after the start. In this case alcohol, (as with cubes, oil/paper towel).

I light the starter material with the bottom vent & screen full open and DFMT is off. Within 15 to 30 seconds I close the dome. There will be an initial increase in heat due to the flame from the starting material. Then there will be a fall off as the starting material burns off.

The the dome temperature will the begin to climb once again which is the lump burning on its own. Just before my desired temperature I begin to close down the lower vent, as shown in the pictures. The lower vent opening doesn't change much once you learn your egg.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
As I said above there are different ways one can reach a given temperature.

The top 2 pictures are with very small lower vent openings and the remaining pictures are with a wider open bottom vent.

The bottom vent can be wide open and one can control the low temperature with the DFMT only.

I use the lower vent for my main control, that way should the DFMT move, get bumped or moved my cook temperature won't change much.

Should one control the heat with only the DFMT and bottom vent full open, if the DFMT moves for some reason the heat can climb in a matter on minutes.

If your temperature is stable and at your desired cook heat, you are doing things right.

GG

grillking

Thanks Granpa I can see them nice and clearly.

JasonD

I'll bite... how does one calibrate the dome thermometer?

pittphil

thanks doing my first pork butt in the morning 6 lb, I have got the egg ready to go Grandpas I will use this advice on vent settings

Grillwino

 

These settings were just after the start. In this case alcohol, (as with cubes, oil/paper towel).



I light the starter material with the bottom vent & screen full open and DFMT is off. Within 15 to 30 seconds I close the dome. There will be an initial increase in heat due to the flame from the starting material. Then there will be a fall off as the starting material burns off.


The the dome temperature will the begin to climb once again which is the lump burning on its own. Just before my desired temperature I begin to close down the lower vent, as shown in the pictures. The lower vent opening doesn't change much once you learn your egg.



GG

About how long does that whole process take? Specifically, after dome is shut, temp rises, then lowers, then starts to come back up? 5 mins, 20, 30 etc? Thanks much

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I'll bite... how does one calibrate the dome thermometer?

Take it out of the egg and:

Boil water and place the tip of the thermo in the water (I use tongs) and look for 212 (depending on your altitude, it actually varies a few degrees so if you are anal about a few degrees google your town and boiling temps).

If you are not calibrated, take some pliers and adjust the nut (which turns the needle) on the back side of the thermo until it reads properly

Mighty_Quinn

Check time stamp on posts...old thread.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Check time stamp on posts...old thread.

Ha! Wasn't paying attn. I'm sure he has it figured out by now )

RichardBronosky

I'm still watching.

Newportlocal

This is an old thread, but should almost be a sticky if they had those here. It is very helpful. I was glad I saw it when I first came here.

dlosapio

Check time stamp on posts...old thread.

Ha! Wasn't paying attn. I'm sure he has it figured out by now )

Thanks for answering anyway, it helped me out.

allitnils

Surely the vent opening/daisy wheel combination will dependent upon location of the egg/wind speed/airflow ..
It's a good indication, but I'm certain that settings will be different to everyone depending on where they're at..

LizzieSamps

Oh thanks so much for this!  Bookmarked!!

Titanman

Thanks for the good information

Black_Badger

Hi All,
I know this is an old thread (originally) but I was stoked to find it. I always seem to need my lower vent MUCH wider on my XL egg. I'm really confused. I just cleaned all the ash out of the bottom, so I don't think that should be impeding airflow. I seem to be going through a ton of lump and my fire keeps going out on overnights even with a much more open setup than this. Any other ideas?

My Egg is on an outside patio and the bottom is enclosed, will still air require a much wider vent (2-3") to pull air and hold temp?

Calibrating the thermo today but it can't be off by THAT much! I really appreciate getting great feedback from the folks here, I love cooking on the Egg, but I must admit to feeling some frustration and unrealized expectations.

Cheers all -
B_B

gdenby

I've had the dome thermo off by 50F. That was unusual, but it happens.



I doubt that the enclosure would make such a difference. I've cooked w.
my Eggs half covered by snow, and just enough space near the bottom vent
that I could slip my hand down to it. No cooking problem.

I don't think GG's images were from an XL. The XL has a slightly different shape than other Eggs, and may require a different air flow. For my mediums, they are good approximations of the settings. Perhaps someone who has an XL will comment.

Are you sure the opening at the bottom of the fire box is lined up w. the bottom vent? Have you used the Egg enough that there are deep piles of ash outside the round vent holes around the fire box? Both conditions will require larger vent openings than GG's post shows.

Black_Badger

I've had the dome thermo off by 50F. That was unusual, but it happens.



I doubt that the enclosure would make such a difference. I've cooked w.
my Eggs half covered by snow, and just enough space near the bottom vent
that I could slip my hand down to it. No cooking problem.

I don't think GG's images were from an XL. The XL has a slightly different shape than other Eggs, and may require a different air flow. For my mediums, they are good approximations of the settings. Perhaps someone who has an XL will comment.

Are you sure the opening at the bottom of the fire box is lined up w. the bottom vent? Have you used the Egg enough that there are deep piles of ash outside the round vent holes around the fire box? Both conditions will require larger vent openings than GG's post shows.

Just did the calibration and thermo was off by ~15C, which was more than I expected but not cataclysmic.

I did align the bottom opening/vent and have done a full clean with a shop vac to remove all dust & ash. I know the XL is a little different, but I'm just surprised how different it seems to be (thus far anyway). I'll keep bashing away at it, probably just a learning curve, I was just curious if there was something I was doing slightly wrong.

Cheers -
B_B