BGE in the UK - but getting heat problem... any suggestions?

Unknown

Hi there[p]Living in London and have had a medium egg for about a month - and lovin' using it... however...[p]Problem is that I get the egg up to a good temperature - say 250C - and then want to cook something needing a stone / tray (say roast chicken or pizza), and the problems start.[p]The stone / tray seems to block much of the throughflow of air and therefore reduce the temperature inside the egg to less than 200C, sometimes as little as 150C - which isn't enough to get the right result. And, whatever I try, I just can't get the temperature back up to the right level.[p]Has anyone encountered a similar problem? And, if so, what are your tricks for keeping the egg toastin'?[p]Thanks for your help,[p]Cheers[p]
John B

mad max beyond eggdome

John B,
i know when i put more ceramic, it initially lowers the temps, and i have to open my vents more accordingly. .. [p]first question, are you filling up the fire box with lump?. . .if not, you should always be at least to the top of the fire box, and for longer cooks, about halfway up the fire ring. . .also, make sure you have good airflow (i.e. clean out the ash area, and make sure the grate holes are clogged by small pieces of lump. . .also, is the hole in your fire box lined up correctly with the bottom vent. . .[p]even with a plate setter you should be able to maintain high baking or roasting temps (in the 400 - 600 degree (farenheit) with ease. . .[p]if you have a good established fire when you put in the plate setter or bricks, you shouldn't have a problem. . .[p]cheerio and all that rot. ...heee

drbbq

John B,[p]The guys I have encountered with that problem in the US are all trying to regulate the temp by the amount of charcoal they are using. Like Max said, fill it up and control the temp by the amount of oxygen you let in.[p]
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Unknown

John B,[p]Be sure that the stone or tray as you call it is not too large for the cooker and blocking the heat from the firebox. A perfect sized stone should be round and no more than about 12-13 inches in diameter for this cooker for the best flow. Also be sure to fill up the firebox for your very hot cooks as it does take a lot of coal for the hotter cooking.[p]Dave

Gretl

John B,
You can also cheat and heat up the stone in the indoor oven before putting it in the Egg. Just shortens the time a bit.
Cheers,
G.

Fairalbion

John B,
Where did you buy your BGE? My sister lives in Beckenham and I would not mind getting her one.

Unknown

John B,
We have had our BGE about 6 weeks and had the same problem. Our BGE is on the patio which is enclosed on three sides and does not get much, if any, air flow. We started using a very small electric fan turned on low and pointed towards the bottom vent. This has added just the right amount of air flow and as a result we have been able to regulate the temp more easily.