Sandi ALMOST does the *HAPPY DANCE*

Sandi

For those of you that have been following this saga: Yesterday, I called my friend that owns the local grill outlet and asked him to please meet me at a favorite watering hole after work with a BGE electric starter. (Store closes at 6 and is quite a way from my office for me to get to before closing time) Had a drink, grabbed the starter and headed to the house ALL EXCITED that I was gonna finally get to fire this baby up. Got out an extension cord, went to insert the starter through the bottom...NATURALLY....it wouldn't fit. Proceeded to try to light it from TOP...extension cord wasn't long enough for that. Got on phone, cursed out owner of grill store. DETERMINED that I was going to light this thing...TONIGHT, I then proceeded to move: table and 4 chairs, cooking zone grill, 2 smokers and a plant. AFTER moving all of that, I WALKED table with egg across patio (right next to outlet) and FIRED THIS SUCKER UP! IT WORKED!

Tim M

Sandi,[p]
One small step for mankind, one giant leap for Sandi.[p]Stay tuned for further developments as Sandi cooks on the Egg. Will she even reach that magical dome temp? Will she run out of fuel before she finishes cooking? Will she be caught up in "temp runaway"? Will Sandi meet Mr Backdraft? All this and more - stay tuned. Same time, same channel.[p]I hope it works better tonight for you. I guess a longer extention cord was unavailable. You gotta try those Webber cubes. Good luck and have fun out there! We are on the edge of our lounge chairs.[p]Tim M

mollyshark

One sentence still worries me here: "Got out an extension cord, went to insert the starter through the bottom...NATURALLY....it wouldn't fit." The starter wouldn't fit through the bottom vent? The ones I've seen are long, skinny deals. Are you SURE you have the opening in the firebox lined up with the vent opening? (fret fret). What temp did you get up to?

Gfw

<p />MollyShark, I do believe that the electric starter goes in through the top. She would have been there a long time waiting for it to start.[p]I broke my eletric starter a few weeks ago... miss it and will be off to purchase a new one this morning. [p]Have a great weekend![p]

Char-Woody

Sandi, I have to quote Mr. Clint Eastwoods famous movie line "Make my Day"....only with a hot iron!!! This is so funny!
But, I realize to you it may be a mountain to climb. Once there, you will be filled with a real feeling of great accomplishment. [p]I have to follow Tim M and the others lead, but will mention, I have a nearly new electric starter that I have never used. It came with my small BGE.[p]Much easier to shave off a bit of firestarter log, (or starter cube) touch a match to it in the charcoal, close dome with all vents open and it takes right off...No cords to tangle with, no equipment to push in the coals and overlook till its sizzled...The electric starter has its place for some BBQ'r's but not this guy...heeeeee.....[p]BTW..the hair dryer blower works fine, but don't overdue it. Just use it to initiate the first burn to get a "core" fire started. Hold it a few inches out from the ash pit opening, not inserted into it.[p]I can start anything with several wads of newspaper in the ash pit and a hair dryer to accellerate the paper fire to a super hot flame. Whoooosh. Paper just makes a bit more ash floating around inside.
Just ideas (alternatives) for ya....Keep up that happy spirit..
Char-Woody[p]

mollyshark

Gfw,
AHA! The one I saw was long and skinny...more like a curling iron. Sandi's comment that she tried to put it in the bottom and it wouldn't fit had me kinda concerned. Bottom of....what? I'm a starter cube person. Amazing how fast they catch, how quick they get the fire going, and how cheap they are. A winning combination!

Sandi

Tim M,
YOU, my lad, are *too funny*! It's a SAD day when one goes home at 6 on Friday night to PLAY with the Egg....then spends ALL DAY SATURDAY doing the same! I am HAPPY to report that I got it up to close to 700...brought it down and maintainned at 450, 400, 350 and 250...THIS, of course was all day thing...laundry, grocery shopping and house cleaning DAMNED! I, BY GOLLY...GOT IT....will tell ya'll about my cooking experiences next week![p]Ya'll are great!

char buddy

MollyShark,[p]I now use the starter cube when I want to go low and slow. I use a chimney when I want a hot fire fast.