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Can't get the temp over 400 degrees

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Ppriest
Ppriest Posts: 1
edited November 2011 in Root
I followed directions - got coals hot, closed lid, put regulator on to but left it open, left vent at bottom open. It went to 400 degrees and stopped. I put the plate setter on it, and the temp hasnt moved in 15 minutes. What am I doing wrong?
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Comments

  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    How much charcoal is in there?  Fill the bowl and you can even fill it to the top of the fire ring if you want

    What size egg?

    If all else fails, take the top cap off completely.
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  • Lumpa Coal
    Lumpa Coal Posts: 3
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    have you clean out the charcoal?  If the holes in the firebox above the grate are clogged, it will not heat up properly.  Same applies the holes in the grate.
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  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
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    Assuming you filled up the firebox with charcoal, you probably have small pieces of charcoal clogging the fire grate. Make or buy a wiggle rod to clean them out.

    See this URL for a great place to buy one:
    http://thirdeyebbq.com/WiggleRods.aspx
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
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  • Snork
    Snork Posts: 15
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    When was the last time you did a full clean out on the egg?  I take mine completely apart after about 10 or so cooks.  By completely apart, i mean the firebox comes out, and I vacuum the entire egg with an old shop vac.  I also try to load the charcoal by hand rather than dumping from the bag.  All that fine dust gets in there with some really small pieces, can cause problems if left for to long.  Doing these steps has always allowed me to get the temp I need.  If lump is wet or damp, above steps won't help.  Just clean out and start again.  Good Luck
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  • Greygoose
    Greygoose Posts: 103
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    I suspect this is a lump issue. i have seen similar problems. i drop 1/2 a fire starter cube into the middle of the lump and it gest that area going but soon reduces itself to a nice controlled heat source. this is not what i would expect with the egg lid open and the vent wide open. when i was using BGE lump, this fire would not reduce itself untill i started to shut things down myself. The current lump i'm using (RO) just doesn't act that way. To combat the issue, i've set up a fan that blows into the bottom vent after i can tell things are going ok. that seems to get things "fired up" pretty quickly and i can go from there. I've done the cleaning thing and the wiggle rod thing and have had the same results with this bag of lump. For low and slows, i'm ok with the way its worked out (without the fan) since theres no issue with bringing things under control, but for sears and temps needed in the 400  + degree range, i keep my fan handy. I'll soon test this theory further since this batch of lump is about done and i start on a new bag. . 

    Greygoose
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