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New gasket? Or no?

The gasket on my egg is starting to peel off in areas.  I'd like to go ahead and just pull it all off so it's not the way of cooking like it's been the last couple of times.  My question is, do I need to replace it for some reason, or can I just use the egg without?
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Comments

  • I went Rutland, lots of info here on doing so, and I highly recommend reaching out to @RRP. There are some folks concerned about the safety, but I don't think the gasket really ever comes in contact with my food.

    Good luck, either way you'll be fine.

    Cheers
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    Going gasketless can mean taking a long time for the lump charcoal to burn out.  You will burn up a lot of extra lump without a gasket.  You will also lose a lot of smoke/flavor coming out of the gasket area.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

  • I have no gasket and when I shut the bottom vent and put the cap on the fire goes out shortly, I don't feel that I am burning more lump that before.

    Gerhard
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    I went Rutland, lots of info here on doing so, and I highly recommend reaching out to @RRP. There are some folks concerned about the safety, but I don't think the gasket really ever comes in contact with my food.

    Good luck, either way you'll be fine.

    Cheers
    B_B
    I have had Rutland's from RRP on all four of mine for a long time.  I'm with you, I cook my food on the grate not the gasket, so I don't see the big deal.

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167

     

    Also a Rutland fan.........................contact @RRP for a good product at a great price with excellent instructions.

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • RajunCajun
    RajunCajun Posts: 1,035

    I would suggest getting a Rutland from RRP.  You can't go wrong.

    The problem with a problem is that you don't know it's a problem until it's a problem, and that is a big problem.
    Holding the company together with three spreadsheets and two cans connected by a long piece of string.
  • Rutland  from RRP being used here also.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • TonyA
    TonyA Posts: 583
    I just did my first long cook with a Rutland from RRP .. held 250 dome all night. I'm very pleased.
  • txav8r
    txav8r Posts: 153
    Another noob here with a follow-up question.  Am I assuming correctly that the new eggs come with a nomex rutland gasket and seal installed?
    Just far enough north of DFW to be "rural"...and close enough to be urban, depending on my mood.
  • txav8r said:
    Another noob here with a follow-up question.  Am I assuming correctly that the new eggs come with a nomex rutland gasket and seal installed?

    The Rutland and the Nomex gaskets are two different things.  The BGE used to come with a cheap felt gasket, but I think they ship them with the Nomex now.

    Here are the four gaskets:

     

    Felt:  Melts

    Nomex:  Aramid that will not melt, but chars and breaks down.

    Rutland:  Fiberglass wood stove gasket

    Contronics:  Woven ceramic gasket (this is what I use)

  • txav8r
    txav8r Posts: 153
    Thank you...like I said, noob here and just gathering info on what to expect.  I guess my nomex original will give a year or two of adequate service life...unless I sear or cook pizza a bunch!  And then will decide between just replacing it with a choice of the 3 appropriate, not felt.  Kind of sounds like the Cotronics is top of the line, I went and read the naked whiz write-up as well as the data sheets from Cotronics.  I will read more about the rutland, but glass and their disclaimer make me a little leary.
    Just far enough north of DFW to be "rural"...and close enough to be urban, depending on my mood.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    No Need To Replace. Go just fine w/o........... My newest Large (less than a year old has the new style and working fine. But my  6 year old Large has went the last 5.5 years w/o and my Mini about the same).
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • I've had my EGG for a year now, and it's been used fairly heavily.  My gasket isn't peeling away, but it did fuse once, and I had to slip a painter's tool between the dome and the base to pry it open, but it did come open cleanly.  These days, I am seeing some seepage of smoke through the gaskets on one side and around the back. 

    I understand that the negative aspects of the imperfect seal are longer burn-out times when extinguishing the fire, and loss of smoke for flavor.

    I have already purchased a new gasket (felt) from my nearby Ace Hardware, but I'm intimidated regarding the installation process after reading about it here on the forum.  At this point, I think I'm going to hold off and just accept the small down-sides for a while!

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    NautiRogue I only have about 7 years experience with Egg (and we have lots of guys with double that). But (IMO) we are not talking space shuttle here. I do not feel you will have any loss of smoke flavor at all, and no longer shutdown times as I have a new Large with new gasket and a 6 year old Large that has not had a gasket in 5.5 years and they both shut down within a min or so of each other. I would not give it any thought my friend.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Cotronics vs. Rutland? Who has opinions on ease of installation and long term value? I have burned through 3 of the crappy felt ones and I am ready to do a more permanent solution.
    If Cotronics - where to buy? I see that folks are recommending to get in touch with @RRP for the Rutland supplies.
    Is Cotronics a top and bottom application or only bottom like Rutland. Time of installation would be nice as well. Sick of wasting time with the felt.
    Assuming they are both plenty safe for egg use since so many people use both.
    Thanks!

    _______________________________

    Brookhaven, GA

    2012 Large | Mid 90's Medium

  • Mickey said:
    NautiRogue I only have about 7 years experience with Egg (and we have lots of guys with double that). But (IMO) we are not talking space shuttle here. I do not feel you will have any loss of smoke flavor at all, and no longer shutdown times as I have a new Large with new gasket and a 6 year old Large that has not had a gasket in 5.5 years and they both shut down within a min or so of each other. I would not give it any thought my friend.
    So is your position that gaskets are unnecessary?  When the gasket on your new Large burns out will you bother replacing it?
    Southern California
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    only need a gasket if you can't hold your low and slow temps......

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    Rutland
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Lost my top Nomex a few months ago, and the bottom one is in pretty bad shape. I've done a number of low and slow and have had no trouble maintaining temps as low as 275. No lack of smoke flavor, and no issue with fire going out after I shut it down.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • IMHO, gaskets allow the dome to close with a "wump" rather than a "chunk" - sorry for the technical talk. I think the loss of smoke, and sealing properties of a gasket help with making the egg more air tight, but the mating surfaces of ceramic will do a good job of that unless the dome is not aligned correctly.

    The other advantage of a gasket is the cushion it adds to leads and cables running into the food or grid probes. 

    I'm personally not sold on using a Rutland (I use them on my wood stove) I am sold on the Cotronics like @stlcharcoal or Nomex. Friend has a KJ with a Cotronics, been on for three years, looks like new.  
    The Naked Whiz site has a good summary, suggested reading. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • buddubya said:

    If Cotronics - where to buy? I see that folks are recommending to get in touch with @RRP for the Rutland supplies.

    Is Cotronics a top and bottom application or only bottom like Rutland.

    I stock the Cotronics gaskets......397 flat tape 1/8" thick.  $14 for the large.  I'm almost out though--need to order another two rolls.

    I only install them on the bottom.  It seals up just fine without putting it on top.  I use 3M Super 77 or Permatex UltraCopper.  Both work well.  I have the same gasket on all three of my BGE's for the last 3 years--two with Super77, one with UltraCopper.

    I tried the self adhesive (397PS) Cotronics, the glue didn't hold up to the heat.  I emailed Cotronics with a WTH and they said it's only there for positioning it to apply my own glue.  That doesn't make any sense.  :-/

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited September 2013
    bicktrav said:
    Mickey said:
    NautiRogue I only have about 7 years experience with Egg (and we have lots of guys with double that). But (IMO) we are not talking space shuttle here. I do not feel you will have any loss of smoke flavor at all, and no longer shutdown times as I have a new Large with new gasket and a 6 year old Large that has not had a gasket in 5.5 years and they both shut down within a min or so of each other. I would not give it any thought my friend.
    So is your position that gaskets are unnecessary?  When the gasket on your new Large burns out will you bother replacing it?

    You ask: "When the gasket on your new Large burns out will you bother replacing it?"  No I will  not.  But the new gasket seems to be holding. I have not seen one instance where a new style gasket has bit the big one yet and the old ones would come off on the first cook at times (happened at Salado EggFest enough).

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • txav8r
    txav8r Posts: 153

    I don't have any experience with it yet gentlemen...but I appreciate the discussion.  Seems to me, just rolling the cart around with no gasket sets the stage for chipping or other damage but maybe that isn't a problem.  Also, probe cables as mentioned are now going to hold the dome open slightly without the cushion of the gasket.  I can see not wanting the additional maintenance, and hear the arguments that the temp control and charcoal use is about the same, but the other two items do give me a tad of concern.  You guys are the test bed, thanks for the discussion.

    Just far enough north of DFW to be "rural"...and close enough to be urban, depending on my mood.
  • My experience:
    Burned my traditional felt up pretty quick after getting the egg.  Gave it go with one for a while without a gasket. Learned my dome doesn't line up perfectly with my base (no egg is perfect and all are different) and I was burning up lump upon shutdown at a much higher rate.  Researched gaskets and found (by far) that Rutland had a long and great track record.  Contacted @RRP and got a Rutland and applied it with Permatex Ultra Copper. No leaks, quick shutdown, soft closing of the lid. Couldn't be happier with the Rutland.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • I guess Mickey and I are the only ones who enjoy nay prefer going commando.

    Two eggs no gasket no problem.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • My egg has been without a gasket for close to a year now. I am still very happy with it and have zero problem maintaining any temp i want. It has minimal smoke leakage when normal cooking. My biggest problem is when I do a low and slow and run my maverick wires thru the dome it leaks smoke like CRAZY! Very interested in the Cotronics gasket.
  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
    I fried my felt gasket on my first XL in a few months.  I scraped the top and bottom off clean and realigned the dome so it fit flat against the base and did the dollar bill test all around to be sure I got it right.  It worked fine for regular cooks but when using my digiq II at 200 or 225, you could see some smoke coming out around where the gaskets used to be.  I could still hold the low temps but it just bothered me to see the smoke come out the edges so I installed a nomex on the base only.  No smoke and it cushions my temp and pit probes better.

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    Ain't much of a gasket left on either of my Eggs, the Large or the Mini. Bought a Rutland last year, just found it sitting in the shed this past weekend. Maybe its time to try it out since I spent the money already? Also have a Kamado Joe gasket that I got free years and years ago when they were giving them away. Maybe I should do something with that? My problem is that I'm just lazy. Someday I'll put one or the other on, but for now, the only time I can see the Egg leaking is when a pit controller is hooked up and forcing air through it, then you can really see it coming out the sides. I know I have better pictures of the smoke billowing out the sides, but I can't seem to find them today.image

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Griffin said:

    Ain't much of a gasket left on either of my Eggs, the Large or the Mini. Bought a Rutland last year, just found it sitting in the shed this past weekend. Maybe its time to try it out since I spent the money already? Also have a Kamado Joe gasket that I got free years and years ago when they were giving them away. Maybe I should do something with that? My problem is that I'm just lazy. Someday I'll put one or the other on, but for now, the only time I can see the Egg leaking is when a pit controller is hooked up and forcing air through it, then you can really see it coming out the sides. I know I have better pictures of the smok billowing out the sides, but I can't seem to find them today.image

    It's an easy fix to put the Rutland on.  You'll notice a big difference in the shut down time and be able to use more leftover charcoal.  Win, win.  Takes less than 2 hours.  Ron has them for his cost or you can go to Ace Hardware and pay a little more.  Adhesive I bought at O'Rielly.  Ace may have it too, didn't check.  
    Dan, Columbia,Mo.
  • dlk7 said:
     I scraped the top and bottom off clean and realigned the dome so it fit flat against the base and did the dollar bill test all around to be sure I got it right.
    I am getting ready to put the Rutlands on my XL. I do not know how to do the realignment on the XL. Can you tell me or direct me to a post where you got the info for yours? Thanks in adavance and sorry to hijack the thread :(.