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New and having trouble stabilizing temp

Prodraft
Prodraft Posts: 22
in EggHead Forum
Just got my LBGE last week, did a chicken for my first attempt and it came out fantastic, but I fought the temp the whole time, +-25 deg. Also, I couldn't get my temp down below 250 even with the lower vent open a half inch and daisey wheel closed. Any suggestions?
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Comments

  • berndcrisp
    berndcrisp Posts: 1,166
     Welcome.   It's all about air flow. The daisy wheel must be opened some, then control the temp with the lower vent. I only use the daisy wheel for low and slows. 
    Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs!


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  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
    You might be making to many adjustments. Make an adjustment then wait 30 mins and see what it does. A small adjustment goes a long way. FWIW, when I do low and slows at 225* my bottom vent is open only 1/4" and the daisy wheel is open just a sliver. Like said above on the low and slows I use the daisy wheel for adjusting temp. You will learn your egg and it will be second nature . I know when I start mine I can set it and I know exactly where to put it for 225, 350 and 450 with only making 1 small adjustment to get it dialed in.
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Search temp control. There is a thread out there with photos of various settings and the corresponding temps.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    @Prodraft-welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  As mentioned above, give the BGE a chance to stabilize after any adjustments.  I'm sure all of us went thru the "chase the temp drill" at one time.  And here's a great primer on all things ceramic: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/nwindex.htm  Will find answers to many of your questions-and the recipe section is well worth a look.   
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Gator_Man
    Gator_Man Posts: 138

    Agree with everything said above, been there and done that!

    What I have learned over the years is 25 degrees + - makes no difference in the end product. Would recommend you go to the nakedwhiz site and learn how to calibrate your thermometer just because it is new means nothing. Take a day and don't cook food load up the egg with lump and just practice temp control that way you have no pressure to get a meal ready and you can just concentrate on temp control. Start out with low temp as it is very easy to go higher and very hard to go from a high temp to low. Hang in there you will figure it out in no time and be saying to yourself wow why did I wait so long to get an Egg. Jupiter Jim :)

    I'm from North Carolina summer and Okeechobee Florida winter.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Here is another good read that @ShadowNick did http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1161232/bge-newbie-quickstart-guide#latest
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • Philly35
    Philly35 Posts: 858
    I've learned that the key to low and slow is how you light it and let it get to temp slowly. If you get a good 250-300 degree fire going, it is real tough to lock it in at 225 or lower. And don't open the lid unless you have to! A maverick is your best friend!
    NW IOWA
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Good stuff noted above, don't chase the temp and do not try to be too exact. Another pearl learned here years ago was if you want to start cooking at noon, start the egg at 10:30, dial the expected temp settings and leave it alone for an hour. By noon you will be stable. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    Like Gator Man said, get friendly with your egg. Pull up a comfy chair, get a 6pack, and light some charcoal. Don't put any meat on, just fiddle with the vent settings and figure out what works.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Prodraft
    Prodraft Posts: 22
    Thanks for the encouragement, I was a die-hard webber guy, but the Egg is all new to me. I like the idea for a test run. No Beer, Knob Creek or Bookers on ice is my go to.
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    As others have stated.  Once you get used to your egg you will be able to set the vents where they need to be and walk away.  When you come back they will be pretty close to where you want them.  Be patient and fight the urge to chase the temperature.  
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • SWVABeanCounter
    SWVABeanCounter Posts: 859
    Agree with what you'll read above.  One other thought.  Catch your temp on the way up.  Once you've overshoot your temp, it takes awhile to cool an egg down

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208

    Had my egg for less than 2 months....have made about 7 or 8 cooks. Reading this forum and practicing some of the most common posts helped me a lot. Don't be afraid to ask questions, these folks are glad to help.

    Start fire, wait 15 minutes close lid and adjust bottom vent when you get about -50 degrees from target. Slight adjustments to try and stop at target (practice makes perfect).

    Let stabilize for 1/2 hour then put in PS and meat and let it have time to come back to your target temp by itself.

    This is the path I try to take each time....

    Welcome to the eggdiction world,

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • cam05210
    cam05210 Posts: 62
    +1 on putting the PS and grate in early to stabilize...didn't really think about how those items will affect the temps when I got started only learned by failing!!  lol  ...I start adjusting when I get within 50-75 degrees of my desired temp and then leave it alone for 20-30mins to let it settle in...easy to go up in temp...hard to bring it back down
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
    The nice thing about leaving the PS and grill out when stabilizing is that they will bring it down a few degrees when you add them cold.  That can be useful if you overshoot by a few degrees.
    NOLA
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  • Soapnote
    Soapnote Posts: 5

    Here is the link to the different vent setting threads. I bookmarked it for my own reference.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/746823/vent-settings-a-visual-guide/p2


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  • Prodraft
    Prodraft Posts: 22
    this place is great.....Did another cook last night, meatloaf, you guys are right, once you have meatloaf from the EGG, never go back to the oven, wife loved it, son (who is a certified, card card carrying, journeyman chef), asked how I did it, he said it was better than his and better than any he's had. Caught the temp on the way up, did not micro-manage and it went great. Ordered the A/R and the extender today.
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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    AWESOME ! any pics ??

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • Prodraft
    Prodraft Posts: 22

    of my meatloaf, wife or son? JK, i did not take pics but am going to start taking pics of all new dishes I try

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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    takes practice.   In my opinion, the hardest skill to master is low temp control.

    When adjusting the temp with the bottom door, I tap it lightly with the ash removal tool.   Takes a while to get a feel for what a tap or two in either direction will do.

    Cookin in Texas
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  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    Biggest thing is not to sweat it over 25 or 30 degrees. Your oven can fluctuate quite a bit in kicking on an off too. Think about when you here the oven click on, what has happened. The temp dropped and the oven has to reheat. It will overshoot the desired temp a bit so it doesn't kick on and off the entire time. You will have more consistency with your egg than the oven in the long run.
    Mark Annville, PA
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  • butert
    butert Posts: 202
    Do you have a specific thread @pgprescott?  I searched temp control and it comes up with a million hits.
    Cooking on a XL BGE from Allendale, Mi.
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