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The Zombie Fire

wpendlegg
wpendlegg Posts: 141
in EggHead Forum
Last weekend I used my egg. After I was done I closed the vents and put the daisy wheel (closed) on top. I don't have the ceramic stopper. I go out of town on a business trip, and leave it that way all week long. 

This afternoon I go outside to clean the egg up a bit for tonight's dinner. I stir the coals to get the loose stuff to fall below the fire grate and put a little fresh lump in. I start hearing the familiar "tinkling" sound of burning lump. I stick my hand down there and it didn't feel any warmth. I thought "No way, maybe it's the charcoal settling."

I get my drip pan ready and the tinkling is quite noticeable. I put my hand down by the lump, and it's definitely burning. That's just completely wild to me -- That an ember can quietly smolder in the ash in a low oxygen environment for a week.  And then, after being exposed to oxygen for 5 minutes, can come alive. Completely back from the dead.

This is kind of troubling to me, because after I'm done cooking I'll close things down at least overnight before I put it in the garage. Sometimes I'll open the bottom vent up and take the daisy wheel off to get some air circulation going (I've had mold in there before). It made me realize I'm flirting with burning my whole house down by doing this. It might be time to invest in that stopper.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Lubbock, TX
Large BGE
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Comments

  • ads75
    ads75 Posts: 391
    That is a little scary. Glad nothing severe happened. I wouldn't store indoors, but you would think it would be fine if it was shut down overnight. Air could also be getting in there through the lid and base if that seal isn't good.

    Maybe another option would to be getting a kick ash basket, but then you can't really save any lump since you would be dumping it after every use.
    Large BGE, Mini BGE
    Morgantown, PA
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    Are you sure no one used the egg while you were away?
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • wpendlegg
    wpendlegg Posts: 141
    There must have been enough air to keep something smoldering very very slowly. That daisy wheel, even when shut down, isn't air tight. Something tells me it's going to have to live outside now.
    Lubbock, TX
    Large BGE
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Yeah I'd definitely buy that top and keep it outside from now on. 
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,521
    That's amazing.  And scary.
    How does your Egg score on the "dollar bill" test (seal between the top and body)?  

    "The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up."  - SW

    Ogden, UT, USA


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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    Many stories of accidental fires due to what was thought to be an extinguished fire/coals. Other than wasting lump, at least it was in a safe place (egg) as opposed to a campfire in the wilderness. 
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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