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    Epic Fail

    Posts: 199
    edited November 2015 in EggHead Forum
    Always had good to excellent luck cooking with my LBGE but nobody is perfect.  Tonight I filled the egg with small small pieces of lump I had left over from several bags.  Lit the egg and planned on doing 300 on an elevated grid for chicken wings and thighs.  Well.... The temp never made it up over 250-260 and smoldered.  Even hooked up the Flameboss 200 to create a whirlwind underneath.  Got a lot of smoke and not enough heat.  Stirred and agitated the burning lump.  No dice. Still wouldn't get over 250.  This really sucked because at this point there is really no fix unless you have a backup egg.  The only possible explanation is that all of the tiny pieces of lump were clogging the air holes in the bottom grate and the fire box.  This fire was starving for air.
    DONT BE CHEAP LIKE ME. ACCEPT THE LOSS AND DO NOT USE THE REAL SMALL PIECES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LUMP BAG!!!  Lol.
    LBGE. Plate setter, PS Woo2, Flame Boss 200.  Moorestown, South Jersey (about 15 min outside of Philly, Don't hold it against me.  I would most likely rather live where you are)
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    • Posts: 5,234
      Been there and done that!

      Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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    • Posts: 18,459
      johnkitchens said:
      Been there and done that!
      Me too. 
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    • Posts: 10,458
      We've all been there. Sorry for the outcome. Tomorrow is another day and a new bag of lump =). 

      -----------------------------------------

      analyze adapt overcome

      2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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    • Posts: 199
      Actually I think it's a sign.  I am about to open my first bag ever of Rockwood!  I bought 4 bags from Firecraft and have eagerly been waiting to use it.  After the tragedy I had tonight I need the Rockwood to lift me back up
      LBGE. Plate setter, PS Woo2, Flame Boss 200.  Moorestown, South Jersey (about 15 min outside of Philly, Don't hold it against me.  I would most likely rather live where you are)
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    • Posts: 42,109
      There is a sure-fire solution.  Shove a leaf-blower in the bottom vent, shield yourself from fire, somehow, and blast the f*ck out of it.  It will clear the small stuff and let the fire breathe again.  I've done this many times before as I just dump bags in the egg.  Also, I advise having a hose at the ready if there's anything flammable around.
      ______________________________________________
      I love lamp..
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    • Posts: 257
      nolaegghead said:
      There is a sure-fire solution.  Shove a leaf-blower in the bottom vent, shield yourself from fire, somehow, and blast the f*ck out of it.  It will clear the small stuff and let the fire breathe again.  I've done this many times before as I just dump bags in the egg.  Also, I advise having a hose at the ready if there's anything flammable around.

      X2.    I've used a shop vac in the past to the exact same end.   Simply switch the hose around to blow if you don't have a leaf blower.   Works like a hot damn either way. 
      Large BGE
      MMax BGE
      Weber gasser
      Pizza oven
      2 Dogs Back to 3 Dogs
      No neighbours 
      Living in Canada's bush
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    • Posts: 13,836
      nolaegghead said:
      There is a sure-fire solution.  Shove a leaf-blower in the bottom vent, shield yourself from fire, somehow, and blast the f*ck out of it.  It will clear the small stuff and let the fire breathe again.  I've done this many times before as I just dump bags in the egg.  Also, I advise having a hose at the ready if there's anything flammable around.
      Or a fire extinguisher...
      They/Them
      Morgantown, PA

      XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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    • Posts: 19,127

      I hope you learned your lesson.


      Now go get yourself a backup egg. As good an excuse as any :smiley:


      #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
      A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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    • Posts: 19,127
      If I'm worried about a similar issue, I clear a patch in the middle before lighting, until I can see the grate. This lets a lot of air come right up the middle of the lump and seems to help.

      #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
      A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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    • Posts: 6,262
      A31unit said:
      ACCEPT THE LOSS AND DO NOT USE THE REAL SMALL PIECES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LUMP BAG!!! 
      I made the same mistake, and it messed me up - couldn't get the right temp, and the fire kept wanting to die.
       
      I buy RO from Home Depot.  The bags are so crushed,  it's getting a little ridiculous.  I've started buying two bags at a time.  I make up one barely acceptable bag and return a bag with all the dust and tiny chips.  I discussed it with a manager, and told him what I was doing.  He was clearly not interested.

      Phoenix 
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    • Posts: 42,109
      That's funny
      ______________________________________________
      I love lamp..
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    • Posts: 3,827
      If you have a KAB, then use it to "filter" out the powder and really small pieces at the bottom of the bag.  What's left in the basket is usually good to burn.

      Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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    • Posts: 4,716
      A31unit said:

      DONT BE CHEAP LIKE ME. ACCEPT THE LOSS AND DO NOT USE THE REAL SMALL PIECES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LUMP BAG!!!  Lol.
      You can you them, just not at 100% if you want a hot & fast.  When you open the new bag, fill up the egg almost to the top of the fire ring.  Then take your old bag and pour it out around the edge of the fire ring.  All those little pieces will scatter as they fall and/or collect against the edge.  Fire it up and they'll create plenty of BTU's for you, without losing any airflow.  They will actually make it easier to start and get up to temp since the small pieces heat faster in free air......bigger chunks have to heat through.

      Or if you don't want to mess with them, scatter them in your garden, yard, compost pile, or save them for your burn pit or wood stove.  Plenty of uses.
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    • Posts: 70
      Never tried the blower method, but it's now on my list of things to try.  I do have a "stoker" stick from an outdoor fire pit that i use to clear clogs/spread coals around and consider it a must have.
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    • Posts: 216
      I've used the leaf blower method, with my wife looking out the window, shaking her head, and mouthing "what the h*#@ are you doing?"
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    • Posts: 8
      A two speed heat gun will do a better and faster job without sending ash and embers every friken where... Plus the heat gun's metal nose fits perfectly in the lower vent and stays there if you close the vent shield (door) against it. Less than ten bucks at Harbor Freight 
      My opinions tend to be unbiased and sometimes spicy..
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    • Posts: 8
      Anyway, at 250 you can smoke chicken to perfection in about 4 hours depending on amount of pieces and thickness... Just did 12 thighs and 17 drumsticks with left over lump small pieces and cherry/Apple wood for smoke.. Delicious smoke and everything was juicy due to low heat.
      My opinions tend to be unbiased and sometimes spicy..
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