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Going Naked??

Rascal
Rascal Posts: 3,923
How many of you cook sans a gasket on your BGE?  Assuming you removed as much of the old seal as possible, do you think it increases lump consumption?  And how about moisture retention?  Just wondering if I should bother with a replacement or just cook cook "in the raw"...  TIA!!~~
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Comments

  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    All of our Eggs leak with a gasket....can't imagine them without lol....
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    @mickey doesn't use them... But he turbo cooks everything at 800 degrees. 
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    I cooked for years without one on my large until my base cracked and I got a new one with a gasket. Honestly don't see much of a difference besides the noise it makes when you close the lid.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    If you can control temperatures across your range of L&S cooks and get a decent shutdown, then you are fine.  The dollar bill test can let you know if you have any obvious leaks-also when you initially fire up the BGE and generate the white smoke, shut the dome and see if all the smoke exits via the top vice around the dome to base seal.  FWIW-
    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.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    no gasket here for a decade plus =)  shutting it down is fine if you get the bottom vent tight, just make sure the silicone is good on the lower vent and tighten the slide if it appears too loose
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    4 Eggs and only the two newer have gaskets. See no reason at all for them except to make closing softer. 
    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.   

  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
    Dang title teased me.
    Flint, Michigan
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    Dang title teased me.
    Yeah me too.... Was expecting pics of @SGH.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I went gasket less on large for 2 years. Installed a Rutland but egg has major underbite. Honestly can't see any improvement with the Rutland on but that is obviously because of the underbite. I'll probably fix that in the next 5 years or so
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Chubbs said:
    I went gasket less on large for 2 years. Installed a Rutland but egg has major underbite. Honestly can't see any improvement with the Rutland on but that is obviously because of the underbite. I'll probably fix that in the next 5 years or so
    Why not address the underbite now? Here is a post that I saved from a while back and many have since said the steps here have solved their issue.

    Overbite/Underbite: A quote from a poster


    "I called this morning and spoke to Dewayne at BGE HQ Customer Service.  He was extremely helpful and guided me through the steps to level out the top.  It was extremely simple to do, even for someone who didn't understand the way these things are put together. 

    So basically here's what was the problem and what I did.  The first problem was that the lower band was not wrapped around evenly - it was lower in the rear than in the front.  He explained to me that the lower band should come right up to the edge of the lower gasket all the way around the lower half.  So I loosened the carriage bolt on the lower rear band and GENTLY tapped along the band using a block of wood and a rubber mallet until the band was placed evenly around the whole bottom.  Then I tightened the band.  From that point, the underbite had improved significantly, but there was still a bit of unevenness along the planes where the gaskets met and it still did not pass the dollar bill test.  In fact, the gap on the rear side between the gaskets was slightly worse, but I wasn't worried because I knew there were a couple more steps to 

    Next step was to adjust the front to back placement to fine tune the sitting of the top to the bottom.  There are two slotted acorn nuts on the top part of the hinge (above the spring) on both sides of the top that needed to be loosened so that I can 'wiggle' the top into a centered position.  So I loosened all 4 nuts, wiggled it into position, then tightened.  Now the top was centered properly (no under or overbite), but there was still unevenness on the plane of contact - in other words, it still failed the dollar bill test. 

    The last step was to somewhat repeat the first step (loosening the carriage bolt) except for the upper band.  Wherever there was the largest gap between the two gaskets, I GENTLY tapped the band upward which essentially pushed the lid downward by it's own weight.  Once I saw that the upper band was positioned in such a way that the entire top part of the egg sat nicely and evenly on the bottom, I tightened the carriage bolt of the top band and vuala!  It was fixed.  Dollar bill test passed all the way around the egg.  No more underbite (or overbite). "

    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    I would only say that i used fishless's egg once and it used more lump than mine does. (Sorry man!). I opened it the next day and much of the remaining lump had been used. 

    Truth be told though, the gasket was originally just for cushioning the dome when shutting. It's in the original owner manual. And you certainly can use it without it

    but i think the air tight nature of the thing has really been capitalized in and is a legit expectation of the user now 

    my egg will hiss violently when i shut the dome (when thenlower vent is shut and the cap on

    haven't decided if that means it is air tight or leaky. :)

    but i don't seem to burn any extra fuel after shutting down. The thing starves
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

  • EggNorth
    EggNorth Posts: 1,535
    I didn't have one for years but noticed I had a hot spot at the back, more than usual, and when I turned the egg off it would continue to burn for a long time, using up the wood.

    So just installed a new gasket I got two years ago and that solved the one extra hot spot and saving on wood also.

    But now I have an underbite!  So thanks RRP, I will try those steps above.
    Dave
    Cambridge, Ontario - Canada
    Large (2010), Mini Max (2015), Large garden pot (2018)
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    @RRP yeah you are right. I need to fix it. I also need new bands and hinge assembly thought. The dome will barely stay open. Any thoughts on that one?
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Chubbs said:
    @RRP yeah you are right. I need to fix it. I also need new bands and hinge assembly thought. The dome will barely stay open. Any thoughts on that one?
    "Barely stay open" typically means the band was installed upside down! Need a picture? 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • bclarksicle
    bclarksicle Posts: 167
    Burned off years ago and never noticed a difference. No plans to replace 
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    RRP said:
    Chubbs said:
    @RRP yeah you are right. I need to fix it. I also need new bands and hinge assembly thought. The dome will barely stay open. Any thoughts on that one?
    "Barely stay open" typically means the band was installed upside down! Need a picture? 
    Will send one tomorrow. Bands have never been taken off since put on. Just getting progressively worse.  If I open it it closes halfway on its own. Annoying
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    Asked my son to close the egg a year or so ago and he pretty much dropped it.  If I hadn't had one of Ron's gaskets, it probably would've chipped or cracked the base.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Chubbs said:
    RRP said:
    Chubbs said:
    @RRP yeah you are right. I need to fix it. I also need new bands and hinge assembly thought. The dome will barely stay open. Any thoughts on that one?
    "Barely stay open" typically means the band was installed upside down! Need a picture? 
    Will send one tomorrow. Bands have never been taken off since put on. Just getting progressively worse.  If I open it it closes halfway on its own. Annoying
    Sorry - I meant I would send YOU a picture if you wish, but PhotoBucket isn't being nice to me tonight! Sounds like your band was installed ok all these years so my guess is one or both springs need to be replaced. Don't try to guess at ACE - just go to your dealer so you get the proper length and tension. Not all springs are created equal!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
    I bought a gasket, but I am lazy. It's been awhile--2 years. I will agree. It eats more charcoal without it. I Think RRP could make a pretty fine living touring the country and replacing gaskets and fixing under/over bites. I'd pay for the gasket and the airfare and the beer and an installing fee. He can do the one on my new XL while he is here.
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Jstroke said:
    I bought a gasket, but I am lazy. It's been awhile--2 years. I will agree. It eats more charcoal without it. I Think RRP could make a pretty fine living touring the country and replacing gaskets and fixing under/over bites. I'd pay for the gasket and the airfare and the beer and an installing fee. He can do the one on my new XL while he is here.
    LOL - considering what I charge via USPO then I'd have to hitch-hike most places! Seriously though I sell to a couple dealers who won't be mentioned who marks my gaskets up 5 & 6 fold and then sends a handy retired dude out to apply it. Remember what you paid? SEE how much I saved you being a D-I-Y guy? LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
    I don't think most here fully appreciate your services
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    RRP said:
    Remember what you paid? SEE how much I saved you being a D-I-Y guy? LOL
    Ron, I was going to say that if I had your money that I would not be concerned with saving money. I would throw it around by the bucket fulls. However I'm exhausted from 13 hours at work today so I'm going to let you slide this time my friend ;)

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    Dang title teased me.
    Yeah me too.... Was expecting pics of @SGH.
    My nakedness is truly beautiful to behold my friend =)

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    SGH said:
    I'm exhausted from 13 hours at work today so I'm going to let you slide this time my friend ;)
    13 hours? That mean you are back on the job supervising the laying pipe of underwater pipe? 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    RRP said:
    SGH said:
    I'm exhausted from 13 hours at work today so I'm going to let you slide this time my friend ;)
    13 hours? That mean you are back on the job supervising the laying pipe of underwater pipe? 
    Yes sir, I'm back working. I'm a company Rep on the Thunder Horse project. It's scheduled to be laid in the Gulf in August. 
    Thunder Horse subsea mainline:



    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    That's a mighty big pipe you're laying there.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    bgebrent said:
    That's a mighty big pipe you're laying there.
    Each stalk is 1 mile in length. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • bboulier
    bboulier Posts: 558
    The main difference seems to be fuel efficiency.  A good gasket leaks less heat.  
    Weber Kettle, Weber Genesis Silver B, Medium Egg, KJ Classic (Black)
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    SGH said:
    RRP said:
    SGH said:
    I'm exhausted from 13 hours at work today so I'm going to let you slide this time my friend ;)
    13 hours? That mean you are back on the job supervising the laying pipe of underwater pipe? 
    Yes sir, I'm back working. I'm a company Rep on the Thunder Horse project. It's scheduled to be laid in the Gulf in August. 
    Thunder Horse subsea mainline:



    BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!
    I'm VERY happy for you! NOW...pls get off my ass about "all my money". You're the rich guy with a paycheck coming in and I'm just a retired sh@t. I'd **** about the Deer machinery in the picture since it wasn't CAT but hey...I learned to play both angles years ago by buying shares in both ILLINOIS based companies! 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    @RRP
    There are two cats by the deere. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out.