Can't get temperature past 300 degrees

deano2052 · July 2017

I'm a newbie and I went for the XL.
I mus t be doing something wrong.
For the life of me I can't get the temp over 300 Degrees.
I've tried so many vent combos and they all kinda just keep the temp between 275-300.
Is it possible I'm not putting in enough charcoal?
any suggestions appreciated.

henapple · July 2017

How long are you waiting? How many spots are you lighting? Vents open?

bgebrent · July 2017

henapple said:

How long are you waiting? How many spots are you lighting? Vents open?

More information.

DMW · July 2017

The XL can get hot. Post some pics of your setup and we'll figure it out. Where are you located?

lousubcap · July 2017

The rig is air-flow driven. Fire triangle here: fuel (aka lump); ignition source (your call) and air -flow. Once you get the fire lit then the air-flow is the controller here. No blockages from the lower vent? Thermo calibrated and accurate? Fire box opening aligned with the lower vent?
Remember the BGE is an air-flow restricted machine-thus the ability to run for 20+ hours on a single load of lump or go nuclear with the same set-up. You will get this sorted out.

YukonRon · July 2017

First time I fired up my XL, it took me FOREVER to get it back down to 300F, because, I did not pay attention to it when I was prepping a 6 bone rack of prime rib. I went back outside and it was over 600F.
I left the DW off and the lower vent was wide open.
That is when I learned about the likelihood of a flash fire when you open the lid without burping.
JSYK: Watch out for the bottom vent too. I know a guy that singed the hair on his legs from the flash fire. He really is a lot smarter than he seemed that day.
Supper was late that night.

Hairless_Hand · July 2017

Time to calibrate the thermometer in boiling water.

bigbadben · July 2017

99% of the time this is caused by poor airflow.

Did you dump your bag of lump in? Next time clean everything out. Stack the largest pieces on the bottom. Try to block as few holes a possible.

BJM2932 · July 2017

As many have said, make sure your dome thermometer is calibrated. I'm still a newbie myself, but quickly realized that the holes in the fire grate and fire box clog rather easily. After unclogging the temperature climbs quickly. Taking time to stack the larger pieces of lump on the bottom rather than dumping helps.

Carolina Q · July 2017

bigbadben said:

Next time clean everything out. Stack the largest pieces on the bottom. Try to block as few holes a possible.

I NEVER do this. It simply is not necessary. If I had to "clean and/or arrange" my lump, I'd buy a gasser. Just dump it out of the bag. Right on top of the old stuff.

I suspect you're not using enough lump. Don't be shy... fill 'er up. And make sure you have adequate airflow.

Legume · July 2017

Carolina Q said:

bigbadben said:

Next time clean everything out. Stack the largest pieces on the bottom. Try to block as few holes a possible.

I NEVER do this. It simply is not necessary. If I had to "clean and/or arrange" my lump, I'd buy a gasser. Just dump it out of the bag. Right on top of the old stuff.

I suspect you're not using enough lump. Don't be shy... fill 'er up. And make sure you have adequate airflow.

Yep. When you're finished cooking, you'll shutdown the vents, the fire will go out and you'll use the leftover lump next time. Point being, don't worry about putting in too much lump, worry about putting in too little.

Carolina Q · July 2017

Legume said:

Carolina Q said:

bigbadben said:

Next time clean everything out. Stack the largest pieces on the bottom. Try to block as few holes a possible.

I NEVER do this. It simply is not necessary. If I had to "clean and/or arrange" my lump, I'd buy a gasser. Just dump it out of the bag. Right on top of the old stuff.

I suspect you're not using enough lump. Don't be shy... fill 'er up. And make sure you have adequate airflow.

Yep. When you're finished cooking, you'll shutdown the vents, the fire will go out and you'll use the leftover lump next time. Point being, don't worry about putting in too much lump, worry about putting in too little.

Be sure to stir the old lump so the ashes fall through the fire grate and don't clog up the works.

Here's a pic of what you'll see before the cook, after the cook and after stirring prior to the next cook. You can add more on top of the pic on the right - just dump it in. BTW, you can fill quite a bit higher than I did here (though this was an 18 hr cook at 250° dome temp).

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/dm/g8dj83fsho1g.jpg

deano2052 · July 2017

Than you all for the suggestions.
I've been leaving both vents wide open for the entire cooking time and still haven't been able to get the temp past 300. Vents are clear as are the wholes n the grate.
I'm going to try more charcoal and see if that works. I've been lighting it n 2 places. Maybe I'll try lighting in 3 places.

Teefus · July 2017

Add me as one who is puzzled. Do you fill up your whole firebox area? Is the firebox clearance hole aligned with your lower air vent? Light the pile of lump near the lower vent opening and see if that makes a difference. This really sounds like it's being starved for air somehow, or there's nowhere near enough lump. My Large can get stupid hot with both vents open.

Theophan · July 2017

deano2052 said:

... I'm going to try more charcoal and see if that works. I've been lighting it n 2 places. Maybe I'll try lighting in 3 places.

I strongly agree with @Carolina Q and others that you're probably not putting in enough lump, a very common newbie mistake. Don't just put in the charcoal you think you need for this cook! FILL IT UP at least to the top of the firebox and probably a little into the fire ring.

And yes, if you're cooking "hot and fast," light it in 3 places.

HofstraJet · July 2017

Agree with likely not enough lump. Please note that it will be reused in the next cook, so fill it up. It won't go to waste like a regular charcoal briquette grill.

jdkeithbge · July 2017

If I'm grilling (>350 deg) I usually light in 3 places and leave the dome open with bottom vent fully open and no DW. After about 10 min once I have 3 areas with good hot coals I'll close the dome and let it come up to temp. Agree with others here about keeping a close eye at this point; just the other night I went inside to prep something and came back to find it at 600 deg. If I'm planning a low and slow cook (250 deg) I'll just light in one area right in the middle. Finally, I also concur with the recommendation to stir and top up with fresh lump to the fire ring.

TheBrewerMoose · July 2017

Deano what are you using for your thermometer? As you can see from the responses it's pretty unusual that you can't get your egg up to temp. If you fill your fire box with decent lump and light it in two places, and then leave it wide open, I'm surprised you have any hair left because it should be blazing in 15 minutes or so. Keep us posted - I think the resolution should be interesting.

As a joke... mostly anyways... maybe you're using Cowboy lump and it's full of rocks and clay!!! lol, just kidding. Post your fix when you get it!

DieselkW · July 2017

You are capable of running a dome temperature over 1000ºf. with any size Egg.

If you're not getting over 300, then something is wrong.

I've gotten to 600 with enough lump to fill a chimney starter, so I doubt you don't have enough lump, the stuff burns over 2000ºf.

Did you put a 10lb frozen pork butt on the grill and then watch the dome temp fall? Understand the temp probe is located 10 or so inches above the grill, so any food you put on there is going to lower the temp for a while as warm air cools when it passes by the food.

Pull the probe out, there's a metal "holder" that keeps it in place, you have to squeeze it lightly to line up the holes and allow the probe to slide out. Stick the probe in boiling water and see if it comes to 212ºf. If it does, then your problem is air flow.

Look down around the bottom of the lump - sometimes those holes get filled with exactly the right size lump to impede your air flow. Did you open the chimney? Air in = air out, you have to let the Egg breathe.

Fuel + air = temp. More air raises the temp, but it has to go somewhere, so open the chimney vent also.

fishlessman · July 2017

stir out the ashes and fill egg with lump, open lower vent completely. light egg. take daisy wheel off egg, put it on the ground and go get a six pack. drink it checking gage after every beer. if you see fire shooting out the top, smell a burning gasket, theres something wrong with the gage

PSC · July 2017

unpossible

post pics

Eoin · July 2017

fishlessman said:

stir out the ashes and fill egg with lump, open lower vent completely. light egg. take daisy wheel off egg, put it on the ground and go get a six pack. drink it checking gage after every beer. if you see fire shooting out the top, smell a burning gasket, theres something wrong with the gage

Sage advice as always. Beer plus fire always equals a win.

Teefus · July 2017

Eoin said:

fishlessman said:

stir out the ashes and fill egg with lump, open lower vent completely. light egg. take daisy wheel off egg, put it on the ground and go get a six pack. drink it checking gage after every beer. if you see fire shooting out the top, smell a burning gasket, theres something wrong with the gage

Sage advice as always. Beer plus fire always equals a win.

Bourbon gets you the win quicker. Just saying.....

jdkeithbge · July 2017

@fishlessman I like this six-pack troubleshooting method, I may apply it to other problems as they come along. Come to think of it this may just be my normal way of life.

fishlessman · July 2017

Teefus said:

Eoin said:

fishlessman said:

stir out the ashes and fill egg with lump, open lower vent completely. light egg. take daisy wheel off egg, put it on the ground and go get a six pack. drink it checking gage after every beer. if you see fire shooting out the top, smell a burning gasket, theres something wrong with the gage

Sage advice as always. Beer plus fire always equals a win.

Bourbon gets you the win quicker. Just saying.....

ok, light fire, get a handle of bourbon, drink it, when you come too, check and see if theres any lump left

caliking · July 2017

As @lousubcap mentioned, make sure the inverted U-shaped opening of the firebox lines up with the bottom vent. Besides making sure that you have enough lump and a calibrated thermo.

Teefus · July 2017

fishlessman said:

Teefus said:

Eoin said:

fishlessman said:

stir out the ashes and fill egg with lump, open lower vent completely. light egg. take daisy wheel off egg, put it on the ground and go get a six pack. drink it checking gage after every beer. if you see fire shooting out the top, smell a burning gasket, theres something wrong with the gage

Sage advice as always. Beer plus fire always equals a win.

Bourbon gets you the win quicker. Just saying.....

ok, light fire, get a handle of bourbon, drink it, when you come too, check and see if theres any lump left

Decent Bourbon does not have a handle. And sip it, pace yourself. The win will come.

georgia boy · July 2017

definitely curious as to the outcome here. @deano2052 did you figure out what was causing the troubles? my guess, as mentioned many times here already, was lack of airflow. As @Teefus said, something that may not be obvious is to ensure that your firebox clearance hole is aligned with your lower air vent.

14JKUR · July 2017

Newbie here...but, it sounds like an airflow issue to me as well. If I had to guess, I'd say the egg was setup with the hole in the firebox not lined up directly with the egg's lower vent (restricting airflow).

Toxarch · July 2017

My KJ Jr likes to get to around 300 and sit there for a while before climbing higher, even with wide open vents. Haven't figured out why. I just know I need at least an hour to get it up to steak searing temps so I light it early.

You could always try a leaf blower:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UBu2TFSSveU

BikerBob · July 2017

Is there any chance the dome thermometer has wrapped-gone all the way around to 300? This would make sense. Using a chimney, the temp climbs rapidly past 300 with vents open on my medium.

Can't get temperature past 300 degrees

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