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Temp Problems
DocPitts
Posts: 4
Hello! I’ve enjoyed reading the forum for a few months while getting ready to dive into the world of BGE. What a wealth of information in this forum! All things Egg for sure.
I am currently doing the fourth cook on my large BGE.
Cooks to date:
1) Spatchcock chicken (win)
2) 13 lb turkey and two turkey breasts (loss on the 13lb turkey)
3) Boston butt (win)
4) spatchcock chicken (currently winning)
Here’s my problem. I can’t get my Egg to 350 (spatchcock chicken and turkey) without opening up the bottom vent all the way with the daisy wheel rotated fully open and slid open 1/2 inch. The first two cooks were with BGE lump.
After cook one I thought the grate must have been clogged. So I removed the remaining coal, cleared all holes, replaced with fresh BGE lump. Same problem.
After cook two I removed all charcoal took the egg apart, cleaned, and reassembled. There wasn’t anything out obstructing the air flow that I saw. I did notice that the BGE lump was all very small. 90% large marble sized. I had a bag of royal oak I use in my Webber so I put some in and did a practice fire. No food. It went perfectly. It heated up quickly, I could regulate to 350 with the daisy wheel rotated open slightly and the bottom vent open to about an inch. I thought it was the smaller lump clogging up the air holes. Not so. Third cook, same problem after cleaning the egg. Fourth cook, after cleaning the egg again, 350 with the open configuration.
I need wisdom from the egg heads.
I am currently doing the fourth cook on my large BGE.
Cooks to date:
1) Spatchcock chicken (win)
2) 13 lb turkey and two turkey breasts (loss on the 13lb turkey)
3) Boston butt (win)
4) spatchcock chicken (currently winning)
Here’s my problem. I can’t get my Egg to 350 (spatchcock chicken and turkey) without opening up the bottom vent all the way with the daisy wheel rotated fully open and slid open 1/2 inch. The first two cooks were with BGE lump.
After cook one I thought the grate must have been clogged. So I removed the remaining coal, cleared all holes, replaced with fresh BGE lump. Same problem.
After cook two I removed all charcoal took the egg apart, cleaned, and reassembled. There wasn’t anything out obstructing the air flow that I saw. I did notice that the BGE lump was all very small. 90% large marble sized. I had a bag of royal oak I use in my Webber so I put some in and did a practice fire. No food. It went perfectly. It heated up quickly, I could regulate to 350 with the daisy wheel rotated open slightly and the bottom vent open to about an inch. I thought it was the smaller lump clogging up the air holes. Not so. Third cook, same problem after cleaning the egg. Fourth cook, after cleaning the egg again, 350 with the open configuration.
I need wisdom from the egg heads.
Comments
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Sounds like you are doing everything correctly but I suggest you research a wiggle rod. Don’t buy one. Once you put a study on it, take a heavy clothes hanger & make one. Stick’er in the bottom vent up through the grate a wiggle the lump around. Creates more flow and makes you feel good cuz it gives you something to do between beers.
the city above Toronto - Noodleville wtih 2 Large 1 Mini
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1st off I never use the daisy wheel just use the slide portion. It won't restrict airflow as much as much as the daisywheel.If you've seen the new lid design they've dumped the daisywheel. Several of my eggs haven't had a cleaning like your talking about in years and work just fine. Prior to putting new lump in take your ash and run it around the fire grate so most of the ash falls through to the bottom. I only clear the ash from the bottom about every third or fourth cook. You're working too hard.XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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Lump pieces too small, crammed together too snuggly and air can't flow properly. Not necessarily the BGE lump, could happen with any brand.DocPitts said:I did notice that the BGE lump was all very small. 90% large marble sized.I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!
MichaelCentral Connecticut -
Do you pour lump in out of your bag? You get lots of dust and small pieces that way.
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I agree, too many fines will restrict air intake..... Also, for what it's worth, I always leave the bottom wide open and adjust the temp with the daisy wheel only.. never had issues..Chicago, IL BGE XL BGE Mini Webber Charcoal / Elmhurst, IL
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Airflow issue.
Kick Ash Basket or a replacement fire grate will solve most of this......it will allow you to run much smaller pieces of charcoal (maybe not that small), but significantly smaller than a stock grate. It doesn't take many small pieces to plug up that lower grate, but the replacement grates or KAB let those fines or ash to fall through. Don't worry about losing anything, those fine will burn down on the base so you don't lose the BTU's.
Every egg I sold had a KAB in it. Best upgrade you can make to an Egg.
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Yeah the daisy wheel isn't really necessary if you're trying to hit 350. Just use the bottom slider. Maybe a couple fingers wide should do it
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Bingo. Suspect bottom of the bag also.Carolina Q said:
Lump pieces too small, crammed together too snuggly and air can't flow properly. Not necessarily the BGE lump, could happen with any brand.DocPitts said:I did notice that the BGE lump was all very small. 90% large marble sized. -
But yet after egging for 6 years I always forget and pile it high with the "bottom" of the bag fines... Some guys posted here he sorted his lump according to size.. I laughed thinking he was a lunatic, eh, he might be on to something.......Chicago, IL BGE XL BGE Mini Webber Charcoal / Elmhurst, IL
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I had temp issues a couple of times and it was due to the small pieces in the bottom of the bag. I now just sprinkle some of them on top of fresh lump.
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Thanks for the feedback, guys. As a point of reference, I did sort my charcoal today (cook 4). I stacked large lump at the bottom, layered medium lump over that, and then I did pour some lump over the top to fill the fire box.
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Not sure, but you could be moving the air block higher in the firebox with the fines.. it's hard to diagnose but certainly frustratingChicago, IL BGE XL BGE Mini Webber Charcoal / Elmhurst, IL
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True.BGEChicago said:Not sure, but you could be moving the air block higher in the firebox with the fines.. it's hard to diagnose but certainly frustrating -
If I thought I had to sort lump, I’d buy a gasser. KAB and or HiQue will help. I’m too damn lazy for that noise.
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So I solved my temp problems! So far I am really enjoying the simplicity and accuracy of the Flame Boss 400. 🔥 I have a 9lb Boston Butt on currently.
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2x what he said. The KAB helps correct the inconsistencies in lump sizestlcharcoal said:Airflow issue.
Kick Ash Basket or a replacement fire grate will solve most of this......it will allow you to run much smaller pieces of charcoal (maybe not that small), but significantly smaller than a stock grate. It doesn't take many small pieces to plug up that lower grate, but the replacement grates or KAB let those fines or ash to fall through. Don't worry about losing anything, those fine will burn down on the base so you don't lose the BTU's.
Every egg I sold had a KAB in it. Best upgrade you can make to an Egg.The problem with a problem is that you don't know it's a problem until it's a problem, and that is a big problem.
Holding the company together with three spreadsheets and two cans connected by a long piece of string. -
Yeah, I guess @stlcharcoal has a point... a KAB may be in my futureChicago, IL BGE XL BGE Mini Webber Charcoal / Elmhurst, IL
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