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Has anyone had a cracked firebox when using the stainless steel fire bowl?

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hercules
hercules Posts: 2
in EggHead Forum
I have a large BGE. I'm using the BGE stainless steel fire bowl. After each cook, I raise the temperature to burn off any mold-producing crud. In some cases, I go beyond 700 degrees. I've noticed that my fire box cracks after I do this. I never had this issue until I started using the stainless steel fire bowl. Has anyone else had this issue?

I keep getting warranty replacements for the fire box, but it's occurred to me that the uneven expanding and contracting of the stainless steel fire bowl vs the ceramic firebox could cause this.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem......
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  • 4TheGrillOfIt
    4TheGrillOfIt Posts: 741
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    That would be ironic if BGE has an accessory that breaks their firebox.  

    I would say, however, that I think your burn off after every cook seems like overkill.  I’ve never done one at all and my egg stays quite clean,   
    XL BGE, Large BGE, Small BGE, Weber Summit NG                                                                                               
    Memphis  
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    You don’t need to go that high to burn stuff off. 500-550 is plenty and easier on your egg. FWIW, I don’t  think I’ve ever had a fire bowl or ring last longer than 6 months before cracking and I use the standard setup. They usually last a few years after getting the first crack but they all crack. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • hercules
    hercules Posts: 2
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    Thanks for your comments. I agree that my burn off is probably overkill and I've decided to stop going higher than 500-600. I've been paranoid ever since I had mold grow in my egg. I then filled it up with charcoal, opened the top and bottom vents all the way and let it burn down. Afterwords, I had trouble opening the egg because the top and bottom gaskets fused together. I had to replace the gaskets.

    Like I said in my original post, I never had this issue before I started using the stainless steel fire bowl. My firebox would crack eventually when using the standard setup, but with the stainless steel fire bowl, my firebox BREAKS into two pieces, it doesn't just crack. It still supports the fire ring so according to Big Green Egg, it's safe to cook on.

    My big green egg dealer has stopped returning my phone calls and Big Green Egg won't respond to my emails about this. That could be due to Covid-19.  
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  • briwald
    briwald Posts: 103
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    I have had this problem with my XL BGE and don't use the stainless steel fire bowl.  It started as a hairline crack, and I continued cooking on the egg for another six months, until the firebox was in three pieces with about an inch between each one and it would no longer support the grate. 
    Maitland, FL
    XL BGE since 2019

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  • JohnnyArms
    JohnnyArms Posts: 38
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    It’s really not if it is when it will crack. 
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  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,194
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    I use the heat up as the time that I burn crud off.  Although I live in arid Utah, and there is no moisture to be found in the air.  Mold is a rarity here.
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  • LouisD
    LouisD Posts: 1
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    I am new to egg.  I have a large and bought the stainless steel fire bowl.  My ceramic firebox cracked maybe the 4th time I used it.  My dealer got me a replacement and this one cracked in half the first time I used it.  The temp was about 350 to 375 F on all the cooks.  It works cracked but I wonder if it was the stainless steel expanding.  I heard an audible pop when the new one cracked.  Any thoughts.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    LouisD said:
    I am new to egg.  I have a large and bought the stainless steel fire bowl.  My ceramic firebox cracked maybe the 4th time I used it.  My dealer got me a replacement and this one cracked in half the first time I used it.  The temp was about 350 to 375 F on all the cooks.  It works cracked but I wonder if it was the stainless steel expanding.  I heard an audible pop when the new one cracked.  Any thoughts.
    I don't have a fire bowl, but based on some of the patterns described above from people that have had the same problem, in at least one case, repetitively, there's some empirical evidence there's a relationship.

    As the firebox is also sold as an accessory by BGE corp, the onus is on them to evaluate patterns in their customers.  They're paying for the replacement fireboxes that their accessory *could* be prematurely damaging. 

    On the other hand, maybe it's a known problem but most people just live with the broken firebox and they make more money selling the fire bowls than they do losing in warranty replacements.  I dunno.  I would get it replaced and let them know your theory, then just don't use the fire bowl for a few months.  Assuming the fire box survives that time, start using the firebowl.  If it immediately breaks the box, maybe get the replacement and ask for a refund on the bowl.  The warranty might last forever for the ceramics but your time is more valuable not spending all that time replacing something that's unnecessarily failing early.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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