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Pizza Temp Help

CycleDawgCubFan
CycleDawgCubFan Posts: 2
in EggHead Forum
With the plate setter, I can't get the temp up above about 400.  I've tried using a ton of charcoal, and smaller amounts of charcoal, but still cant get hotter.  Bottom vent wide open and top 'cap' all the way off.  Have also emptied all the existing ash to get max airflow.  Any suggestions welcome.

Thx
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Comments

  • Battleborn
    Battleborn Posts: 3,699
    1. Check temp gauge calibration. 
    2. Give the EGG more time to come to temp. 
    Las Vegas, NV


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  • Dondgc
    Dondgc Posts: 709
    CycleDawgCubFan said:
    With the plate setter, I can't get the temp up above about 400.  I've tried using a ton of charcoal, and smaller amounts of charcoal, but still cant get hotter.  Bottom vent wide open and top 'cap' all the way off.  Have also emptied all the existing ash to get max airflow.  Any suggestions welcome.

    Thx
    Stick a blow dryer in the bottom vent. After you calibrate the thermometer per @Battleborn
    New Orleans LA
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  • JonWesson
    JonWesson Posts: 166
    get you a rocks bbq stoker device.     @brentm on forum or ebay carry tyem
    large small and mini all in legal proceedings but i can use them for now no more, all gone                                                                                                                        usa somewhere on the road
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  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    Is the hole in the fire bowl lined up with the bottom vent? Let the lump get to ripping before adding the platesetter
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

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  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,653
    I'd remove ALL your existing coal ... all of it, make sure that the air holes in the lower ring are all free of blockage ... I'd even remove the rings ... you might have ash blockage between the rings and the shell, which you are not going get out with the ash tool.  

    It has to be an air flow problem.  That fire should rage easily to 700F with everything open.

    By the way, do you stir your charcoal WELL first before you light, then remove all the ashes, and fine bits from the bottom?  Just removing ash from the bottom, without stirring is not enough in my opinion.
    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,600
    just to reconfirm, the cap is on the table not just wide open on the dome.  the lump grate can be installed upsidedown, you want the bevels facing down or it gets easily blocked by ash
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • builderdawg
    builderdawg Posts: 105
    CycleDawgCubFan said:
    With the plate setter, I can't get the temp up above about 400.  I've tried using a ton of charcoal, and smaller amounts of charcoal, but still cant get hotter.  Bottom vent wide open and top 'cap' all the way off.  Have also emptied all the existing ash to get max airflow.  Any suggestions welcome.

    Thx
    I'm not sure how long you leave the lid open before closing it, but try leaving it open longer.  Most of us have had similar issues from time to time, but the best way to get a hot fire is to let it breath for a long time before you start choking it down.
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,940
    Full clean out and you are rolling 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 897

    Try this, assuming you have the time.  Place your larger chunks of lump on the bottom then add medium chucks on top. Get it lit and add the small pieces and chips to the center (no need to waste or throw it away as it does burn). Adjust the egg so it will burn at 350-400* for 20-30 minutes or so. That temperature should be hot enough at that amount of time to burn out much of the water held in the lump. Put your platesetter on and open the vents. The dome temp will drop after adding the platesetter but with a roaring fire underneath it the temps will come up.


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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Mikee said:

    Try this, assuming you have the time.  Place your larger chunks of lump on the bottom then add medium chucks on top. Get it lit and add the small pieces and chips to the center (no need to waste or throw it away as it does burn). Adjust the egg so it will burn at 350-400* for 20-30 minutes or so. That temperature should be hot enough at that amount of time to burn out much of the water held in the lump. Put your platesetter on and open the vents. The dome temp will drop after adding the platesetter but with a roaring fire underneath it the temps will come up.


    Why wouldn't you just start out with the plate setter in there?
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 897
    nolaegghead said:
    Why wouldn't you just start out with the plate setter in there?
    The platesetter inhibits the airflow. Once the lump is burning hot/clean and has spread; it is more likely it will respond to very hot temperatures once the vents are opened up including with a platesetter. Keep in mind the OP has an issue with getting the egg hot. While this may not apply to you and how you get your egg up to pizza temperature, it is a suggestion that may help someone else.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Mikee said:
    nolaegghead said:
    Why wouldn't you just start out with the plate setter in there?
    The platesetter inhibits the airflow. Once the lump is burning hot/clean and has spread; it is more likely it will respond to very hot temperatures once the vents are opened up including with a platesetter. Keep in mind the OP has an issue with getting the egg hot. While this may not apply to you and how you get your egg up to pizza temperature, it is a suggestion that may help someone else.
    I could understand that may be the case if you were getting the fire going with the lid open, but you say to choke back the vents during warm-up to run at 350-400 F with the lid presumably closed.

    Given the area between the plate setter and egg where the effluent makes it's way to the top is an order of magnitude greater than the area in the intake or exhaust when fully opened, I don't see how that would impede air flow at all.  Plus if you looked at airflow bottlenecks *inside* the egg, the column of lump would probably qualify. 

    I posit the plate setter installed after lighting saves fuel, preheats the plate setter and directs effluent along the sides of the dome to heat up the dome faster (the dome cooks the toppings) than if it were not there.

    Now what I could see working if you are in a hurry is lighting the top of the lump and leaving the bottom vent closed and the lid open until the fire has spread over all the top lump, then opening both vents, putting in the plate setter and closing the lid. 

    Alternatively, light the top and bottom of the column of lump and let the bottom fire cook and clear out the column of lump.  Normally this would be a bad idea, but the fire on the top will clean up any VOCs from the fire on the bottom and VOCs aren't as big a deal during a pizza cook as compared to grilling or a low and slow.



    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Also confirm you aren't wrapping the thermometer around back to 400.  Although I think (hope) you would probably be able to tell the difference between 400 and >1000F.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • mkevenson
    mkevenson Posts: 49
    What position is the plate setter. Legs down should allow better airflow to the dome. What size is your pizza stone? if larger than plate setter may be blocking air flow. I second the fan placed in front of the bottom vent opening. Let us know if all of the suggestions have done any good?
    Still Learnin'
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  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 897
    nolaegghead 
    The natural flow of air is from the lower vent, up thru the fire grate, thru the lump and exiting out the top of dome. A plate setter does not allow that. It causes the flow to go horizontal which inhibits the natural flow. From my experience I can get temps way hotter without the plate setter.

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  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 897
    nolaegghead said:
    Also confirm you aren't wrapping the thermometer around back to 400.  Although I think (hope) you would probably be able to tell the difference between 400 and >1000F.
    Anyone who has wrapped the thermometer will know it when the raise the dome. It's quite the surprise!
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Yes, you are right.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • OntarioDave
    OntarioDave Posts: 19
    make sure the holes in the firebox are clear of ash and coal as well. I've had those plugged and it impairs the high temps.
    Large BGE, Weber Genesis CP310 and Weber Q1200 (camping)

    There is no bad day if you're grilling !

    Dave - Oshawa, ON
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  • ThrasherIII
    ThrasherIII Posts: 254
    Having yet to cook a pizza on the egg, does it require a placesetter and a pizza stone?
    two large heat sinks in the grill?

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