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To much smoke during startup

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Love Handles
Love Handles Posts: 253
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am spending the summer in Montana at 3000 feet altitude. It seems my egg smokes like crazy during the start up time. Once it get going its ok. I've never had quite this problem in Arizona at sea level where I usually live. Could it be due to the altitude? See-Yaa P.S The problem is with both my small & large eggs
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    LoveHandles,
    less O2 in the air means the charcoal burns less efficiently. smoke on start up is less about VOCs being burned off than it is that the lump is fairly cool, and nut fully oxidizing the fuel. until it gets cranking, the smoke will contain unburnt (or not fully burnt) stuff. pretty noxious.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Eggcitable Boy
    Eggcitable Boy Posts: 35
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    stike,[p]Just to clarify the 'less oxygen' statement. Everywhere on earth, there is the same amount of oxygen, about 21% in the mix we breathe. On the top of Mt. Everest and at the bottom of Death Valley, the same amount, 21%. It is the atmospheric pressure on top of that 21% that either holds the oxygen molecules down or allows them to freely move about. As you travel upward in elevation, the atmospheric pressure is less and less. And as you travel downward in elevation, the atmospheric pressure is greater, thus holding the oxygen molecules in place instead of having them escape freely about. Here in Colorado Springs I live around 6500 feet above sea level. I havent experienced the 'more smoke' phenomenon but havent Egged anywhere else except this altitude, so I cant compare it to anything. I have not experienced it and have not found it to be a problem. I would think it is more of a result of the type of lump used than anything else. Just my 2 cents, with a more clarified explanation of the whole 'less oxygen' myth.........Happy Egging.............Excitable Boy

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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    LoveHandles,
    Not to sure about the smoke, but when I went to the Denver fest and tried to light the coal the way I normally do, I couldn't get it to light. Blamed it on the altitude. -RP
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,767
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    LoveHandles,
    my egg in maine smokes more at startup than the one in massachusetts, i think its a moisture issue as the one in maine is always wet. moist lump smokes more until it gets dry. it also takes just a little longer to get it going.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    LoveHandles,
    Seems to me when I have too many small pieces of charcoal mine smokes a lot more during start-up. I think it has something to do with not enough air flow. Maybe clean the old charcoal out and start with a new batch with larger pieces and better airflow and see if it still does it.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    Eggcitable Boy,
    turnabout is fair play!
    i'm always peeing on campfires, so it's fair that one of mine gets pee'd on too.[p]hahaha[p]i would like to get high one of these days myself.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    LoveHandles,
    Thanks you guys for the help. I will try some of he advice. Its not a real big deal, just trying to keep my neighbors from getting smoked out--See_Yaa
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