what do you consider a "full load" of coal?

Unknown · November 2007

Getting everything set for tomorrow & I was wondering what you all considered a "full load" of coal for an 8 hour burn? Do you fill it to the first line (where the felt-like insulation is on my large BGE)? Or do you fill it to the point where it would almost be touching the bottom of my pizza stone on the grilling rack?[p]Thanks so much for all of your wonderful help!

Mike in Abita · November 2007

vick,
I have a XL and I consider a full load to be 1 ten lb. bag of lump. I think a full load on a LGE is to the top of the fire ring.[p]Hope this helps[p]Mike

currdog · November 2007

vick,
I fill up my firebox then let it mound to the top of the fire ring for my "full load" on my large. I've never had a problem with fuel shortage.

mad max beyond eggdome · November 2007

vick,
in my large egg, a level load within an inch of the bottom of the plate setter with its feet up. ..

stike · November 2007

vick,
you don't need a 'full' egg. the grate sits on top of the fire ring (the 'top of the fire ring'). if i fill my large like that, it would go 40 hours plus at 250. can't imagine what an XL would do with that much lump.[p]if i were doing a long (8hr) cook at 350-375, i'd fill my large to maybe halfway up the fire ring.[p]the XL holds copious amounts of lump. too bad celtic wolf isn't around to give you the definitive answer, but i would think you'd only need to fill the fire box (which is also the 'bottom' of the upper fire ring)...

Mike in Abita · November 2007

stike,[p]One 10 Lb bag of lump in my XL has cooked for close to 30 hours. This much lump was just above the fire box. I don't know how long it would last if I went to top of fire ring. [p]I smell experiment. HEEEE[p]Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.[p]Mike

fishlessman · November 2007

vick,
depends what your cooking, what the setup is,what the temp your cooking at, what kind of lump your using. wicked good comp blend will go 30 plus hours at 225 filled half way up the ring, ive had quick joe filled that way almost run out during a turkey cook once at 350/375 so when using that lump i would bring it higher and balance the grid on the pile slightly. most lumps your fine halfway up the ring, quick joe is the only one ive seen problems with and i think they make their lump diferently now. you didnt say what temps your cooking at, at 1000 degrees your probably looking at 30 pounds plus

stike · November 2007

Mike in Abita,
that firebox is HUGE. it holds a ten pound bag?!?!/![p]yikes.[p]Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
J

mb168 · November 2007

vick,[p]Depite what you read here about smaller eggs being "lump misers" the XL is pretty skimpy here also. The longest I've run mine is just over 6 hrs and I've never filled up more than just the firebox and still had enough coal to do several more cooks in the following days. If you're doing an "8hr cook" I'm assuming your cooking at a relatively low temp, <350. The other thing is, who cares, fill up the firebox, maybe even some up into the fire ring, and cook. This will likely be far more than you'll need and you'll just shut it down and reuse it later. Don't worry about having too much as long as there's room below your grate or platesetter depending on what you're cooking.

Unknown · November 2007

vick,[p]I never fill my Large above the fire box level - or at least not any more. When I first got the egg I misunderstood the instructions and filled it to the edge of the fire ring. Worked great for a while - but after a few cooks air holes finally got clogged and I could not get the egg up to temp. Since that time I keep it in the fire box. On a large at 350 I've done a 14 hour smoke and that pretty much exhaused all the lump.[p]- Morgan

what do you consider a "full load" of coal?

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