Do flashbacks happen a lot?

Only when the eggs at super temps and I forget to burp it before I open it all the way. Don't be scared...that arm hair doesn't do ya any good anyway.

If you remember to burp your egg when you open it you will keep that from happening. I always use a fireproof glove when opening the egg at high temps. Just incase. I haven't had any issues though. :woohoo:

Only if you are not careful.

High temp in the egg with a lot of smoke. If the egg is not burped the oxygen will rush in and ignite the smoke and whoosh there is a flashback.

By opening the upper vent and lower vent all the way will clear out the volital smoke.

I have not had a flashback when the dome temp is 550° or below. The only time I have had a flashback (or several) is when I had the dome at 700° and didn't burp the egg.

It was a shock and after that I never again forgot to burp the egg. Personally I don't worry about it. I am always mindful about the possibility of lashback and I follow the instructions.

If you have ever had flare up in a gas grill when the lid was opened it is something like that.

I bought a pair of welders gloves but I don't use them much.

When I sear (want a very high temp cook) I use an accessory called a spider which lowers the cooking area close to the lump. I get just as high a sear but I don't worry about having to have the egg temp all that hot inside.

Don't let this scare you from getting an egg.

GG

Ha Ha....you're right. Who need arm hair?

Doug,

I guess I should have been more careful with my post... where there is smoke there is CO, however, CO does not require smoke to be present.

I use a lot of flavor wood and when at higher temps I can almost always get a flashback if the vents are somewhat closed. I open the dome, there is smoke and when the 'poof' comes the smoke is now clear, and the flame rushes out to the free oxygen.

If my egg is hot I do open the vents, however, I don't just pull the dome open, I open about an inch or so and a few seconds later I to continue to open up the egg. I don't open/close/open the dome though.

Neverthess, you have much more experience and testing on this and many other subjecs. TNW site is always the a great first 'go to site.

As always, my hat (and arm hair is off to you), Kent

My Mom is terrified of Gas stoves, or gas being left on and Ka-BOOM, I am terrified of Gas Grills for different reasons :laugh: from my previously dull foods produced. In the Big Green Egg DVD they show you how to burp the egg so you minimize the chance of Flashback.. One time I let my egg go nuclear and I singed off my hair off my arm opening but that was due to ooperator error. My wife will start the eggs for me and I have told her to burp them and she does. Respect the egg and it will respect you
~Pharmeggist
P.S. the egg you can touch it without getting a 3rd degree burn during its operation and the old weber gasser you would be on your way to the ER.

Hey GG! The smoke thing was one of the things I specifically tested when I made the now-famous (LOL) flashback movie. I could not get a flashback to occur with old lump and tons of smoke. So, I don't think smoke has anything to do with flashback, other than where's there is smoke, there is fire. There were discussions years ago that assumed that grain silo explosions due to dust proved that smoke itself will cause flashbacks. But like I said, I had a cooker at 700 degrees, I tossed in smoking chips, closed the vents, waited 3 minutes or so, opened the cooker and.......nothing. Everyone in the audience (all 3 of them) were very disappointed. :-)