Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Moisture fom Vent Door????

Options
ChargerGuy
ChargerGuy Posts: 357
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Godd Morning All, I was wondering if anyone has experienced moisture dripping from the bottom vent door during long cooks? I woke up this morning to find theat my temp was steady but under the bottom door on the ground a small moisture puddle had accumulated. Seems to be dripping from where the slide is. It has been umid here like 90 percent humidity so I am leaning torwards that but I just want to know if I should bve concerened? Thanks,
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    Options
    Perfectly normal and is a result of the egg maintaining high moisture conditions while cooking.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Options
    Thanks Tim, I have to admit I was a little worried. :unsure:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Options
    are you cooking with a drip pan filled with liquid?
    Kent Madison MS
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Options
    That wouldn't do it. Whenever I do a low/slow overnighter, I have moisture down at the lower vent and I never use a water pan. I'm sure that the inside of the cooker is quite humid and cool air is entering the lower vent causing some condensation.
    The Naked Whiz
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Options
    I've only had that once, or at least only once that I noticed. It was the strangest lo-n-slo I ever did. The fire would just not stay lit. For awhile, I had the vents open far enough I would have expected 300 or more at the dome. At about 3 a.m., I could see the lump was burning in just one tiny spot, and the temp had dropped to 140. I had to pull everything, and blast the whole of the lump with my MAPP torch for almost 2 minutes. I then checked to see if just possibly there was ash clogging the bottom. To my surprise, I had water drip-dripping at the vent opening. My guess was that all of the ceramic had absorbed so much moisture from heavy rains a few days before that the evaporating water was cooling and smothering the lump.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    Options
    Most of the time the moisture is from the meat that is cooking. I never use a water pan but do use a drip pan. During the winter months I will have a long eggcicle forming from the vent door. Delicious, delicous, eggcicle! :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Options
    Using a dry drip pan, I peeked this morning and nothing was overflowing so I think it is condensation.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Options
    gdenby, I havent had any problem with the temp in fact it has been pretty rock solid at 225 grid. We have had alot of rain recenytly but I keep my egg covered. Well whatever it is it doesnt seem to be affecting the cook. Thanks.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Options
    CE, :laugh: eggcicle, I like that. I can't wait to have me some eggcicles. I will definately be cooking through the winter.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    Options
    I regularly cook butts with temps as low as -10 with wind chills -40. My egg sits right ouside my sliding glass door so I can monitor things from inside. I did have a close encounter with a skunk last year that also appreciates the heavenly smell coming from the egg. :ohmy: However, he died a few months later from lead poisoning. :(
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChargerGuy
    ChargerGuy Posts: 357
    Options
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • berrygood
    berrygood Posts: 372
    Options
    The egg is powerful. I get that moisture even in the vey dry climate of NM. Enjoy.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bigeggdan
    bigeggdan Posts: 19
    Options
    I've had a few cooks where not only does the water drip from the bottom vent door, it accumulates at the bottom of the base!  Last night I had about 1/8 inch of water accumulate in the base during my cook!  I absorbed as much water as I could reaching in the vent with a towel and ended up finishing the cook in my oven.  Let the Egg burn itself out all night - it dropped to 17 degrees and it was a race to evaporate the water before it freezes! This morning I wheeled the Egg into the garage where it will have time to dry out completely. 

    My guess is when its really cold, moisture from humid air doesn't evaporate and the Egg turns into a giant dehumidifier?  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EzraBrooks
    EzraBrooks Posts: 381
    edited February 2022
    Options
    bigeggdan said:
    I've had a few cooks where not only does the water drip from the bottom vent door, it accumulates at the bottom of the base!  Last night I had about 1/8 inch of water accumulate in the base during my cook!  I absorbed as much water as I could reaching in the vent with a towel and ended up finishing the cook in my oven.  Let the Egg burn itself out all night - it dropped to 17 degrees and it was a race to evaporate the water before it freezes! This morning I wheeled the Egg into the garage where it will have time to dry out completely. 

    My guess is when its really cold, moisture from humid air doesn't evaporate and the Egg turns into a giant dehumidifier?  
    I see you are in Indy. I'm here too and have cooked in very cold conditions with no issues. Do you have water in your drip pan? If so try eliminating it and just raise the pan off the plate setter with some balls of foil.

    The only other thing I can think of is was it raining? We had a hell of a rain storm the other day. If you cook on an uncovered patio with no rain cap rain could get in that way.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Thapco
    Thapco Posts: 44
    Options
    Think about the simple physics of this.  As cooler air passes through the vent, the humid cooler air is heated and the moisture condenses.  Much like a glass of iced drink condenses on outside.  As air around glass cools, moisture forms on glass.   This is basically  what is happening and on a high relative humidity day, more moisture condenses.  Don't think moisture is already in egg as it should have condensedout as egg warms up.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories