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Topic History of: Massive Temp spike - why?
Max. showing the last 6 posts - (Last post first)
Author Message
Flashback Bob CT,
It's funny to hear your story and then you hear about others who can't get theirs to reach
high temps. Go Figure!

Were you using a different brand of lump than usual? Some brands burn hotter than others.
Did you dump in any of the charcoal dust that settles in the bag? This might cause a temporary spike
in temp, I know it increases the likelihood of flashback.

With you having the vents closed down like that, I don't see how it could get up to 650 the way
it did.

BobS CT,
I have a few bags of Royal Oak lump that have unuasually large pieces of lump. I poured some of
that in, without any effort to get smaller pieces and I lit the fire in one place for a lo-n-slo,
but just a couple of hours, to smoke a fattie. I thought the fire was stable, but the temp climbed
to about 320 before the cook was over. I just left it on, because I was going to cook more later
and when I went back it was about 420. Not exactly a runaway, but more change than I am used to. I
just figured it was due to getting one a couple of pieces of lump going initially, that were really
not touching others.....?

CT Celtic Wolf,
No - not windy - I really am at a loss - did not open and close the egg over this time - the bottom
vent was open no more than 1/4 - 1/2 inch - the top vent was basically closed - and the temp was
stable with meat on for 3 hours with that set up - so I walked away for a couple of hours - and when
I checked back on it - it had spiked - I am going to replace the gaskets and try again - and see
what happens - I have been using the egg for years and never had anything like that happen - maybe I
got the egg gremlins that opened the bottom vent on me - anyway, it justified to be looking at a
GURU again

stike CT,
a \"spike\" is something that happens short term. if it climbed steadily up to 650 over a few
hours, your vent settings had to be off somehow. if it spiked in just a few minutes, then (as CW
said), the daisy must have been bumped open or something.

just doesn't make sense...

leaky gaskets let smoke out, not air in. that would be some amazing airflow to come in the gaskets,
nosedive down to the fire, then flow up and out of the chimney while also being fed from below.


Celtic Wolf CT,

That is possible, but even with a bad gasket a temp spike like your likely had a different reason.
Spikes yours usually happens because people adjust the bottom vent right after they put the meat in.
They see the temp drop dramatically and reach for the vent.

The other thing that happens is they keep looking during the cook. They open the lid and don't
have the daisy wheel properly aligned. They close the lid and don't notice it's open more
then before.

Was it windy? Was the vent facing into the wind.


CT Celtic Wolf,

Not sure what you mean - but we had the temp stable for 3 hours with meat on - did not adjust the
vents - and then the spike happened - I am guessing that the gasket being bad let just enough air
flow in to let a full fire box build up the stronger fire over a few hours - that is all I can
figure -