wneblett Posted September 1, 2010 Report Share Posted September 1, 2010 I just got my KK and I am having difficulty getting it really hot, 550 - 650 deg. I started with a full basket of charcoal and lit it with a weed burner from the top but an hour later it is still only aboout 500 deg. Both top and bottom vents are all the way open.Am I too impatient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted September 1, 2010 Report Share Posted September 1, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure I just got my KK and I am having difficulty getting it really hot' date=' 550 - 650 deg. I started with a full basket of charcoal and lit it with a weed burner from the top but an hour later it is still only aboout 500 deg. Both top and bottom vents are all the way open.Am I too impatient?[/quote'] If the damper top was really wide open and you did get to 500º it sounds like you have an airflow problem.. First guess is that your charcoal had a lot of very small pieces that were poured out of a bag or you had an earlier cook in there full of ashes and maybe did not shake the ashes out before adding more charcoal.. But with airflow, nobody should have problems getting terminally high temps.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted September 1, 2010 Report Share Posted September 1, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure it sounds like you have an airflow problem. +1. I screen my charcoal, to get rid of the smallest pieces. Make a frame, with your preference of wire screen (2", 1") stapled in. Like gasoline engines, there's an optimum mixture of air and fuel. More fuel just decreases the desired effect. Wide open fires burn fastest and hottest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loquitur Posted September 1, 2010 Report Share Posted September 1, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure I just got my KK and I am having difficulty getting it really hot' date=' 550 - 650 deg. I started with a full basket of charcoal and lit it with a weed burner from the top but an hour later it is still only aboout 500 deg. Both top and bottom vents are all the way open.Am I too impatient?[/quote'] Wneblett: Pull the door out a couple of inches in addition to opening the vent. I assume you could pull the back door out as well to really get it going fast though I haven't had both doors open yet. I find it takes a while to get it up to 300 or 350 but once it starts to climb, it goes fast so don't leave it unattended for long with the door open. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 Agreed on the airflow problem. I use a process recommended by someone on this forum. You can probably search for "sear marks" and find the thread. Basically, you only put a little charcoal into the basket at first (only 1/4 full at absolute most). Pull your front and back doors out an inch or so and open your top damper at least 6 turns. Light the charcoal in four or five places with a weed burner, close the lid and in ten minutes or less you will have a raging inferno (be careful, if you get distracted and come back after too long it will be up in the 1000+ range). Once you come back pile on some more charcoal, close the lid, and in five minutes you are ready to sear the heck out of anything you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure I just got my KK and I am having difficulty getting it really hot' date=' 550 - 650 deg. I started with a full basket of charcoal and lit it with a weed burner from the top but an hour later it is still only aboout 500 deg. Both top and bottom vents are all the way open.Am I too impatient?[/quote'] What are you using for fuel? For instance when I use Rancher briquettes, the top end of temp is around 600 - 650 vs. when I use lump I could bury my temp gauge if I wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted September 11, 2010 Report Share Posted September 11, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure What are you using for fuel? For instance when I use Rancher briquettes' date=' the top end of temp is around 600 - 650 vs. when I use lump I could bury my temp gauge if I wanted to.[/quote'] I have used the procedure I mentioned earlier with Trader Joe's briquettes (which are Ranchers from everything I have heard) and I can bury the needle with them as well. I would say it has more to do with airflow than fuel type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure I have used the procedure I mentioned earlier with Trader Joe's briquettes (which are Ranchers from everything I have heard) and I can bury the needle with them as well. I would say it has more to do with airflow than fuel type. What are your vent positions when using the Trader Joe's Briquettes? Maybe I'm doing something wrong as I've never been able to get those temps with Rancher (you are correct, Trader Joe's are Rancher). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure What are your vent positions when using the Trader Joe's Briquettes? Maybe I'm doing something wrong as I've never been able to get those temps with Rancher (you are correct' date=' Trader Joe's are Rancher).[/quote'] To get things going I usually pull both the front and rear doors out an inch or so. I open up the wheel in the front door all the way and then open the top damper six full turns or so. If I left it like that I can wrap the needle but I usually wait for it to get to 700 or so and then shut the doors. With the doors fully closed and the wheel still fully open it usually settles around 600 or so. I need to open one of the doors a little if I want to maintain a higher temperature. This behavior is consistent with both lump and briquettes although I suppose there may be small differences between the two that I haven't paid enough attention to notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rorkin Posted September 14, 2010 Report Share Posted September 14, 2010 Re: High Temperature Proceedure What are your vent positions when using the Trader Joe's Briquettes? Maybe I'm doing something wrong as I've never been able to get those temps with Rancher (you are correct' date=' Trader Joe's are Rancher).[/quote'] To get things going I usually pull both the front and rear doors out an inch or so. I open up the wheel in the front door all the way and then open the top damper six full turns or so. If I left it like that I can wrap the needle but I usually wait for it to get to 700 or so and then shut the doors. With the doors fully closed and the wheel still fully open it usually settles around 600 or so. I need to open one of the doors a little if I want to maintain a higher temperature. This behavior is consistent with both lump and briquettes although I suppose there may be small differences between the two that I haven't paid enough attention to notice. I find it easier to get a really high temp if I use a full chimney starter full of charcoal dumped in when all coals white.. I use the gas weed burner for smaller fire, lower temps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
