Izzy Posted July 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 I started a conversation with Dennis regarding a 23. Let's see what happens. I don't know if it's going to happen in a month or in a year. Maybe, I'll decide to go with the 42 which will be out in a month. It's now time for solvent venting. I want to cook later this afternoon, but I want to get through this solvent venting process. I want to starting cooking in 4 hours which should give me enough time to get this solvent venting out of the way. KK 32 owners, please chime in with your advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted July 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 My KK 32 never turned off last night! What's going on? I shut off everything i.e both the top and the two bottom vents. The current temperature is at 350. What happened? Is it because I had too much charcoal in the fire basket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 (edited) Are you sure all the vents are closed, sometimes it is hard to see that the bottom ones are closed all the way. Although I wouldn't think you could maintain that temp. if they were only open a slit. No it's not too much lump in the basket, it must be air getting in form some where or there would be no fire. Was the lid shut down all the way, or was left open is the first catch and not shut down to the second catch? Edited July 4, 2016 by MacKenzie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 First, a full load of coal is never too much, there's still airflow happening. The most common culprit is the latch, make sure it's closed all the way, sometimes new grills are particularly stiff. Second, make sure BOTH bottom vents are pushed closed all the way, sometimes closing the lid can work bottom vents open. Third, sometimes the top vent needs a little extra twist, but just a little, to make sure the fiber gasket is contacting all around the vent. Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 Robert's advice is spot on; you clearly did not have the vents shut completely and/or latch the lid securely in the 2nd position. Don't fret it, as it's a common mistake for new owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 @Izzy - you're just fine. We've all been there and done that. Remember, the latch is a 2 position latch. The first just keeps the lid closed and the second potion, when you really push in and feel it lock, if for sealing the gasket. After the fire has gone out after a cook, generally the next morning, I'll pop the latch back out to its first position. I've heard that keeps the gasket from flattening. Don't know if it's true or not, but ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 22 hours ago, Izzy said: Can you someone post a picture of the back of their KK 32 so I can see exactly what I'm missing? Just a quick update on the fire, I've added 8 cubes of fire starters and I have the lid wide open, but so far I've seen negligible progress with the charcoal. It looks like it's going to take hours for the charcoal to be ready. On my oval, it usually takes 30 minutes for the fire to get going. I guess since this is a different type of charcoal and also a much bigger grill, it's going to take a lot longer. Please remember that until you close the lid there is no airflow.. Close the lid.. the hot air exiting the grill will create vacuum and force air up thru the charcoal.. Much faster than the standard charcoal grill that lets air bypass the charcoal. I usually light just a little pile of lump with one starter or a half one then use a hairdryer as a blower to spread the fire. I've never seen a grill ship missing that pin.. that being said, with the spring tension on it you could not get that pin out with a hammer.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted July 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 Everything was closed properly. I made sure of that. Back to solvent venting, I'm trying to get the grill to rise to the desired temperature, but it's been stuck at 430 degrees for the past forty minutes. It has plenty of charcoal and the firebox is red! All the vents are wide open. I even removed the fan knob to get more air into the KK 32. Should I remove the ash cover as well? If the solvent venting does not get triggered until the temperature reaches 475, I'm afraid I'm just burning charcoal for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 I think it's time to check your thermometer, I find it hard to believe 430° for forty minutes with all that going on. Can you remove it? Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 I would also get your grill in a more controllable configuration. Put the guru plug back in, bottom vent 3/4 open, top vent no more than two turns open. This would normally give you all the heat you need. Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 I just called.. as I do.. Usual suspect.. Latch was not in 2nd postition. We just started shipping grill with a yellow tag on the latch with the 2nd position info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 Perfect, all is well that ends well.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pearson Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 Is that little spot right in the middle of the picture he solvent venting or is it something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 That is what it looks like to me, Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 It is. Is that all you see? Sometimes it's only little damp spots and small bubbles. Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted July 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2016 Based on my conversation with Dennis, who, by the way, called me right after I posted the picture, that is solvent venting. Yes, the process had started after the temperature had been stuck on 430 for three hours. I let it go another hour before I started cooking again on it. I did not have to go high at all today. I'm really enjoying cooking on my KK 32. Here is what I cooked today: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted July 5, 2016 Report Share Posted July 5, 2016 About high heat - if you leave the top vent wide open you'll end up with a raging fire but all the heat is escaping through the wide open top vent. Shut the top vent down to two turns open and your KK temp will start to rise. . As for a complete burn in - 4 hours is not enough time set aside for this. You really should start the procedure early in the morning when you're going to be around the entire day. You can stable at various temps along the way to cook some food but in the end you need it around 500* and let it sit there a few hours to make sure the grill is fully heat soaked all over so venting occurs everywhere on the grill. . An incomplete venting won't hurt anything but it'll probably vent more next time you go high temp. Everytime you get that smell it's venting even if it's a month after your initial burn in. Just make sure you check it on cool down after you get the smell. Eventually the process will complete itself but many of us found it took 2 or 3 high heat sessions for the process to finally be over. Reef's Bistro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted July 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2016 When I resume the solvent venting process, I plan to use regular lump charcoal instead of wasting the good stuff. That was the recommendation from the architect of the Big Bad 32. I may do that tonight for 5 hours at 550 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosco Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 Let it go until the smell goes away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted July 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 The solvent venting will have to wait a couple of more days as I am pretty tied with this software release. On another note, I am looking for stainless steel cabinets for the outdoor kitchen. I need to store those grates somewhere, but the problem is that they are so big and it is hard to find quality outdoor kitchen cabinets that are spacious enough to house the KK accessories including the grates. Please let me know if there's anything out there for the KK 32 or will have to go custom. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
