Fire chokes on Performer


 

JimZ

TVWBB Super Fan
I recently picked up a used performer and have noticed after i dump the chimney starter full of lit brickets in the kettle and set things up to grill and put the lid on it seems to choke the fire but if i leave the lid just slightly askew it will burn like a champ. My 26" doesn't do this and my old 22 never did either? Vents in the bottom and top are wide open. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
 
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If the top vents and bottom vents are completely open, I don't know how it will choke the fire. I've had lots of kettles including a Master Touch and a Performer and have never had that situation. Maybe something in the ash catcher is blocking the bottom vents? It's a mystery to me.
 
Same charcoal as before or something different?
With this recent quick thaw there's a lot of humidity in the air, could be just damp charcoal.

Tim
 
Thanks for the replys guys. Damp charcoal was something i hadent thought of. Always use kbb. I will also check the ash bin for obstructions.
 
I'd like to see your temp readings. Lid off = seeing flames above the charcoal, more air = higher heat until fuel availability comes into play.
 
For that last burn i had alot of partially burned stuff and then topped the starter chimney with fresh did a split pile not in baskets and tin foil in the middle for kettle fried chicken. When the lid was cracked it was at 450 lid on 350 and dropping. I could tell it was starving just by the color.
 
I generally use fresh on the bottom, thought being greater airflow through the fresh briquettes.
Last night it was bitter cold here (wind chills were -teens), and I rushed ignition time far too much, ash catcher was also more full than I realized when I touched it off butby then I was suffering with freezing fingers and, didn’t feel like putting on more “Snow gear” to empty and clean so, I fired the oven.
I really need to clear everything better especially when it’s winter!
 

 

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