I have heard that using Lump charcoal in a WSM can cause the aluminum legs to start to melt. Has anyone had an issue with this? I guess briquettes can only get to around 400 deg, but lump gets up to 1200. To alleviate this I was told to mix lump and briquettes. Does anyone do this?
Lump charcoal issues
- Thread starter drew c
- Start date
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
i suppose if you feed it pure oxygen it might. but if you are controlling it to a temp from 200 to 400 deg then thats what yer getting. so no highly unlikely that that is gonna happen.
Mike Hartwell
TVWBB Pro
Well, let's see...the melting point of aluminum is right at 1220 F.
Most of us cook in the 250 range.
I think we'll be ok continuing as we've been doing for all these years.
Most of us cook in the 250 range.
I think we'll be ok continuing as we've been doing for all these years.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Sounds like someone's done some over-thinking.
It's ok, though. I'm guilty as well, as many here can attest.
...but to get max temp, any kind of fire needs a lot more ventilation than a smoker is gonna get.....and it won't smoke, so it won't be a smoker anymore
Seriously though, even with lump in my wsm, I have to prop the door on upside down and crack it to get it to stay 325+ for an entire cook.
...but to get max temp, any kind of fire needs a lot more ventilation than a smoker is gonna get.....and it won't smoke, so it won't be a smoker anymore
Seriously though, even with lump in my wsm, I have to prop the door on upside down and crack it to get it to stay 325+ for an entire cook.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Briqs get way hotter than that. Briqs are just crushed lump with binder that holds the lump together, they still get incredibly hot. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
A most respectful "So what" to all of the above. This is a BARBECUING forum.
Jeff Powers
TVWBB Fan
So if lump charcoal doesn't melt aluminum does that mean jet fuel doesn't melt steel.....
Drew c, lump does get some hotter than briqs. Most importantly it gets hotter quicker than briqs. Nonetheless a fire of any kind can only get as hot as the amount of air being flowed to and from it. Yes I have mixed both with good results, I know of a lot that do this. I suppose if a fire was totally out of control the legs could become soft enough to bend, but that would be hard to do.
Briqs get way hotter than that. Briqs are just crushed lump with binder that holds the lump together, they still get incredibly hot. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Well, according to All About Charcoal page, charcoal can exceed 1000º.
If you were to put an aluminum leg directly into a charcoal fire such as a blacksmith's forge, yeah, it would probably would melt.
But a WSM is not a blacksmith's forge.
Consider ...
~ The charcoal is surrounded by a steel ring.
~ The charcoal is sitting on a steel grate.
~ The steel grate sits in a steel bowl.
~ The aluminum legs are fastened to the steel bowl by steel bolts.
The heat would have to travel through all these "heat sinks" before it gets to the aluminum legs. By the time the heat transitions all the way out to the legs, I doubt it's even 400º.
Here's a test ... Paper burns at 451º. Take a piece of newpaper and touch it to one of the steel bolts. Does it burst into flame?
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Originally posted by John B:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
A most respectful "So what" to all of the above. This is a BARBECUING forum.
A most respectful "So what" right back at you. I guess since its a BARBECUING forum we shouldn't talk about charcoal. Thanks for clearing that up. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This smilie,
Anyway, if you're talking charcoal, it's all good, and I guess a nice change from the usual lump vs. briquette discussion. I hear both lump and briquettes are good at odor absorption.
Steve Whiting
TVWBB All-Star
To answer part two of your question, Weber cookbook author Jamie Purviance suggests the idea of mixing both lump with briquettes in one or more of his books. This option may add additional smoke flavor from the lump with the burn consistency of briquettes. I don't do it personally.