Big green egg does not heat above 600

There are you tube videos. I temporarily take daisy vent cap off top of egg, open bottom vent door wide open, light lump coal 2-3 spots with a loof lighter (from ace hardware) and then close lid. I have one section of galvanized dryer vent from Lowes that I stick on top which accelerates preheating of egg. Once the temp gets to 500, I remove the section of vent by grabbing it with a glove or hotpad. Wait a minute or two for smoke to die down. Place daisy back on top and close bottom vent door down to 1/2" and close daisy 1/2 on top and this should drop temp to 175-250. Use fine adjustments 1/6-1/8" until desired temp is reached. Your food can go on at any time after removing dryer vent. Just burp lid by slightly lifting to allow any heat burst to escape. I also have a gas conversion that works awesome. I just add a small smoke ox over burner that provides enough smoke on front end of cooking process. Advice- keep the butts and ribs on for 6 hours.

Temperatures on the Big Green Egg are controlled by opening or partially closing, the dampers on the bottom side of the grill and the top of the grill lid. The more open, the more air gets to the coals and heats the up. Partially closing the dampers lowers the temp.

Keep in mind, the grill thermometer may be faulty. Try setting an oven thermometer (like the kind used in a regular kitchen oven, that sits on the oven rack) on top if the grill grates, when you're preheating the grill with the lid closed.

Hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Happy Grilling!

Have you checked the lift assist hinge springs on the back of the grill. If they are broken or have come loose, it's impossible for one person to lift the lid. Also, if the lid gasket is severely worn, this could cause the lid to stick.

If none of the above is the culprit, contact Big Green Egg by email or phone
[email protected] or call (800) 793-2292.

Hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem.

It sounds like a problem with the hinge springs, rather than the lid. One will usually break before you realize it has. Then the second one goes, before you realize it. And it's usually when you have the Egg heated to a high temperature. You should also check the steel band around the egg, that is part of the hinge system to make sure it has not been overtightened or is to loose.

The folks at Big Green Egg take this sort of thing seriously and are devoted to their customers. You should also contact them about this issue.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

I have never heard of that happening. But, the lid of a Big Green Egg is heavy and some times the hinge springs either snap or get weak. Which makes it very difficult to open. But, sealing itself shut, because of high heat, I don't think so.

hello. Eventually the heat and moisture take a toll. Remove all of the flaking with a wire brush then prime and paint it with the special high temperature grill primer and paint now plentiful at home depot, lowes, and many hardware stores. Enjoy your grilling.

you need to have a new thermostat fitted or the old one re callibrated if possible

possibly defective... it happens

Robert