Big Green Egg Not Getting Hot Enough [5 Easy Solutions]

The leading reasons behind big green eggs not getting hot enough include restrictions on airflow. There may be several facts in the insufficient airflow. Either the vents are not appropriately set, or the green egg holes are entirely blocked.

 Inadequate fuel supply in the firebox, using wet charcoal, and misalignment of the firebox are also highly responsible for the big green egg’s slow heating up. Sometimes, the temperature gauge fails to show the correct temp that needs to calibrate.

Anyway, from the below comprehensive guide, we have explored all the above facts in detail. So, don’t miss a single word from below.

Big Green Egg Not Getting Hot Enough [5 Easy Solutions]

Here are all the responsive factors for the big green egg won’t heat up and the needed troubleshooting steps:

Note: You can also read how to fix Big Green Egg temperature problems.

1. Insufficient Airflow

If your big green egg not getting hot, there would be a higher possibility of insufficient airflow through the unit. Fluent airflow from the green egg is quite needed to maintain a balanced temperature while cooking. 

But somehow, if there create obstructions in the fluent air flowing, the temperature starts fluctuating and drops down for the most part. 

So before resolving the issue, you need to learn the actual reason for the obstruction in airflow:

• Stuck debris on the regulator vent cap.
• Clogged precision lower draft door 
• The Wrong adjustment of both vents
• Using smallish pieces of lump
• Blocked grate holes

Fix the insufficient airflow issue from the green egg by following the below instructions:

Solution:

• As the draft door and the dual-function metal top are the main elements to regulate temperature, you have to concentrate on this fact first.
• Move to the lower draft door. Open the lower vent completely to allow maximum airflow.
• Now, open the upper vent as well.
• But before that, make sure that both vents are completely debris and blockage free.
• Clean out the holes in the cooking grate.
• Sometimes, using a lot of smallish pieces of lump restrict airflow even if the holes in the grate and firebox aren’t clogged. So make sure that there has no smallish lump on the fuel. 
• If the grill lid is slightly loose, don’t worry about it. The increasing oxygen will make the fire burn better. 
• Also, try to close the grill lid while cooking as far as possible.
• But above all that, you have to adjust the vents perfectly to ensure the desired temperature. 
• Follow the below green egg vent settings table for better understating.

Temperature Level	rEGGulator Vent Cap Position	Lower Draft Door Position
60°C to 150°COr, 140°F to 302°F	Slightly open	Slightly open
150°C to 220°COr, 302°F to 428°F	75% open	Slightly open
200°C to 230°COr, 392°F to 446°F	100% open	25% open
280°C to 350°COr, 536°F to 662°F	100% open	50% open

2. Clogged Green Egg With Ashes

If you successfully set the vents correctly, but still the temperature keeps dropping, be sure the green egg elements are blocked by debris. There may likely have a lot of ash residue.

 After a long burning of the charcoal, it leaves a lot of ash residue on the firebox and in the cooking grate. The ashes block the ventilation holes, and that restricts the airflow. 

It is important to keep the green egg clean regularly. Otherwise, it will result in a great fall in the temperature level. Anyway, to clean the excess grease and residue from the green egg, follow the below instructions:

How To Clean The Green Egg In The Right Way

• Before starting the cleaning, you have to make sure that you have turned off the grill and that it is completely cool.
• You have to clean the ash chamber of the green egg first. You will find an ash pot on the ceramic base. Take an ash poker and an ash removal pan and start cleaning the old ashes.
• Now, to clean the residue off the rack, use a grill brush.
• You will see 5 holes in the firebox. Clean out the holes in the firebox.
• Don’t forget the holes of the grates and make sure that they are completely blockage-free. Sometimes, a lot of small pieces of lumps are stuck in the holes. Poke the holes using any ash tool or poker.
• Then, remove the fire pan, fire ring, and grate bottom. Use a grill tool to rake out the excess ash.
• You can use a vacuum to suck up the remaining ashes and any excess food particles more precisely. 
• To clean the baking stone or heat plate, use a scrubber to scrape off the food residue.
• There have surely dust or ash on the exterior part of the grill. Take a cloth to wipe off the specks of dust.
• Now clean out the top vents with some light cooking oil.
• Don’t miss out on cleaning out the vent holes.
• Finally, reassemble the complete grill’s inner parts.

3. Insufficient Fuel Supply

Fuel means charcoal and in the case of the big green egg a vital role in balancing the temperature level. If there is not sufficient charcoal supply on the grill, the temperature will never reach your desired level. 

Also, the state of the charcoal affects how hot your Green Egg gets. Like if your charcoal is wet, it will not burn properly. Furthermore, bad-quality charcoal can cause this. So, there are short tips included below to resolve this charcoal issue.

Solution:

• First of all, check out the charcoal state. Make sure the charcoal is dry. After cooking, store the charcoal in a dry area as it tends to absorb moisture naturally.
• Also, verify that you are not using smallish pieces of the lump. They will never burn evenly.
• Now, check out the amount of charcoal. Fill the fire box with enough charcoal.
• Also, try to use high-quality and branded charcoal. Like natural oak and hickory lump charcoal. It will not only help to burn the fire evenly but also provide a unique smoky flavor to the food.

4. Malfunctioning Of The Temperature Gauge

Sometimes, it seems that the grill temperature is quite okay, but the temperature gauge fails to display the accuracy. Here the gauge is surely either broken or burnt out. 

Sometimes, the efficiency of the gauge reduces after long wear and tear. Don’t worry. The accuracy of the temperature reading can easily be fixed by calibrating the gauge.

How To Calibrate The Thermometer On The Big Green Egg

• First, bring a pot of boiled water in a pot. 
• Now, place and hold the thermometer in the hot water using needle-nose pliers.
• Keep holding the thermometer in the water until the temperature shows about 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 Celsius).
• If it fails to show, you need to calibrate the thermometer.
• For this, hold the nut from the back side of the thermometer using needle-nose pliers.
• Start twisting the face of the thermometer. Leave when the arrow on the temperature gauge reaches 212 F.

5. Misalignment Of The Firebox

In most cases, the misalignment of the firebox is the culprit behind the temperature dropping in the green egg.

If the opening in the bottom edge of your firebox is not lined up accurately, be sure the grill is not getting enough airflow.

Solution:

• First, make sure the lower vent and firebox are completely debris and ashes-free.
• Check out the position of the firebox.
• Make sure the draft door opening on the firebox is correctly lining up with the draft door vent opening on the BGE. 
• If needed, take the help of an expert hand.

What Is The Fastest Way To Heat Up Big Green Egg

Many of the green egg users have queries about getting The Big Green Egg hotter in the fastest way. There have some easiest tips, tricks, and methods to ensure a super-fast heating process on the green egg. 

We have explored all that’s processes below: 

• The first culprit behind the lower temperature of the green egg is accumulating ashes and debris on the units. Especially, blockage in the venting points. All these circumstances create obstacles in the airflow.
• So, the first trick is to keep green eggs neat, clean, and clogged-free to allow maximum airflow.
• The second tip is whenever you will start cooking in Green Egg, make sure there has no debris in the cooking chamber from the previous cooking session. It should be completely cleaned and ash-free. This will reduce the chance of airflow restriction within the BGE. 
• After 2-3 coking sessions, clean out the fire ring, metal grate, firebox, upper vent, and lower draft door.
• If you desire more temperature for a short time, ensure that the lower draft is completely open. Sometimes, you need to remove the top vents to get a higher temperature.

• Align the firebox with the lower draft door of the Big Green Egg to ensure maximum airflow
• Always ensure that the firebox is filled up with enough charcoal. Also, the charcoal should be dry and of high quality for evenly burning.

FAQ:

How long will the big green egg stay hot?

As the green egg is made with ceramic, thus it will remain very hot for long periods. With a full load of lumps in the firebox, the grill stays up to 16 to 18 hours in the heat. 

How long does it take for a green EGG to cool down?

It takes approximately 20 minutes to cool down the green egg. For this, close the draft door and dual-function regulator. The charcoal will completely be cooled down after 20-25 minutes.

Can my Big Green Egg get wet?

If the water is accumulating on the outer side of the green egg, then it is fine. But the problem starts when the water enters the green egg. 

How to clean a big green egg converter?

You can clean the convEGGtor in about 250°C of heat. Of this inside debris of the vents will burn off. You can use a dual-brush grid scrubber for quick cleaning.

It’s A Wrap!!

Hopefully, now you are aware of why your green egg is not getting hot even after a long try. Expectantly, you will efficiently resolve this temperature drop issue by following the big green egg troubleshooting guide above.

Still, if you have any confusion or question on any facts, be hurry to let us know through comments. We will get back to your ASAP.