Bored at work so...random question

[Eastex]

Waiting on some samples to process here at the lab and thinking about this weekends cooking and thought of this question for ya'll. When you run your grills with indirect heat do you switch the sides that you bank your coals on? I have to be honest and say that I feel like I should but at least on my Performer I put them on the bail side nearly every time. Am I gonna wreck the porcelain over the long term on that side?

[Jeff]

I never bank my coal against the side of the kettle bowl.  I am 95% convinced that the extreme heat is the sole reason why you see those big chips that are always on the side of the bowl where nothing can possibly hit it.   If you notice...every one of those dime to quarter sized chips are always right over the spot welds on the bracket inside the bowl that supports the charcoal grate.  This weld spot has to be a weak area for the paint to bond to.   So needless to say, sometime I rotate by indirect coals, but never cause I feel I should.  Its just random.  But I never put the coals against the bowl itself.  I try to leave at least an inch or more in between.  None of my grills I cook on have ever developed one of those nasty bowl chips yet.

[1911Ron]

I agree with Jeff and leave some space between coals and the side, most times i use the coal baskets side x side.

[Duke]

Use a basket. I made mine out of expanded. It's the only way to go. It never comes close to the sides and the coals stack perfectly. It also shakes the old ashes out over the ash can the next day and then you just top it off again.