Difference In Heat Between Weber Kettles

[cnmg432]

I brought back to life the old Weber from 18 years ago.  It has what I think you call daisy wheel vents.  We cleaned it all up and got new grates.   So yesterday I had to do a whole lot of ham steaks for a birthday party and decided to use it and the Performer.  I actually had less charcoal in the old Weber than the newer Performer.   However it burned much hotter.  I could really tell it in grilling the ham slices.  The lid does not seem to fit quite as well.  I had the vents bottom and top vents wide open on each grill.  Why is it burning hotter?

[Shafzilla]

From what I've learned on here, I'd say the lid not fitting well is causing more air to get in which causes your coals to burn hotter. I'm surprised with all vents wide open it made that much of a difference. It a pretty serious gap?

[1buckie]

Yeah, it could be the lid is a little out of round......test on a flat surface like Formica table & you can usually see where it's lifted.....

Then, carfully hold it at 10 o'clock & 2 o'clock, upside down, against your belly & pull slightly......just a few easy tugs, so as not to really strain the porcelain, just get the metal to flex a little....test again & repeat if you need to.........

We really need a video of this procedure, as it is hard to describe.....

Here's pic of the belly, you know what the lid looks like........



See also about halfway down the page in this thread:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/on-the-meatloaf-bandwagon-or-man-my-pants-are-tight/msg92381/#msg92381


Some may disagree with this, but I've seen time & again, the older ones contain heat at least somewhat better than newer ones....slight difference in thickness of metal & it can also depend on how much cooking coating is built up on the inside.....

[jcnaz]

Has anyone ever measured the actual area of the bowl vent openings? Does a three wheel kettle have a larger, equal, or smaller bowl vent area than a One Touch?

[1buckie]

Has anyone ever measured the actual area of the bowl vent openings? Does a three wheel kettle have a larger, equal, or smaller bowl vent area than a One Touch?

Never actually got out the ruler, but if you think in terms of 4 holes per & the One Touch openings are about the same width as the diameter of those holes........maybe X 1 & 3/4 of openings?

[Troy]

Has anyone ever measured the actual area of the bowl vent openings? Does a three wheel kettle have a larger, equal, or smaller bowl vent area than a One Touch?

I have some math skills. I can figure this out if no one else wants to volunteer.

[addicted-to-smoke]

No need, Troy. My trick knee tells me that one of the One Touch openings is greater than the combined area of 4 intake holes of one daisy wheel.

[austin87]

No need, Troy. My trick knee tells me that one of the One Touch openings is greater than the combined area of 4 intake holes of one daisy wheel.

Maybe we need to figure out a way to cover some of the one touch vents. Maybe tinfoil on the outside of the kettle with tape that won't melt with heat and make the kettle bowl nasty? Then just have the vent under the burn open.

Thinking that maybe too much cool air is getting pulled in. Sometimes I wrap 1/2-2/3 of the charcoal grate and only place coals over the uncovered part, but that's usually for lower heat. A silicon plug that perfectly fits in the outside of the vent? Maybe I just found my million dollar idea

[toolhead]

You can drop the lid on the floor and see if it is flat or wobbles

Wobbles means its out of round.

Measure distances in crossbhairs and then quarters..using damper vents as a landmark..you will probably see that the lid os out of round.

You can place it on the ground vertically and gently push down to shorten a long lenth area and then measure again

A few tries and you will get the hang of it...gentle pushes

[toolhead]

If the lid is not out of round..check measurements on the bowl.

Ive seen bowls out of round..you can use the same process on a bowl