Kettle Cooling Quickly

[Geo]

Just joined (Hi!) and looking for some help.

A few month back I bought a new 22" Performer Series kettle grill.  Everything not only worked great, but it stayed hot long enough that after eating dinner, I'd throw something else on to cook for lunch the next day.

Lately, I cannot seem to keep heat in the kettle.  I've changed none of the settings.  The ash bin has been cleaned out and the bottom and top air vents are clear and fully open.  I use a chimney to start the coals and usually dump them in the kettle when the edges of the top briquettes turn white, although I've experimented with getting the top briquettes almost totally white (doesn't seem to make a difference).

When I first started using this grill it stayed hot a long time.  Now the briquettes don't even completely burn down.

Last night the kettle started out a little over 400°, but within 20 minutes was down to 350°.  Another 20 minutes later it was under 300°.  I barely got my chicken cooked fully.

I switched from Kroger briquettes to Kingsford briquettes in case there was a QA issue with the Kroger brand.  It seems to have made no difference.  I keep the briquettes in the plastic bin under the grill (open top to the bin).  I've been doing this from the start though.

Something is not going right and I cannot seem to find it.  It's making cooking on the kettle an act of frustration instead of the fun it started out as.

Any ideas?

[varekai]

@Geo , first off, Welcome to the asylum, I mean Club. The only thing I can think of with the information provided would be that maybe your charcoal is absorbing some moisture from the air, I would try putting the BAG of charcoal, rolled up in the bin, that is, if you are just dumping the bag in the bin... my 2 cents, I'm sure someone else will chime in.

[HoosierKettle]

Air flow and fresh charcoal. Store coal in air tight container


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[Travis]

Hello and welcome. I’d have to agree that moisture must be the culprit. I would try opening a fresh bag from the store and seeing what happens


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[Geo]

Thanks for the input.

I thought about the moisture, which is why I mentioned that the bin is the standard bin, open at the top.  I should have mentioned that I didn't have any trouble storing charcoal this way initially.  I should also mention that when I switched from the Kroger brand to the Kingsford, I used fresh charcoal and had the same issue.

Is it possible I have TOO much air flow?  I'd think not.

I should also mention I use some moistened hickory for flavor, but again, I have been doing this from the start and have, if anything, been using less of it.  I place the wet hickory at the edge of the hot coals.

I'm inclined to try yet another brand of charcoal to see what happens.  I had a smaller kettle for a couple of years and had trouble, but I was initially using some off-brand charcoal.  When I switched to the Kroger charcoal and started using the chimney, all problems went away.

I will be home late tonight, but perhaps tomorrow morning I can take a photo of the inside of the grill, or perhaps after this weekend (I'm away for the weekend) I can break down the inside.  That said, what I saw last night before starting the fire looked perfectly normal.  I had some ashes in the kettle, but I moved the air vent back and forth and cleared almost all of it, and then I emptied the ash bucket below.

One thing I do (and have been doing from the start) is the cover the kettle once I've poured the charcoal out of the chimney, let the grill heat up, and then clean the grate once hot.  Should I leave the top off for a while to allow more air flow?

[Geo]

I'd also like to mention, once my niece's husband clued me in one the chimney and gave me a few more tips, I've really enjoyed charcoal grilling.  Until this, that is.  I even grilled salmon for my wife and I absolutely DON'T eat fish.  This has been fun.

[varekai]

Hang in there brother, you'll get it.  and uncovered for a bit initially might help...just some of the trials and tribulations that keeps this hobby so dang much fun!!

[SMOKE FREAK]

On almost ALL of my cooks I dump the chimney of coals all onto one side of the grill...Making a hot side and a less hot side...I never have a problem keeping temp and most always pinch down the airflow to keep temps from going too high...My coals last throughout the entire cook ( over an hour sometimes)...I use Kingsford blue bag and Royal Oak briqs...

I say keep trying and you'll figure it out...The Weber Kettle rocks...

[Travis]

I'd also like to mention, once my niece's husband clued me in one the chimney and gave me a few more tips, I've really enjoyed charcoal grilling.  Until this, that is.  I even grilled salmon for my wife and I absolutely DON'T eat fish.  This has been fun.

Have you had a chance to try again? Any change?


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[pbe gummi bear]

You're probably building up grease inside the kettle and getting a better seal around the lid and bowl. This leads to less airflow inside the kettle and lower temps that burn longer. Typically a hot chimney of kbb with open vents will start at around 450, and level off to 350-375 for about an hour before starting to burn down.