Thank you for showing that with backyard offsets, less is more when it comes to the fire. Sadly, RU-vid is filled with BBQ videos of people, even so-called professionals, building infernos in small offsets and then paying the price for massive temperature spikes. Because the G2 has an insulated firebox, it puts an even greater premium on keeping the fire low. Once the coal bed is established, "One small split at a time is fine" should be the motto.
with the grate, I noticed the wood burners faster and hotter. Since it is getting more air flow. I've had better cooks with the grate, since your only putting a small split at a time. You don't need a big fire in this smoker.
I’ve dumped my grate too on my Wrangler. Prefer straight off the bottom. I believe I use a little more wood but I also get more coals to reuse since the O2 isn’t as plentiful without the basket or grate
I actually cooked this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FjFYbo6ShRg.html while filming the fire management video. on the 2 bottom thermometer probes, I was ranging about 300 degrees to get a roughly temp of 275 at grate. I would add a stick of wood in the range of 250 to 275, on the lower end of 250, the splits were close to depleted. So give the 265 to 275 mark a look out. There is honestly no maintained temperature, it fluctuates. You just need to figure out when to add when a new fire source is needed.