Adding coal...

[ioannisds]

I've been using two 33mm Three Kings discs for my smoking sessions, which usually go for about 45 minutes or so.  Never added any coal.  I just ordered and received some 40mm Three Kings from Social Smoke, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised.  Using just one of the larger discs, I went for about the same amount of time as I had with the two smaller ones.  Smoke thickness and flavor were great, no harshness (Al Amir 3 Apple). 
 
After the session, I took the foil off and noticed quite a bit of the shisha was not cooked (maybe the bottom half).  So, I'm thinking I should have added another disc once the smoke started thinning out (which I have never done).  How successful have you folks been with adding on coal after the first batch has lost its heat/size?  What makes you decide it is time to add some more?  Loss of flavor, loss of smoke thickness, or what?  How long have you guys been able to make a bowl (normal size, not one of those party-bowls) last by adding coal alone?  Sorry if my questions seem kinda retarded, just having one of those introspective moments, ya know.  

[yashman19]

I always add more coals. I use Nour Fingers though, so they are a bit
different from the 3kings, but I start off with two pieces, each one
roughly 2-2.5" long each, and after about 15 minutes into the session,
I ash them, and place them back on the bowl, but now add a third coal
ontop of the first two to get it going. After another 15-20 minutes, I
throw out one of the first pieces because they are getting pretty
small, and use the new freshly lit one and one of the original pieces.
Once I do that, I get ANOTHER piece going.

This will get me through a 1h - 1h30 minutes session, but I still have
quite a bit of coal left over. I don't like the thin smoke, so I always
try to have optimal heat available. I end up wasting part of the 4th
piece added, but atleast I have lots of heat all the way through my
session.

This is just what I do though. So other people might vary of course

[Sonthert]

I use Jap coals, which are smaller and far easier to control. The reason tobacco starts to go downhill is because the "top" is completely dried out. As we know from drying things, the outer or top edges dry  first, so it is with smoking. I try to maintain a set amount of coal, if it goes down, I add more. Does that answer your question?

[pavlakos_politakos]

i add more  coal everytime the old ones burn out,until the  moassel is  completely  done....burnt.

[Brad]

I starting using Yashman's trick and I'm getting another half hour out of my sessions. In the past I always assumed the shisha was just "done" by the time the coals ran out.

[ioannisds]

Hey, thanks for the input guys.  I had a smoke last night, started with the single Three Kings, and went for about 40 minutes or so with good smoke.  Tossed annother one on after that, and I went for almost another hour.  It worked great, and this time all the tobacco was used up.  I'm gonna try some of these other suggestions too and see what happens.  I love to experiment .

[pavlakos_politakos]

tipota re yianni.mono elpizo ta piramata sou na pane kalla.