Controller Malfunction

[Richards]

I have a Pro Series 22. Purchased new in 2016

THE ISSUE:
The temperature drops after the cooking process begins, and eventually a system error occurs and the unit shuts off. The malfunction leaves meat uncooked and necessitates (1) a complete “do-over” including cleaning the unit after removing partially cooked large pieces of meat in the presence of family and guests and/or (2) moving the meat to the oven.

THE FACTS:
1. It appears that during the malfunction the augur continues feeding pellets to the fire box.

Initially not realizing what was occurring, I would restart the unit after the malfunction and shut down. This caused the igniter to re-activate and set ablaze what had then become a large “pile” of pellets in the tinder box.

The result: lots of smoke then a whoosh and a “lid-popping” explosion as the pellets and fumes ignited.

The time between initial activation and temperature drop varies – 45 minutes to 3½ hours

What happens: cooking great at 180 for 45 minutes – clean dry pellets, bin adequately filled; then temp drop, error and shut down.

Unit malfunctioned as described 1stuse 2016

Unit continued and continues to malfunction as described even after installation of new traeger controller

Note: the unit has operated satisfactorily when cooking at 350 or higher for 2-3 hours – e.g., cooking a turkey or chicken, but I did not drop the temperature

I will attach some photos of a brisket outing:

Photo 1: briskets - unit/fire box clean, pellets SIFTED (a pain) and dry; auger primed. Activated smoke; smoked began properly; set temp 250 (higher than I would have liked, butgiven history of malfunctions- I selected 250)


Photo 2: temperature drop and error code (LEr) after 45 minutes of cooking – note we have never been able to “leave” the unit as advertised - we do not trust it

Photo 3: restart - after system shut down, turned unit on and off and restarted on “smoke setting” to reactivate igniter (for 5 minute burn?) smoke begins - hear roaring noise, open lid and see larges flames – in the past I have shut the lid and that’s when the explosions occurred

This time, I shut unit down after seeing the blaze. I removed meat and pulled trays --

Photos 4 and 5: the view after pulling the trays –

I vacuumed pellets – even emptied the pellet bin, cleared auger and re-primed unit.

Started again set to “smoke” per directions and smoke began – reset temp at 250 and unit worked for 3 hours, at which point temperature began to drop despite adequate pellet supply. Error code LEr again.

I complete cooking in oven – again

Photos 6 and 7: the view after unit cooled and I pulled trays – firebox chockfull - pellets unignited because this time I did not restart

I have replaced the control panel once – no change; no effect

I have contacted Traeger and technical support multiple times — absolutely no help just the runaround (isn’t the new CEO an ex-tennis shoe salesman?)

Thought I would give this forum a try before ditching this Trager and moving onto a Weber

Know and have met multiple others with the same problem and the same complaint, who say they get nothing but the runaround and no help from traeger with fixing this.

Cheap controllers after the buy-out?

does anyone know if there is a solution to this problem?

Thanks for your time and input

 

[Richards]

The aftermath photo

 

[isaiahfranco]

So something is causing the fire to go out. At low cook temps it could be wind or poor quality pellets. But if you’re cooking at higher temps, those things shouldn’t be much of an issue. Does everything else on your grill check out? The blower fan, the exhaust, the fire pit is clear of ash?

 

[Richards]

thank you for reading and responding. No wind issues. Grill location shielded. Have only used Traeger pellets. Due to one Google suggestion I even cleaned out and sifted the pallets to make sure there was no dust, and it’s still about and the grill still malfunctioned. The auger does not seem to be the problem unless it is overpowering what’s burning in the firebox which seems unlikely, and it certainly keeps feeding pellets which is what causes the explosion and resulting fire.

so perhaps the fan? We have considered that before but it is not running constantly it seems to increase and decrease but I don’t know what “normal“ Is or how To tell? Could it be a wiring issue? Also, the technician at Traeger with whom I have emailed multiple times has never suggested that - he only suggested and sent a new controller

Think I should try a new fan Unit? Is there just one on a pro series from 2016?

or do you think this could be an issue with not cleaning out the firebox after every use? At least for when I want to cook at low temperature.

I understood that the pellets burn out completely and What’s left is blown out by the fan on start up the next time if you use the shut down process, which we do. But I do not clean out the box every time I use it

thanks again