Ironwood XL Temperature Issues

[Peachy_Cool_Arrow]

I bought an Ironwood XL in March 2024. This morning I powered it up, set it to 500, and waited for it to heat up. After 2 hours it had reached 285…. I shut it down and pulled everything apart to make sure nothing obvious was wrong, but nothing looked out of sorts. Before putting the grates and stuff back in I turned it on to watch the pellets ignite. They didn’t seem to feed enough so I added a hand full and it took off. Heated to 375 then back down to 225 with little over/under shoot. Maybe it was the shutdown/startup cycle, maybe it was the hand full of pellets in the firebox… I dunno! Anyways, I hope this helps someone having a similar issue. Take care

 

[Manannan]

Thanks interesting information particularly as I have the smaller Gen 2 Ironwood. Just a couple of follow up thoughts occurred which may help give better understanding in case it ever happens to me?

Has it been used regularly and without issue since March 24? Any chance the pellets had been sitting for a while and were damp? Did you try an Auger clear which runs the screw both forwards and backwards via the D2 controller. Has it functioned OK since the problem?

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Peachy_Cool_Arrow]

I’ve used it about a dozen times since I purchased it. The problem has consistently been in the startup/pre-heat phase. I’m going to dump pellets out of the hopper and try an auger clear as you suggested. The pellets have always felt dry, and I dont believe I let them sit long enough to absorb moisture, but maybe they are and I just don’t realize it. I’m pretty sure that it’s operator error. Once it gets going it’s fantastic so I’m gonna keep learning how it cooks…

I’ll go ahead and post a proper introduction as well.

 

[NoGood Traeger]

I’ve used it about a dozen times since I purchased it. The problem has consistently been in the startup/pre-heat phase. I’m going to dump pellets out of the hopper and try an auger clear as you suggested. The pellets have always felt dry, and I dont believe I let them sit long enough to absorb moisture, but maybe they are and I just don’t realize it. I’m pretty sure that it’s operator error. Once it gets going it’s fantastic so I’m gonna keep learning how it cooks…

I’ll go ahead and post a proper introduction as well.

Try breaking some pellets. If they bend or crumble, they're no good. If they break/snap then they're likely fine.

 

[Peachy_Cool_Arrow]

Yep, they’ve always been crispy, not bendy and crumbly

 

[caper11]

Is your grill connected to a network? Complain to Customer service. I have both second Gen ironwoods. The XL rarely gets used not because of this exact reason you posted.
My only suggestion is to try cleaning the ash and start over with CS on the phone. Keep the lid closed and don’t open it on a start up, set it to 400-450, during that time ask CS how many times they seen the lid open during the preheat. If the lid sensor opens even with the lid closed, it will slow down the fan and slow the preheat.
I have been down this road, CS is good at sending parts….

 

[RayClem]

I have had an Ironwood 885 for a little over two years. When igniting my gril, I always Prime the Auger before ever cook. I also leave the lid open when I ignite the grill. That avoids buildup of hot gasses, provides plenty of air for the fire, and allows me to monitor the startup. Once the thick white smoke turns to thin blue smoke, I add my food and close the lid.

For most cooks, I set the controller to 235F to achieve a cook temp of around 225F. If I want to cook at a higher temp, such as 400 F for pizza, I start at 235F and bump up the controller in increments of 40-50F. I do not wait for the temp to stabilize at the intermediate setpoint but bump it up as it approaches the setpoint. I do not know that this is essential, but it seems to work well for me. If you set the controller to 450-500F at the beginning, the controller is going to ram as many pellets in a possible to achieve that level. That might not be the best mode of operation. Think of building a campfire. You start with tinder and ignite it. Then you add twigs, then kindling and finally larger pieces of wood. You feed the fire gradually. You do not generally toss everything in at once.

Remember that the hot rod only stays hot during the ignitiion phase. After it turns off, the fire is supposed to be self-propagating. If more pellets are added to the fire pot than the fire is able to consume, the fire can be snuffed out.

 

[NoGood Traeger]

If the auger tube is already primed from a previous cook, I only prime for the new cook about 30 seconds. If I let the grill prime for the full 2 1/2 minutes the fire pot massively overflows with pellets and I then have to deal with a fire burning outside the fire pot.