Temperature Probe Out

[Gold Dust Charlie]

Brand new Timberline 1300 purchased today. Assemble it, set it up, and I keep seeing "Temp Probe Out" in the display. The App shows a temp of 707 - 710 degrees F. Never fired up. All it will allow is to prime the auger and run the exhaust fan. Software is the latest version as of March 2019.

Called Traeger after realizing that it might be the thermocouple on the upper right side wall of the unit and got the standard algorithm of "Make sure unit is plugged in", etc.

Can't/won't ignite or do anything else. No where can I find a diagram of the thermocouple, its' location, or how to replace it if it is bad. The unit weighs too much to casually haul it to the retailer.

Does anyone have suggestions beyond call Traeger or the selling retailer?

 

[TXFIre]

I would try calling an authorized Traeger repair facility if you have one close by.
I called one near me and received quite a bit better information than what the Traeger reps give over the phone.

 

[Gold Dust Charlie]

Thank you.

 

[primeone]

Welcome to the forum @Gold Dust Charlie - Let us know what the final fix turns out to be.

 

[Gold Dust Charlie]

Thanks.

Spoke to a different Traeger rep today. They told me to ensure that the thermocouple is securely attached at the wall and at the connection point... but declined to tell me how to properly disassemble the unit to check functionality. While I'm relatively comfortable in disassembling and diagnosing mechanical equipment, fooling around with electrical/electronic equipment is often pointless if one doesn't have specifications.

Rhetorical rant: Why should the owner have to service a brand new unit in order to determine a manufacturing fault? The second I begin to disassemble it, there goes any warranty protection under Magnusson-Moss and I'll be paying to fix their error.

 

[primeone]

Where did you purchase it from? Have they been able to provide any sort of help?

 

[Gold Dust Charlie]

The retailer is here and they told me that they would telephone the Traeger sales rep and get that person to contact me tomorrow about a warranty claim.

The retailer apologized profusely and I have two Traeger reps on separate recorded calls [it is legal in my State to record with only one party consent] to them telling me to inspect the thermocouple and the connection points... so I decided to put my college physics classes to work.

I disassembled the right interior wall where the thermocouple emerges. Seeing that it was a red and gold line that went down towards the control box, I went to the bottom of the control box/hopper and removed the fan and electronics access panel [watch out here - the screws are easily deformed using a proper Phillips driver and I had to try a screw extractor and then a large Vise Grip with one stubborn screw that would not come out]. In tracing the thermocouple line, I could see that the darn plug was simply hanging in free space without ever being connected to anything.

Getting under the box/hopper, I found the electronics board had a small female receptacle with twin horizontal spade type inlets that appeared to match the plug's twin male spade prongs. I plugged it in carefully and found no undue resistance.

I reassembled the interior wall, leaving out the interior parts such as the grates and drip tray, then fired it up. It appears to be working as of now and I am in the process of seasoning it now.

So, if one buys a new Traeger and cannot clear the "Temp Probe Out" message on the LCD screen during initial set up, get ready to cuss a bit and grab some tools [Phillips screwdriver, nutdriver, small flashlight, etc.] to check the status of the thermocouple. Someone in Communist China may have forgotten to plug in the thermocouple.

P.S. - I hope the same person assembles their nuclear weapons too!

 

[primeone]

Awesome! I'm glad you were able to get it going and thanks for posting the details on the fix in case anyone else happens to have the same issue.

So what's the first cook going to be?

 

[Gold Dust Charlie]

Awesome! I'm glad you were able to get it going and thanks for posting the details on the fix in case anyone else happens to have the same issue.

So what's the first cook going to be?

I should have taken photos of the repair, but forgot to. I'll be happy to talk someone through it, should it happen to someone else.

I'm thinking Chinese take out. After the gym, 20 miles on the bike, and fixing the grill... I may be too tired to cook!

 

[Gold Dust Charlie]

I broke down and used the grill, even though it was a exhausting day. Decided on something simple to acclimate myself to the cooking style of the grill - turkey burgers.

They came out great and the best part was the wood fired taste.