Copperhead Temperatures way off, unit shut down

[bmorgil]

Hello, I am new here and this the problem I am having with my Copperhead Vertical Pit Boss. The temperature shown as actual, and the temperatures on my Thermoworks Smoke probe have been 50 degrees off right from the start. I compensated by using the next higher setting. As time went on the situation became worse. The temperature swings were sometimes as high as 50 degrees. I would set it for 275 and it would run from 300 down to 250. Now after a few weeks, I set it for 250 to smoke at 225 and it wont get over 220 dropping down to 206. So I bumped it up to 275 and it runs from 224 down to 208. Then I turned it up to 300. It ran up to 225 and shut down with an error. I unplugged it and plunged it back in. It started again and now is set at 275 and is running from 245 to 200. Am I doing something wrong here? The actual temperature shown on the controller is way off from everything. It was reading 330 when the internal temp was 224 and the control was set at 275. My prior smoker was a cheap electric Smoke Hollow. It was much better at holding temperature.

 

[Cowboy1955]

Hello, I am new here and this the problem I am having with my Copperhead Vertical Pit Boss. The temperature shown as actual, and the temperatures on my Thermoworks Smoke probe have been 50 degrees off right from the start. I compensated by using the next higher setting. As time went on the situation became worse. The temperature swings were sometimes as high as 50 degrees. I would set it for 275 and it would run from 300 down to 250. Now after a few weeks, I set it for 250 to smoke at 225 and it wont get over 220 dropping down to 206. So I bumped it up to 275 and it runs from 224 down to 208. Then I turned it up to 300. It ran up to 225 and shut down with an error. I unplugged it and plunged it back in. It started again and now is set at 275 and is running from 245 to 200. Am I doing something wrong here? The actual temperature shown on the controller is way off from everything. It was reading 330 when the internal temp was 224 and the control was set at 275. My prior smoker was a cheap electric Smoke Hollow. It was much better at holding temperature.

Welcome from Texas to the group!!
Have you cleaned the temperature sensor and cleaned the grill thoroughly?
Doing this after each cook keeps the temperature where it should be
A dirty temperature sensor will make it have temperature swings
Hopefully this helps you out

 

[Sparky]

Welcome to the club

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Welcome

 

[bmorgil]

OK thanks Cowboy1955, and thanks all for the welcome! I will follow your other post and get some Dawn Dish soap on it.

I am checking the temp at the middle/upper rack with the Thermoworks. When the smoker was new I did note the temperature swing was about 25 deg and about 30 or so degrees lower than the Actual on the control. I think this is because the smokers temp sensor is down by the back where a lot of heat is deflected into it. I adjusted up to the next temp level and it was usually pretty good. It is sensative to the temp outside. I am used to an electric smoker, which is like using an oven with smoke attached. Temperature control was no problem. I do like the pellet smoker better for the hands off no need to add wood, and all the trouble that became. I'll just have to practice!

 

[bmorgil]

Update: I cleaned the probe and I am still having a lot of trouble. I cannot get the temperature to above 250. The smoker keeps shutting down and reads ERR. I can no longer use the Unit. The temperatures are all over the place. Set at 250 it runs from 160 to 275 and shuts off with an ERR on the temperature. It will drop to 160 run up to 275 and shut down with an error. I am going to bring the shoulder inside. This smoker is not functioning and it is ruining the food. I have heard that the Traeger's are much better. I think this Pit Boss is going to the curb.

 

[Smokeyholler]

First off, welcome.

What's the error code you are getting? PB seems to be very responsive to warranty issues with the parts needed to fix the issue. How old is your smoker?

 

[bmorgil]

I have had it for a few years now, purchased Nov of 2022. Customer service was very good. I have replaced the control board and the temp probe. It works better at first, just like when it was new, then after 2 or three smokes, it starts to progressively get worse. Today it is at the point that I have to stop using it. I just cleaned the probe. I have a pork shoulder I am trying to smoke. I brought it inside to the oven. There is no way I can keep this up for 20 hours! It is was running the temp from 160 to 275 and then shutting off with ErH every 20 minutes or so.

 

[bmorgil]

OK so I refuse to give up on this thing. Here's what I found out.

This was an issue of "how clean." I removed the screws that hold the temp probe, and thoroughly cleaned it like new. I took the shop vac and put it right into the fire pot. I cleaned out anything that was stuck on. I fired it up and primed it (the shop vac sucked out the exposed pellets). Once I had smoke, I set it to 250. It ran just like when I first got it. It never reaches 250 deg measured on the Thermoworks near the center of the unit. Set at 250 deg., it will only reach 240 or so and then drop to around 200 deg. The wind and ambient temperature alter this a bit. Basically, cleaned, the unit will hold +/- 25 deg from its set point (this is what it is rated to do). The location of the units temp probe is on the back wall just above the burner pot. It is reading the higher temperature there. The Thermoworks probe is in the middle of the unit. That's the one I trust. I just go by the actual measured temperature on the Thermoworks, and turn the temperature knob until I achieve an average of +/- 25 deg of the temperature I want. That is working just great! Pulled Pork Butt and St. Louis Ribs leftovers are in the fridge.

The drawbacks to this are, the units temp probe will see the higher temps and shut the unit down before you can achieve around 300+ deg.. And you do have to keep things clean after every use, and that's just the way it is.

With that said, it works great for me now that I understand it! I hope it keeps on smokin' for me. It is more convenient than my electric smoker. The electric smoker held the temp much closer. Loading chips all the time however was a pain.

 

[Ol' Smokey]

Thats the learning curve i had with my 700. Now that i know where the grill wants to run on each setting, i set it accordingly and let it do its thing. No more freaking out about temps or their swings. I now really like my pellet grill....