Danger !!! Pro Series 4 V2 PBV4PS2 - Fire!!!!!!

[GeauxTigers]

My neighbor just purchased the PBV4PS2 from Lowe's, I have the same unit, except his has the new controller (10 deg increments) but he has had similar control issues as the previous controller that many of us have had, temperature control, start up, etc. On his second cook this past weekend, he started up went inside to prep, called me when he went back out and saw way to much smoke coming from every conceivable spot on the smoker. When I got there, smoke was billowing out the hopper, the stack and the fire pot had blown open and a roaring fire was coming out the front of the unit. I was able to pull out the fire pot which was full to the top and blazing with the fan going at full speed. Pellets were on fire in the auger as well. Needless to say a very bad situation. I was able to get the fire out and had to unplug the unit to make the fan stop feeding the fire. All he did was start the unit, no prime, nothing. It appears to me the controller just kept feeding pellets, which I have had happen as well, but it smothered the fire, his blew open the fire pot which gave it all the O2 it needed to causing a roaring blaze. I am starting to be a firm believer that pit boss doesn't know how to build a PID controller, this is a huge safety issue and the controller should have been able to shut it self down before this ever happened. They are spending way too much money on celebrity endorsements instead of quality control and engineering and I'm surprised someone has not been hurt very badly by this lack of QC. The good news, Lowe's came and picked up the unit and delivered a brand new one the next day. Please be careful with these units, do not place in an area that is close to anything that could catch on fire, I did an overnight cook, but had the unit in the middle of the driveway, and was very vigilant with other temperature monitors and alarms. Just because the new controller has 10 degree increments has not make it a better controller, IMO. Be safe out there......

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Wow....lucky know one got hurt or property damage. I have the same smoker and when I use it I always watch it, long smokes I'd never do overnight unattended, I wake up at 3 or 4 am and start. Hopefully it's just one lemon he happen to catch. I think Pit Boss and Lowe's should look hard at China producing their products, a country that's always mad at us and us mad at them. Cheap labor is just that cheap...why would political prisoners forced to work in factories really care about quality.

 

[Jjsaustin]

Did he start it up the door open, wait for the burn pot to get going and producing heat and a "torchy roar" per the manual and then close the door?

What temp setting was it on when he was heating it up?

I have not done an overnight cook on mine yet, but I did get the inkbird with WiFi when it was 50% off and I use one of the probes for the smoker temp. It has a really slick app with charting, min/max alarms, and other neat stuff. I use one of the 4 probes just for the smoker temp which did track pretty consistent with what the smoker says the temp is.

That was the best $50 spent.

 

[GeauxTigers]

Did he start it up the door open, wait for the burn pot to get going and producing heat and a "torchy roar" per the manual and then close the door?

What temp setting was it on when he was heating it up?

Not sure. He said he followed start up procedure but I will find out before he fires up the new one

 

[Dagwood]

Did he start it up the door open, wait for the burn pot to get going and producing heat and a "torchy roar" per the manual and then close the door?

What temp setting was it on when he was heating it up?

I have not done an overnight cook on mine yet, but I did get the inkbird with WiFi when it was 50% off and I use one of the probes for the smoker temp. It has a really slick app with charting, min/max alarms, and other neat stuff. I use one of the 4 probes just for the smoker temp which did track pretty consistent with what the smoker says the temp is.

That was the best $50 spent.

Do tell...
Where did you find it for 50% off, and under what circumstances... Hoping to repeat the deal at some point...

 

[Jjsaustin]

Do tell...
Where did you find it for 50% off, and under what circumstances... Hoping to repeat the deal at some point...

It was on Amazon and someone here posted under the Deal section. There was a 50% off coupon. I would highly recommend purchasing one. The App is so is nice and easy to use ( kinda what the Pitboss one should have been like).