New Pro 850 - ACT Temperature reading issue

[Tcope1984]

I purchased my first pellet grill, a new pro 850 from Lowes the other day. The issue I am having is after startup and everything I set the temperature at, lets use 300 as an example. The grill begins to heat up and the ACT temp reads out degree by degree as it climbs. Once the ACT temp reaches the 300 SET temp, the ACT temp display constantly reads 300 as the ACT temp. If I change the temp to 250, or really any other temp, it again begins to read the actual temp degree by degree until it reaches the SET temp then it seems to lock on.. EXAMPLE: I do the startup and set grill to 300. It climbs up and once it reached 300 the ACT temp reads steady at 300 and does not show ANY change. I open the lid for approx. 30 seconds. ACT still reads 300. I close the lid and adjust set temp to 350. Immediately the ACT temp drops to, lets say, 260, and then begins to climb and read correctly until it reaches the SET temp. Once it reaches the SET temp, in this case 350, the ACT reads 350 and never changes.

I contacted Pit Boss and the lady was VERY nice, in fact it would almost be impossible for her to be any nicer. She built a case and put me in touch with Flame Tech. The Rep from flame tech was stumped. At first he said that it sounded like it was normal for that to happen but I explained that that could not possibly be the case because it makes monitoring temps impossible. (I always monitor with second means anyway) After I got him to really understand the issue he told me that he needed to do some research and get back to me. He said it would probably be Monday (today) before he could ask the appropriate people on the issue.

Other than that, the unit works well and aside from running a little on the colder side of what the ACT reading says (by 10-15 degrees). My ACT readout will be 225 but my ambient probe positioned right near the built in will read 210-215. Has anyone else experienced this? I am trying to expedite a fix. I'm hoping to have it straight soon as I do a lot of smoking/grilling and would like this new unit working properly.

 

[MKinHB]

It seems like you don't have much of a problem, you want the temperature to stay the same right?
When you opened the lit you let some heat out and that's why it dropped before it climbed up to your next set temp.
I have the 850 also and it used to get hotter on the left side, I fixed that and now have even temps. what does yours do?
Also, mine stays at the set temp. very well, check your auger feed ratio, is it the same all the time or does it change the time on as it is heating up? I also added two dial thermometers to the lid to monitor better.

 

[Tcope1984]

It seems like you don't have much of a problem, you want the temperature to stay the same right?
When you opened the lit you let some heat out and that's why it dropped before it climbed up to your next set temp.
I have the 850 also and it used to get hotter on the left side, I fixed that and now have even temps. what does yours do?
Also, mine stays at the set temp. very well, check your auger feed ratio, is it the same all the time or does it change the time on as it is heating up? I also added two dial thermometers to the lid to monitor better.

My ambient probe shows a swing of around 10 degrees either way once it reaches temp. Auger seems to adjust as it should runs at different intervals depending on whether it’s heating or maintaining. but the Actual temp reading never changes after reaching set temp. When I open lid Act temp reading doesn’t change at all after it holds on the set temp.

 

[Dspills]

Mine does the same, however I assumed that the display was working as it should. If I set it to 300 I want it to climb to 300 then stay there.... we have other means of reading the actual interior temps. Myself I use the second probe but would like to add permanent gauges on either side like the gentleman above these comments has done. I look at 300 and that just tells me where it should be.... idk I think that’s how it’s supposed to work maybe I’m wrong.

 

[Tcope1984]

Mine does the same, however I assumed that the display was working as it should. If I set it to 300 I want it to climb to 300 then stay there.... we have other means of reading the actual interior temps. Myself I use the second probe but would like to add permanent gauges on either side like the gentleman above these comments has done. I look at 300 and that just tells me where it should be.... idk I think that’s how it’s supposed to work maybe I’m wrong.

I feel like it’s hard to manage temps not knowing what it actually is... I have had people agree that something is not right. A friend has a new Loredo which has a similar controller and his shows actual
Temp in real time all the time.

 

[MKinHB]

so do you think your ACT temp. is just blowing smoke?
I mean do you think it is inaccurate?
Mine stays the same most of the time, sometimes it will vary just a little and come back to the setting, but it did what yours is doing for the first few cooks and I thought it was great that it stayed. But I know what you are talking about, it should drop quickly when the lid is opened as mine does now. I trust my lid gauges for the most part, I think they are more accurate. Someone told me these things learn but I'm not too sure about that.

 

[Tcope1984]

so do you think your ACT temp. is just blowing smoke?
I mean do you think it is inaccurate?
Mine stays the same most of the time, sometimes it will vary just a little and come back to the setting, but it did what yours is doing for the first few cooks and I thought it was great that it stayed. But I know what you are talking about, it should drop quickly when the lid is opened as mine does now. I trust my lid gauges for the most part, I think they are more accurate. Someone told me these things learn but I'm not too sure about that.

So my actual temp is fairly accurate but once it hits the set temp it just locks and reads the set temp. If I open lid or anything it won’t change. The only way to make it read anything other is to set a different temp again. Then it’s right on until it reaches that temp where it locks in again. A few times it went past it and came back but 99% of the time it locks right on. If the act temp is reading 250 I expect it to be 250. But I want to know when it is doing the swinging up and down. Example my ambient probe showed temps between 235-248 overnight when doing a brisket. It was 30 out. The actual temp reading on the grill never moved off of 250 after it got there

 

[Dspills]

I feel like it’s hard to manage temps not knowing what it actually is... I have had people agree that something is not right. A friend has a new Loredo which has a similar controller and his shows actual
Temp in real time all the time.

Maybe something is wrong and I’m just used to the way it is lol Then again it’s so cold where I live that I use the app, the app shows actually temp and set temp... I’m curious though... let a brother know!

 

[Tcope1984]

Maybe something is wrong and I’m just used to the way it is lol Then again it’s so cold where I live that I use the app, the app shows actually temp and set temp... I’m curious though... let a brother know!

Yes my app shows both as well however once the set temp is reached the actual temp never moves on grill or app

 

[MKinHB]

yeah, you need to use some sort of temperature gauge you can trust to know what is actually going on inside, that's why I put those gauges in the hood. If you do this just make sure that the calibration stays set when you tighten them down. Sometimes it will change and need to be re-calibrated like one of mine did. Good luck with it.
With a few tweaks I got mine working really good and it stays the same temp. left to right. I'm pretty happy with it for now.

 

[MKinHB]

wait, you guys use the APP? and it works? and it shows the set temp. and the ACT temp.? is that right?
I tried the APP and it just did not work or show the set temp. it just showed the ACT temp.
WTF?

 

[Dspills]

Mine moves on the app... it’ll show what it’s set to, my probes and what the actual temp is also. As shown in the pic.... it’s showing what the actual temp is.... then my probes, if I sit there for a sec it’ll switch back and forth and show me the set temp too.

 

[Dspills]

wait, you guys use the APP? and it works? and it shows the set temp. and the ACT temp.? is that right?
I tried the APP and it just did not work or show the set temp. it just showed the ACT temp.
WTF?

Mine works fantastic

 

[Tcope1984]

Mine moves on the app... it’ll show what it’s set to, my probes and what the actual temp is also. As shown in the pic.... it’s showing what the actual temp is.... then my probes, if I sit there for a sec it’ll switch back and forth and show me the set temp too.

What I’m asking I guess is does your actual temperature reading change at all once it hits the set temperature.

 

[Dspills]

No once it hits the set temp it stays.. but in my opinion that’s how it should be it shouldn’t fluctuate at all... the fluctuation is just to show you the direction it’s headed for what it’s set at... the app shows what the actual temp is.