PB820D - Fire Burning in Auger Tube

[TrishThaDish]

Catching up on all the responses and it's not looking good. I'm now worried about fires as well and my husband said he is ready to throw it out and get something different. He said we won't be going with PB again if it's only going to last 2 years.

1. I did try vacuuming out the ashes - no luck
2. Placed pellets directly in the spot to be lite, while the auger turned on "smoke" - still didn't work
3. The whole thing won't hit temperature either, it gets close, then starts blinking because the auger stops turning

I haven't tried checking the rain cap! I will look at that.

 

[pawpawjts]

Had the same issue with my Lockhart. Found the fix somewhere on the internet. Turn down your temp below 200 or lower when your down cooking and let it cool down before you power off. From there it will be just the fan running to cool down. Once cooled down below 160 I unplug and no back burn.

Yea I do my pitboss the same way I turn the temperature to off and let it run till the fan stops

 

[pawpawjts]

Catching up on all the responses and it's not looking good. I'm now worried about fires as well and my husband said he is ready to throw it out and get something different. He said we won't be going with PB again if it's only going to last 2 years.

1. I did try vacuuming out the ashes - no luck
2. Placed pellets directly in the spot to be lite, while the auger turned on "smoke" - still didn't work
3. The whole thing won't hit temperature either, it gets close, then starts blinking because the auger stops turning

I haven't tried checking the rain cap! I will look at that.

I'm sorry you're having issues I might have just got lucky mine is pushing 4 or 5 years old and have only had that one issue about a year ago

 

[pawpawjts]

I'm sorry you're having issues I might have just got lucky mine is pushing 4 or 5 years old and have only had that one issue about a year ago

I forgot about this one. You said it started flashing I just remembered mine did that with the flashing and it was my fault when ever I would go to unplug it I would pull the cord instead of the plug it actually broke the wires but not completely and I was loosing voltage I'm not saying that's what you're problem is but that was mine. My board would start flashing
It would get dim then bright. All it took was going to lowes an buying a 5or 6 dollar plug

 

[Nralifer89]

Vacuum out the box & clean. I do this every 6-8 hrs of smoking. I have mine set at P7 and hit the Prime button a lot during the smoke.
I have the 820D3 and have had no issues doing this. Have the side smoker as well w the damper set at MIN.
What pellets are you using? Humidity plays a huge role in this from what I understand. Sorry if repeated as I have not read all the comments.
I use the PB competition blend as well as the traeger gourmet blend. Keep pellets in 5g air tight buckets and add as needed.
Good luck and hope all the feedback will get you back to smoking!

 

[Northern Que]

I clogged my auger as well. Then I bought a screen and a bucket and got rid of the dust in the pellet bag. It has been fine ever since.

i agree with Dennis i just got a Pitboss about a month ago and my son inlaw has been using a Traeger for 5 years, the first thing he told me was get a screen and an ice cube scoop an scoop the pellets out of the bag pour them into the screened shake the sawdust out,
before putting into hopper he has been doing it that way for all that time he never has had a problem, also with no sawdust getting into the unit everything stays cleaner

 

[GA Smoker]

I have a Platinum Laredo 1000 and this happened to me twice. I was using Pit Boss and Sams Club Pellets. I'm not saying that is the problem, all I can say is that I switched to Cookin' Pellets and it has never happened again. It has been a little over a year. Possibly try different pellets??

 

[Az@6]

PB820D​

I have the same unit. Control board went out first start up. PB sent a new one and I’ve had no problems since. Purchase October 2021. Love it!

 

[rewagner]

Yea I do my pitboss the same way I turn the temperature to off and let it run till the fan stops

I tried that at first and still got backburn...so I have to turn it down to the lowest team...in my case 185. and let it all cool down (usually while I eat) until the temp is 185 or below, then I power off and let the fan finish cooling it, until the fan shuts down and then I unplug my extension cord.

 

[Cowboy1955]

I agree with Mike from R.I.
Call pitboss support