Rust Bucket

[Tim W]

I have a 700 series with some age on it. I made a defuser out of 3/16 carbon steel plate 8 inches square. I suspended it under the grease shield plate about 2 " above the burn pot. I used 2 1/4-20 machine screws with wing nuts. I do not do much searing / grilling on my unit but if I did it only takes 2-3 minutes to Uninstaller.
I will eventually make a better defuser or buy one that holds wood chunks (that add additional smoke).
The suspended plates moderates the hot spot immediately above the slide plate as well.

I have a 700D with the replacement controller for 3 years and have never seared anyone on it I use a webber for that but that is just my preference a lot more area for 5 or 7 of everything but I don't ever have to worry about rust I have the opposite grease fire once or twice so I learned to scrape the sear plate to reduce the grease or turn the heat up to 500 high to burn it off once a year

 

[nickm324]

Nine months ownership of Pro 850, and still plagued with Rust. I posted when I first got the 850 about how badly it was rusting. To start this season in June I had to spend a few hours wire brushing and grinding the huge amount of rust off the broiler, and slide cover. Pit Boss tells me that I am north of New York City and am getting lots of salt air from being 60 to 75 miles from ocean! That frankly is a load crap!! If that was the case my cars would be rusted hulks in no time. No amount of oil is going to stop the rust. It might if after each cook I immersed the parts in a barrel of canola oil until the next use. I like the results when I do a cook, but there is no way I would recommend a friend buy a pit boss unless I did not consider him a friend. Really disappointed in quality of workmanship.

I am dealing with the same issue and same model as you, 8 months since purchase and the rust is building at an overwhelming rate. After spending $700+ dollar It would have lasted a little longer. Even my weber last 2 years before the rust was an issue.

 

[Redoctapus]

I am dealing with the same issue and same model as you, 8 months since purchase and the rust is building at an overwhelming rate. After spending $700+ dollar It would have lasted a little longer. Even my weber last 2 years before the rust was an issue.

You guys have purchased a unit that smokes and GRILLS/SEARS.
In order to have this option the defuser apparatus has been omitted. If you go window shop for a BARREL STYLE SMOKER that doesn't have the slide grate over the burn pot you will see a device called a defuser. Pit Boss Verticle smokers have small compact defuser, GMG has a large stainless steel defuser to protect the water pan or grease catch plate. These defuser devices buffer the intense temperatures of the open flame to prevent the problems ya all are experiencing. You have made a trade off!
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=smoker+diffuser+plate&crid=2667B8DTU5VGK&sprefix=smoker+defuser,aps,113&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_14

Check this out! Stanbroil Heavy Duty Steel Heat Baffle Diffuser with Stainless Steel Smoker Box, Replacement Part for Traeger, Camp Chef and Most Other Pellet Smoker Grills https://a.co/d/2kicZeB

Get one of these defusers and a pair of $8 welding gloves. Use the welding gloves to remove the defuser so you can "grill" on your smoker...

I hung an 8" x 8" iron plate under the grill grate slide apparatus using SS 1/4-20 machine screws with wing nuts, simple but effective.To quote MAD MAX (John boy and Billy radio show) " Ya All go out and GIT you-self one of them there defuser plates, AND QUIT RUININ MY DAY!"