Posted my first msg on here back in February. I had just purchased a used KC Combo. Griddle Plate & heat tents were missing. Ordered missing items & griddle plate was delivered in a week. Heat tents still on back order. One person tells me they can see order arriving in NC. Still not delivered. Next person tells me there is no way anyone can see or tell when they are arriving. Last person I talked to did help me out. He sent me out the heat plates that fit on a Memphis grill. Plates are about 1/8” too short. But I think I can add a copper wire loop on the end of each one & make them work. Griddle side works great. Been cooking on it. Wife has been sick for six weeks & been in the hospital for the last 10 days. Finally got out & checked out the smoker side. Hooked up the grill to WiFi & updated the firmware with no issues. So couple months later & the KC Combo is in full operation…steaks thawing out & going on the grill tomorrow.
Used KC Combo…two months later.
- Thread starter btallant
- Start date
Freedbyjc
Well-known member
Have you checked your new smoker for the PitBoss air gap issue and done the air gap mod to fix it yet?
Air Gap Modification - Models Affected: Austin XL 1000 and Rancher XL 1000, 1000SC, 1000t2, 1000t3, 1000t4, ProSeries 1100, KC Combo, Charleston, PB 500, 1230 and 550 Sportsman, ProSeries 600, ProSeries 2 1150, 1600 Pro and Elite, and Navigator 550 & 1150 and Laredo 1000.
Unfortunately there is a well known, but easily corrected, design flaw in your unit ... a gap between the bottom of the drip tray and the top of the left side grease tray lip that allows firepot heat to blow directly on the digital temperature probe... it’s causes slower startups, flameouts and other temperature related issues.
Since the firepot heat is blowing directly on the digital temperature probe, It’ll cause the smoker to flameout for no apparent reason. It’ll cause a flameout because the digital temperature probes temperature readings are falsely reading too high; it causes the digital temperature probe to register higher than your set temperatures. And that’ll cause a flameout every time … shutting down the auger and starving your fire of pellets
The air gap mod is a big deal on the Austin XL , the pro series 1100, PS2 1150, 1600, Laredo and basically ANY 1000 inch barrels AND the KC Combo. It takes them forever to settle down especially in the Smoke setting, and that's why, when people have them set to Smoke they're wondering why it's up around 250 or 300 degrees ... and it's all because the firepot heat is all blowing on that digital probe. Do the mod and it registers the temperatures correctly and it settles them right down.
Additionally, a QUICK and simple foil fix will work ... Fold sufficient aluminum foil to cover the gap from side to side and put in place. Done right, the foil will fold over and sit on top of the drip tray and this quick fix blocks the firepot heat from blowing directly on the temperature probe.
A detailed Instructional Video is below ... AND the Video is also in Announcements section of this page ... and if you’re interested, the prefabricated mod plate available at https://smokeslikeaboss.com/
This video explains better ..
