Pellet grill - help if you can please - pics enclosed

[haeffnkr]

Is your ground level? If its not then even of the drip tray is on properly the grease will not drain and collect on your tray and burn.

Yes it is level and yes the drip tray has plenty of slope to the drain.
thanks for asking.
haeffnkr

 

[haeffnkr]

I always line the drip tray with foil, at least two layers of heavy duty. Sometimes up to six, that way I can peel one away as needed without having to "start from scratch" during each cleanup. I never run with less than two layers tho.

If you are getting burning, you might try buying some 1/4-3/8" steel round bar. Cut down a few strips that are the length of the pan so that they run parallel with the front/back of the cooker. Lay down a layer of foil, then the pieces of round bar and then put another lay or two of foil over the top. This will create an air gap in the foil and should eliminate any chance of burning.

I'd also verify the temperature that you've set on the controller is actually representative of the grate temperature of where you're cooking. You may find a significant difference in the controller set point and the actual pit temperature.

Depending on what Cust Serv says... you might be on to something. I will have to put a cookie sheet or 2 under the grate to insulate grease tray.

To my dismay this is what is going on it appears... the upper grate is spot on to the set temp... the lower grate is 75 or more degrees hotter.

thanks haeffnkr

 

[Dweverett]

Thanks .... This is what I saw tonight... but it was measured at the upper grate, not the lower one where I was generally cooking on.

thanks haeffnkr

With the style I have, cust service can walk you through the right combination of button pushes to change the programming and try to get the right temp reading at the main grate. I will say though don't sweat 10-20 degree difference. First as long as you know it's there just set the temp a little higher or lower to compensate. Second, because the probe is pretty close to the wall it's going to be somewhat impacted by external temperature. On the positioning, that's another thing to check with cuts service. I bumped mine closer to the wall early on and Rectec told me to bend it out a bit. As I recall it was almost a 50 degree change and the set temp and actual were within 5 degrees after the adjustment.

 

[Mo-Dave]

The photo that shows the saw dust build up is not right. I have only cleaned mine completely out a couple times after having it for almost two years now and have never had anywhere near that much dust. Remember the gaps from the front and back of the drip pan is where most of the heat is coming from. I use that sometimes to get a little char on my food depending what it is, so yes the temp is going to be a lot higher at those points. Keep on with customer service, and let us know what is happening. Don't forget to put the cloths pen at the base of the temp prob so it does not touch the wall.
Dave

 

[Free Mr. Tony]

The pic links don't work on my phone so I haven't seen your exact problem. I've owned 3 different pellet grills, and used many more brands than that. Almost every brand has the same general idea, and things will burn onto the drip pan. I never noticed an off flavor unless the drip pan was heavily crusted from previous cooks. You may just have extra sensitivity to that flavor.

If you are really into pellets but don't like the superheated drip pan one of the only brands designed differently to my knowledge is the fast eddy pg500 and 1000. The heat source is not under the drip pan so things will still stick and burn to the drip pan, but at a much lower temperature. The pan is also more slanted than most brands, and further below the meat.

 

[ChrisBarb]

Is it returnable? You shouldn't have to go through this amount of trouble with a new grill.

 

[haeffnkr]

Cust Service said the ash level blowing around in the pit is expected and I saw a different forum post where someone brought this up before for camp chef models.

They are testing a grill today to see what the temps are.
They are saying I am the first to bring this to their attention, which seems odd to me because of how this oven is designed. She was explaining to me how this oven works... which I get... it needs to be hotter closer to the fire box and the fans will blow the heat around the grease pan .... but if the grease pan is 75 to 150 degrees over your set temp things will burn as I see it. Any metal plate that is close to 400 or hotter will burn things.

If your pizza has some cheese and toppings fall to the bottom of the oven in your house it will burn and stink. Same principal here as I see it.

I will test again tonight with my set temp lower and see what the grease pan and lower grate measure. Maybe it will be closer to set temp.
Seems like I will have to insulate with foil or metal pans between the grease pan and lower grate to keep the burning to a minimum as I see it.

thanks for the help.

thanks haeffnkr

 

[SmittyJonz]

This thread and the Traeger Timberline issues thread and the threads saying to add an Amazin' tube to a pellet grill to get Smoke flavor and the fact they are worthless when the power goes out is why I have NO interest in a pellet grill/smoker.......... :loco:
I'll stick to charcoal n wood chunks or firewood and no controllers....... :heh:

 

[haeffnkr]

The pic links don't work on my phone so I haven't seen your exact problem. I've owned 3 different pellet grills, and used many more brands than that. Almost every brand has the same general idea, and things will burn onto the drip pan. I never noticed an off flavor unless the drip pan was heavily crusted from previous cooks. You may just have extra sensitivity to that flavor.

If you are really into pellets but don't like the superheated drip pan one of the only brands designed differently to my knowledge is the fast eddy pg500 and 1000. The heat source is not under the drip pan so things will still stick and burn to the drip pan, but at a much lower temperature. The pan is also more slanted than most brands, and further below the meat.

thanks for the update.
Makes sense.
haeffnkr

 

[haeffnkr]

This thread and the Traeger Timberline issues thread and the threads saying to add an Amazin' tube to a pellet grill to get Smoke flavor and the fact they are worthless when the power goes out is why I have NO interest in a pellet grill/smoker.......... :loco:
I'll stick to charcoal n wood chunks or firewood and no controllers....... :heh:

I am looking to build a drum smoker. I was looking at them before this thread... point taken.

This oven might go back down the road depending on what kind of temps I get tonight and how much engineering it needs. I bought it used for 250 so not a big deal if it does not work out. I can flip it again.

haeffnkr

 

[haeffnkr]

Hello,
Cust Service response -

Hello

Thank you for your email. It does not look like your receipt was attached to the email I received. However, we will still get the parts shipped out as quickly as possible.

Our engineers got back with me from their testing today with the following info. They have tested out a couple grills and found that all of them do have a high temperature on the drip pan and grill grate. They said this is normal and was pre designed. I do apologize, they were not able to find a way to insulate, to decrease the heat without causing temperature swings to accrue. The reason they get hot is heat transfer, when the air convents up and around the drip tray into the main body of the grill. This is what causes the temperature in increase in the drip tray and cooking grate. They explained that it is similar to an oven, when you move food down closer to the element, it will increase in temperature the closer you get no matter what the temperature you set it too.

I do apologize for this confusion on this situation. As I said before, this has not been brought to our attention before. However, now this has been tested, and we know this is normal. We have sold thousands of these with great reviews. I know as a consumer myself, I can understand the confusion and frustration, but now we know that these temps are normal.

Best Regards,
Camp Chef
Warranty Dept.

I also spoke with one of their engineers about the grill and how he uses it, he has one that he has used frequently for 4 years.
Basically he uses it at low smoke ( 225 ) for long cooks and ramps it up if foiled to finish. He never has run this smoker and 275 for hours. He has run it 325 for chicken.
He basically said when they tested it is working as designed, just like the oven in my house.... hotter on the bottom plate then the air temp on the racks.
I was the first person to bring this to their attention.

To Note -
Everyone I have talked to has been more than nice to me at Camp Chef.

Next steps -
I will check the temps at 225 ( low smoke ) and see what the grate temps and drip pan temps and adjust my process from their.
I will also test with foil and or another pan under the grate and try to block some of the heat coming off drip pan.

thanks haeffnkr

 

[IXL]

^^^^It took an engineer to make that assessment? Really?

They didn't realize that the units did a particular thing, but as all the units they evaluated behaved in this same manner, they state the condition must exist because the units were "designed" to do this. Otherwise, they wouldn't do this, you know, because of engineering and design stuff. Got it.