Hello,
Long time smoker/griller here, new to "pellet" smoker/grill type cookers.
Just purchased a PB Lexington brand new in-box, brought home and assembled.
Watched several YouTube videos with various PB Lexington user topics, such as maintenance and "cooks".
After assembly I thought I was soon to be cooking. Wrong! 3 disappointments to start:
1) PB Promise Unfulfilled: Included in the paperwork is a card that promises if I registered the product on-line I will receive a promo code via email that will give me 25% off on the PB online store. I registered the product on-line but have not yet received email from PB with 25% off, approx. 24 hours after registering.
2) Probable Auger Bind: Read through the included manual "first time" use verification and startup steps. With power on and dial set to "smoke" I verified power, fan running, glow plug warming in fire pot, and I *did* see the auger turn. So I proceeded and added about 1/2 of the hopper with pellets to do the "prime" and the initial burn-off procedures. So I sat there for 5 minutes with my finger on the "prime" button but auger was not turning and no pellets dropping into fire pot. I unplugged the unit, I unscrewed and removed the hopper finger guard, I had to remove most of the pellets from the hopper that I just added via the trap door and drain port, until I could get a visual on the auger from the hopper. I could manually finger-turn the auger but only a little until it reached a stop. This being my first experience with pellet grill mechanicals, I though this was normal. I plugged the unit back in to AC power and re-performed the verification step. I did see the auger turn but it again reached a stop, and also trying this again with my finger on the "prime" button which is supposed to keep the auger turning. So now I go back to the web and do a search for "Lexington auger not turning" and see the various posts. I found one post that suggest the auger stops turning due to binding because of 4 screws that attach auger assembly to the motor tightened too tight. So I believe this to be the reason I can hand turn the auger a little, observe it to turn under its own power but then it stops when it reaches its binding point. So after viewing the PB hopper box disassembly video I am now going to have to take my brand-new Lexington apart to try to resolve this issue when I thought I was going to be cooking.
3) Included Customer Service Contact information wrong: I wanted to speak with PB Customer Service before I take the auger apart. Included in the product paperwork is a red card that states "do not return product to store", and to call US: 480-923-9630 Monday through Sunday 4am - 8pm PST". So it's a Sunday, I call the # at 11:00 am CST/DST (which should be 9:00 am PST/DST) within date & time range stated on card. However, the PB outgoing recording states business days do not include Sunday as stated on the card.
So far these are the 3 PB brand disappointments and I have not even reached the "cooking" stage with it yet.
After I open up the hopper box to get to the auger to check (and hopefully correct) the source of the auger bind on a brand-new out of the carton PB product I will post the results.
Thanks!
GaryK
Long time smoker/griller here, new to "pellet" smoker/grill type cookers.
Just purchased a PB Lexington brand new in-box, brought home and assembled.
Watched several YouTube videos with various PB Lexington user topics, such as maintenance and "cooks".
After assembly I thought I was soon to be cooking. Wrong! 3 disappointments to start:
1) PB Promise Unfulfilled: Included in the paperwork is a card that promises if I registered the product on-line I will receive a promo code via email that will give me 25% off on the PB online store. I registered the product on-line but have not yet received email from PB with 25% off, approx. 24 hours after registering.
2) Probable Auger Bind: Read through the included manual "first time" use verification and startup steps. With power on and dial set to "smoke" I verified power, fan running, glow plug warming in fire pot, and I *did* see the auger turn. So I proceeded and added about 1/2 of the hopper with pellets to do the "prime" and the initial burn-off procedures. So I sat there for 5 minutes with my finger on the "prime" button but auger was not turning and no pellets dropping into fire pot. I unplugged the unit, I unscrewed and removed the hopper finger guard, I had to remove most of the pellets from the hopper that I just added via the trap door and drain port, until I could get a visual on the auger from the hopper. I could manually finger-turn the auger but only a little until it reached a stop. This being my first experience with pellet grill mechanicals, I though this was normal. I plugged the unit back in to AC power and re-performed the verification step. I did see the auger turn but it again reached a stop, and also trying this again with my finger on the "prime" button which is supposed to keep the auger turning. So now I go back to the web and do a search for "Lexington auger not turning" and see the various posts. I found one post that suggest the auger stops turning due to binding because of 4 screws that attach auger assembly to the motor tightened too tight. So I believe this to be the reason I can hand turn the auger a little, observe it to turn under its own power but then it stops when it reaches its binding point. So after viewing the PB hopper box disassembly video I am now going to have to take my brand-new Lexington apart to try to resolve this issue when I thought I was going to be cooking.
3) Included Customer Service Contact information wrong: I wanted to speak with PB Customer Service before I take the auger apart. Included in the product paperwork is a red card that states "do not return product to store", and to call US: 480-923-9630 Monday through Sunday 4am - 8pm PST". So it's a Sunday, I call the # at 11:00 am CST/DST (which should be 9:00 am PST/DST) within date & time range stated on card. However, the PB outgoing recording states business days do not include Sunday as stated on the card.
So far these are the 3 PB brand disappointments and I have not even reached the "cooking" stage with it yet.
After I open up the hopper box to get to the auger to check (and hopefully correct) the source of the auger bind on a brand-new out of the carton PB product I will post the results.
Thanks!
GaryK
!!
