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[EdCaffreyMS]

Hi! I'm Ed Caffrey, out of Great Falls, Montana.
For years I've had a stand alone smoker (propane), and have used a stand alone propane grill (even when it's -20F!)

My trusty old Charbroil grill, that had the origonal "Tru-Infared" setup (a "pan" between the burners and the grates) finally fell apart after 7 years of almost daily use, and many replacement parts.
Their new "Tru-Infared" grills have a new grate system that they claimed as "New and Improved".... which means they just messed up the system, changed the label, and are charging more.

I actually purchased the "updated" version of my grill, and after "seasoning".... had a bonfire on my deck from the grill flaring up during it's first use. I typically heat to 450 or so, put the steaks on for a quick sear on each side, then turn down the heat and let them finish out to a Med Rare, but in this case, as soon as I put the steaks on... IMMEDIATE flare up. And by the time I got it under control, and able to get to the steaks....they were wrecked! I returned that grill and purchased the PitBoss PB1100PSC2... the one with side by side smoker and propane grill.

Just finished seasoning things, had some difficulty with the app....but got it worked out on my own. I found the app really does need some IT TLC/improvement.... but I got it to work decent once I got the grill connected to Wifi rather than bluetooth. Gona give the grill a try this evening..... and wait till the winds calm down to try the smoker side (winds are 40-50mph right now).

I already have some modifications that I intend to do with the propane grill, and likely will do some on the smoker side too.... once I use it a couple of times and see IF it could benefit from any modifications.

 

[GAnewbie]

Welcome! I'm from Georgia, and we think it is brutal when it is 20 above zero.

 

[Steelheader1974]

Hi! I'm Ed Caffrey, out of Great Falls, Montana.
For years I've had a stand alone smoker (propane), and have used a stand alone propane grill (even when it's -20F!)

My trusty old Charbroil grill, that had the origonal "Tru-Infared" setup (a "pan" between the burners and the grates) finally fell apart after 7 years of almost daily use, and many replacement parts.
Their new "Tru-Infared" grills have a new grate system that they claimed as "New and Improved".... which means they just messed up the system, changed the label, and are charging more.

I actually purchased the "updated" version of my grill, and after "seasoning".... had a bonfire on my deck from the grill flaring up during it's first use. I typically heat to 450 or so, put the steaks on for a quick sear on each side, then turn down the heat and let them finish out to a Med Rare, but in this case, as soon as I put the steaks on... IMMEDIATE flare up. And by the time I got it under control, and able to get to the steaks....they were wrecked! I returned that grill and purchased the PitBoss PB1100PSC2... the one with side by side smoker and propane grill.

Just finished seasoning things, had some difficulty with the app....but got it worked out on my own. I found the app really does need some IT TLC/improvement.... but I got it to work decent once I got the grill connected to Wifi rather than bluetooth. Gona give the grill a try this evening..... and wait till the winds calm down to try the smoker side (winds are 40-50mph right now).

I already have some modifications that I intend to do with the propane grill, and likely will do some on the smoker side too.... once I use it a couple of times and see IF it could benefit from any modifications.

I still have the original one I replaced that pan like 4 times already but my girlfriend but the new one and yeah it’s not the same it runs a lot hotter and noticed I have to clean the 2 inserts under the grate a lot or it smokes out the neighbors lol

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Welcome! I'm from Georgia, and we think it is brutal when it is 20 above zero.

You folks in that part of the world are not used to that 20 degrees stuff. And being born/raised in Indiana, I can verify that 20F in that part of the world is like -40F here in Montana. Everything here is so dry here..... typically humidity during the winter is in the mid TEENS.

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Welcome

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

I still have the original one I replaced that pan like 4 times already but my girlfriend but the new one and yeah it’s not the same it runs a lot hotter and noticed I have to clean the 2 inserts under the grate a lot or it smokes out the neighbors lol

That was me too..... I replaced the pan 3X over the years, along with other miscellaneous parts...... and last December I noticed that the grates were starting to lean pretty badly.... checked it out, and the small shelf on the left side of the grill (the support of the grates) had rusted/rotted away. I was heartbroken! I stared looking for a replacement grill then..... and had my doubts about the new Charbroil system, and their claims that the "Tru-Infared" was "the best flare up prevention"..... NOT!

I'll get pics/post them later.....but today I took the "pan" from my old grill (it was still fairly new), and modified it to fit into the Pit Boss/Propane grill side of my new grill. Gave it a couple of coats of 2000F Engine paint, allowed to dry, then burned it a couple of times to 500F and let cool down.

It works just like it did in the Charbroil grill! Pretty excited about it! I can't for the life of me figure out why Charbroil took something that worked so well, and made a total train wreck outta it!?

I BBQed chicken tonight, and even starting at 450F, never even a hint of flare up! We're suppose to get several inches of snow tonight, and the high tomorrow is 19F....so it'll be a perfect time to try to the smoker side!

 

[Sparky]

Welcome to the group

 

[ANT0407]

Welcome from NH

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Thanks for the kind/warm welcome everyone! After browsing around the forums, I'm pleasently surprised to see all the "add-ons", extras, and modifications used/available for these grills/smokers. I could spend half the day messing around on Amazon looking at all of it!

 

[MikeInFla]

I have one of those "Tru Infrared" grills too. I like it but don't use it much.

As for temps, in Florida we think brutal cold is anything below 55 degrees!

 

[Guineabear]

Welcome from Florida where it's supposed to be warm. As Mike says anything under 55...it was 46 this morning and I froze getting my smoker ready to do pork tenderloin this afternoon...hope it warms up a bit. Marinating the pork in a Jack Daniel's concoction should help.

 

[GAnewbie]

hope it warms up a bit. Marinating the pork in a Jack Daniel's concoction should help.

You are supposed to marinate the pork not yourself.

 

[MKinHB]

Welcome Ed

 

[Guineabear]

You are supposed to marinate the pork not yourself.

Gotta keep warm somehow