TOO MUCH SMOKE!

[ShermanTank 71]

So I just purchased my Austin XL and have cooked on it twice. Apparently, I'm NOT understanding the correct process in the placement of the top plate, in regards to placement. I've tried leaving a couple of the vents open and leaving the slide plate completely over the vents in the bottom plate. Either way, I'm getting WAY too much smoke and it's making the meats taste more like smoke than meat! While cooking on the smoker, the smoke is so intense that I have to leave the lid open for a few minutes in order to see what the meat is looking like.

I also have a couple of pictures to share, concerning the wood pellets in the bottom, when I'm done cooking. What I am showing doesn't seem right, in relation to some of the videos I'm seeing. I hope someone out there can steer me in the right direction. I am not new to smoking (I wish someone still made the upright water smokers, as I can smoke some different on those and everyone enjoys it!).

 

[MikeInFla]

Wow what a mess, it looks like the auger is feeding pellets continuously and not stopping. Might be a wiring issue because it should not do that. The only time you should get thick white smoke is when you start it up. Once the white smoke clears I turn up the temp and close the lid.

 

[DaveXDm9]

like Mike said check the wiring to see if the Auger and Fan are connected incorrectly. Check the diagram in your manual as some Austin XL's wiring are coming out if the factory with the Auger connected to the Fan connection and the fan Connection connected to the Auger connection.

 

[MikeInFla]

It really blows my mind that these are coming out of the box with the wiring wrong. So many people have had the same issue. I would be pretty pissed to take all that time to assemble and then it not work right out of the box. P B risks losing customers over quality oversights like this.

 

[primeone]

Welcome to the forum @ShermanTank 71 - I agree with Mike's suggestions. Poor quality control from Pit Boss.

 

[DaveXDm9]

It really blows my mind that these are coming out of the box with the wiring wrong. So many people have had the same issue. I would be pretty pissed to take all that time to assemble and then it not work right out of the box. P B risks losing customers over quality oversights like this.

I have used my Yoder s640 at least 3 - 4 times a week not had one issue not one since it came out of the box. It is such a huge difference, but PB grills are budget friendly you get what you pay for.

 

[OnYourPerson]

So I just purchased my Austin XL and have cooked on it twice. Apparently, I'm NOT understanding the correct process in the placement of the top plate, in regards to placement. I've tried leaving a couple of the vents open and leaving the slide plate completely over the vents in the bottom plate. Either way, I'm getting WAY too much smoke and it's making the meats taste more like smoke than meat! While cooking on the smoker, the smoke is so intense that I have to leave the lid open for a few minutes in order to see what the meat is looking like.

I also have a couple of pictures to share, concerning the wood pellets in the bottom, when I'm done cooking. What I am showing doesn't seem right, in relation to some of the videos I'm seeing. I hope someone out there can steer me in the right direction. I am not new to smoking (I wish someone still made the upright water smokers, as I can smoke some different on those and everyone enjoys it!).

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Hey, Same thing happened to me. It would just push out a ton of pellets and over heat even if I set it on a low setting. I'm willing to bet your smoker has the fan and the auger cords switched. Look at the diagram from the instructions and switch the 2. Ever since then it's been smooth sailing for the most part. No more huge clouds of smoke coming from it and the food will taste right and not taste like soot.

Edit: I have the Austin XL as well and after switching the 2 wires I'm a happy owner.