Trouble with Pitt Boss

[Windrider1]

Hello there, I have been having issues with my PB 1100 for awhile. I start it on smoke and if I cook for awhile, then fire will go out at some point. When I restart grill starts over smoking and eventually starts and gets super hot for about 30 min. Last time it even blew lid up twice. I clean after each use to make sure pot is mty. It will also do this on higher temps. I just can’t trust it at all and am constantly having to watch to keep from ruining food. Any ideas?

 

[ANT0407]

You are experiencing a flame out. When you restart your smoker always empty your fire pot that should take care of the excess heat because there isn't a build up of pellets. Also NEVER start your smoker with the lid or door closed. Always start with it open to prevent combustion that can blow the door open or off.

 

[Windrider1]

Thank for your reply. The grill still goes out every time I try to smoke so that means that I will have to wait for cool down b4 I can clean it out. I think that is way to much trouble and defeats the purpose of having a pellet grill.

 

[ANT0407]

I'm not sure what's causing your flame outs. I just wanted let you know what you need to do when it happens and how to start your smoker safely (with the door open until the thick white smoke dissapates and you hear the fan going). I hope someone can help you with the cause of the flam outs and you figure it out soon.

 

[Windrider1]

Yes sir. Tyvm

 

[primeone]

Welcome to the forum @Windrider1 - Have you tried different pellets?

 

[Windrider1]

I have not. I will try that. I usually get them at academy. Ty

 

[Mike From R.I.]

If all else fails, try calling customer support 877 303 3134 option 2.

 

[MikeInFla]

I have an older model PB340 and it tends to flame out on the smoke setting as well. I have to babysit that grill and monitor the temps. On the smoke setting it normally hovers around 180. When I see it hit 150-155 I turn it up to 200 and let it feed some pellets, then turn it back to the smoke setting. That has prevented my flame outs. I even changed the controller out when it started doing it and the new one does it as well. I don't mind sitting outside with it and keeping an eye on it but most of the time I use my vertical PB which runs like a champ and needs no babysitter.

Not sure if your model has a P setting but if it does, leave it on 4. If I use anything above 4 I always get a flame out. 4 does good most of the time but I have gotten used to sitting there with it just to make sure that's why I jack it up to 200 when I see it hit 150. You just gotta be careful not to get too many pellets in the fire box or you'll hit 500 degrees in no time.

It can be a pain I know, that's why I babysit. The last time I had a flame out I wasn't paying attention. What I did was removed the meat and set it in a cooler, removed the grates, removed the heat shield and then saw the fire box was over filling. (Yes, I used heat resistant gloves). Not feeling good about vacuuming when it was hot I got out my propane torch and relit the pellets and let them burn down a bit with the lid open. Once it settled down I replaced the heat shield, grates and the meat and then that's when I started playing around with it to change temps when it got down to 150. It doesn't do this every time but to avoid it I just sit and watch it the whole time.

 

[Dan-H]

Hello there, I have been having issues with my PB 1100 for awhile. I start it on smoke and if I cook for awhile, then fire will go out at some point. When I restart grill starts over smoking and eventually starts and gets super hot for about 30 min. Last time it even blew lid up twice. I clean after each use to make sure pot is mty. It will also do this on higher temps. I just can’t trust it at all and am constantly having to watch to keep from ruining food. Any ideas?

Sorting out the cause of the flameout will be key.

Can you provide more specific details about, well about everything.

Which model 1100 do you have? How old? what year?
What pellets are you using?
How is your smokestack vent adjusted?
What's the temp outside when you are smoking?
Is it windy?
What setting are you using to start / preheat on?
How long do you let it preheat before you close the lid?
How long after starting do you put meat on?
What smoke setting are you then using to smoke with?
What is the grill temp showing on the controller when you put the meat on?
How long after putting meat on does the temp start dropping?



My first suggestion without knowing anything is try to cook at hotter smoke setting than what you are currently using.

My second suggestion is to get a remote thermometer with high/low temp alarms and put the ambient probe or pit probe on the grate above the meat so its in the middle of the smoker, but has meat between it and the fire box.

Then watch the remote closely. You should be able to see the temp swings when pellets are added and the temp goes up and then drop over time until the next cycle, or if the temps keep falling and you have a flame out.

good luck...