Ok, after 3 1/2 years of flawless (lots of) smokes and cooks I finally had a problem with my Traeger.
While smoking a couple of butts for New Years day my Digital temp. display was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof. I thought this is just great, but managed to get the butts smoked.
So here we come to my dealings with the Traeger people.
I called Traeger and talked to the service manager named George and explained my problem. George immediately said it sounded like the 7" RTD for the thermstat control (temp. probe inside the smoker) and got my shipping information.
It was shipped the next day (Tuesday) and I recieved it on Friday. That was pretty fast service considering it was shipped from Portland, Oregon and I'm in Illinois. I didn't have time to do the repair until Sunday and when I opened the package and looked at the new probe there was a spot where the insulation covering the wire was freyed, but not to bad.
So, I went ahead and installed it as it was. The digital control jumped around a little at first then settled down to what appeared normal. I also put another temp probe into the smoker to check temps. and it was a bit off but the smoker was working enough to cook with so I did a couple of rib eye steaks. They came out fantastic as usual!!!!
Ok, now it's Monday and I call Traeger again to talk to George but he's out sick today (get better soon George) so I talk to a tech named Joel. I explain all that happened and Joel said no problem and he will ship me another probe and the freyed insulation could be the cause of the incorrect temp readings. At this point I'm very happy with the conduct and outstanding service that I'm recieving from Traeger.
Oh, and let me not forget that after having my Traeger for 3 1/2 years there was absolutely "No Charge" for the probe or shipping!!! Now that is some outstanding customer service!!!!
Now for the repair which the directions were very easy to follow. (But no pics) lol
Ok, this is the 7" RTD (temp probe) that went bad.
This is your digital controler. It has 2 screws (top and bottom, there are no nuts on the back side) that you remove then gently work it forward. It is a little tight but comes out fairly easy.
Once you have the controler out you will see a little green box with the 2 probe wires sticking in the top. You will see 2 screws on the green box, lossin these screws just enough that the probe wires slide out. (This will also be were you insert the new wires.
Now remove the holding bolt and nut from the inside probe inside your smoker and from under your pellet hopper free the probe wires for easy extraction. Watch the line of travel for your wires so that when installing the new wires you don't have them within range of your fan blades.
Now insert the new wires thru the back hole. (The pic of the wires in this photo are in the wrong hole, that hole is actually were the bolt goes, sorry) Directly under that hole, there is another hole in the side of the smoker you need to direct your wires thru towards the pellet hopper.
This is a pic of the wires thru the side wall and you can see them in between the smoker box and the pellet hopper. (middle of pic)
Continue feeding the wires back the same way you removed the old ones until they are all the way thru and you can bolt down your probe inside the smoker. (Be careful not to kink the wires at the probe and make sure there is no loose wire exposed inside the smoker.
Ok, now if you haven't done so, bolt down the probe.
The next step is to connect the wires into the green box. Just slide each wire into the slot on the top and tighten the screw down (be careful not to over tighten, just snug it so the wire doesn't pull out). It doesn't matter which wire goes into which slot.
Now carefully reinsert your digital temp control panel and put in the mounting screws.
The final part is going under the pellet hopper, directing your wires away from the fan blades (there are 2 fans) and tieing them securely with a wire tie.
I hope this helps someone out there if they have this problem.
Again, I would like to thank the people at Traeger for their great customer service!!!!!!!
While smoking a couple of butts for New Years day my Digital temp. display was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof. I thought this is just great, but managed to get the butts smoked.
So here we come to my dealings with the Traeger people.
I called Traeger and talked to the service manager named George and explained my problem. George immediately said it sounded like the 7" RTD for the thermstat control (temp. probe inside the smoker) and got my shipping information.
It was shipped the next day (Tuesday) and I recieved it on Friday. That was pretty fast service considering it was shipped from Portland, Oregon and I'm in Illinois. I didn't have time to do the repair until Sunday and when I opened the package and looked at the new probe there was a spot where the insulation covering the wire was freyed, but not to bad.
So, I went ahead and installed it as it was. The digital control jumped around a little at first then settled down to what appeared normal. I also put another temp probe into the smoker to check temps. and it was a bit off but the smoker was working enough to cook with so I did a couple of rib eye steaks. They came out fantastic as usual!!!!
Ok, now it's Monday and I call Traeger again to talk to George but he's out sick today (get better soon George) so I talk to a tech named Joel. I explain all that happened and Joel said no problem and he will ship me another probe and the freyed insulation could be the cause of the incorrect temp readings. At this point I'm very happy with the conduct and outstanding service that I'm recieving from Traeger.
Oh, and let me not forget that after having my Traeger for 3 1/2 years there was absolutely "No Charge" for the probe or shipping!!! Now that is some outstanding customer service!!!!
Now for the repair which the directions were very easy to follow. (But no pics) lol
Ok, this is the 7" RTD (temp probe) that went bad.
This is your digital controler. It has 2 screws (top and bottom, there are no nuts on the back side) that you remove then gently work it forward. It is a little tight but comes out fairly easy.
Once you have the controler out you will see a little green box with the 2 probe wires sticking in the top. You will see 2 screws on the green box, lossin these screws just enough that the probe wires slide out. (This will also be were you insert the new wires.
Now remove the holding bolt and nut from the inside probe inside your smoker and from under your pellet hopper free the probe wires for easy extraction. Watch the line of travel for your wires so that when installing the new wires you don't have them within range of your fan blades.
Now insert the new wires thru the back hole. (The pic of the wires in this photo are in the wrong hole, that hole is actually were the bolt goes, sorry) Directly under that hole, there is another hole in the side of the smoker you need to direct your wires thru towards the pellet hopper.
This is a pic of the wires thru the side wall and you can see them in between the smoker box and the pellet hopper. (middle of pic)
Continue feeding the wires back the same way you removed the old ones until they are all the way thru and you can bolt down your probe inside the smoker. (Be careful not to kink the wires at the probe and make sure there is no loose wire exposed inside the smoker.
Ok, now if you haven't done so, bolt down the probe.
The next step is to connect the wires into the green box. Just slide each wire into the slot on the top and tighten the screw down (be careful not to over tighten, just snug it so the wire doesn't pull out). It doesn't matter which wire goes into which slot.
Now carefully reinsert your digital temp control panel and put in the mounting screws.
The final part is going under the pellet hopper, directing your wires away from the fan blades (there are 2 fans) and tieing them securely with a wire tie.
I hope this helps someone out there if they have this problem.
Again, I would like to thank the people at Traeger for their great customer service!!!!!!!
