Masterbuilt ThermoTemp XL - model 20051316

[chmodx]

I've tried reconnecting it a bunch of times, tried different varieties of tightening and no result.

 

[chmodx]

Masterbuilt sent me a new valve, flame sensor, thermometer, and front panel.

I also tried with a new tank.

Still no result.

I push the knob all the way in, full burner. If let it run for over 30 seconds, it still won't stay running. If I give it a hard quick push, I can get it to stay running for about 10 seconds, then it goes out.

I got it to stay on for a few minutes today but that's it.

I am about to give up, it's not like this is complicated. Turn valve to left, push in and hold for a moment. Click igniter, poof, burner runs. Let go of it at all and it's out.

I have never been so frustrated.

 

[chmodx]

I made a video, is there something I am doing wrong?

 

[kastur troi]

Is it beyond the return policy of Lowe's? I would return it and get another one.

 

[chmodx]

Home depot, but yes beyond return policy at this point. Let me know if there is something I am doing wrong in the video.

 

[daveomak]

On flame sensor units I have owned, the flame sensor was visible and it was in the flame...  I had to hold down a knob or button until the sensor heated up enough to keep the gas flowing... sometimes it took 30 seconds or longer for it to heat up satisfactorily...  

What does your manual say about all that.... 

 

[g i smoker]

Take a look at the wood chip box on the door. The one I just took back to Sam's Club had a useless box that was on a sliding tray between the burners and it did not work at all.

 

[daveomak]

The chip box has nothing to do with the flame maintaining staying lit....  

Did you read my post #26....

 

[g i smoker]

We had flame but no smoke.

 

[chmodx]

I'm making ribs today, first cook with this unit. Temp runs about 20-25 degrees hotter than the dial, had to turn it down to

 

[lotgod]

Did you figure out was was causing the flame-out issue?

 

[chmodx]

I replaced almost everything, valve, thermometer, flame sensor. One of those is all I can confirm, but not specifically which was it.

 

[mikeschildt]

I have this unit as well...it is my 2nd smoker - the first one being a CharBroil unit that had no thermostat to keep the temps consistent.

While it's not "insulated" like you may think, it is double-walled (a silver interior attached to the black exterior), so it holds heat pretty well.  No door insulation to force smoke out of the vent in the back...but it still smokes pretty good.

I'm not sure why the one poster said he needed to refill the wood every hour...I can run ribs (3-2-1 method) and I don't need to add wood.  The wood chip dish has a lid that is designed to keep the chips from burning instead of smoking...I know some people over-fill the chip dish so the lid won't fully close and that lets in air that helps burn the chips...so maybe he slightly overfilled the dish?  I know this unit practically sips wood as compared to my CharBroil that would suck up an entire bag just doing one day of ribs - this one uses about 1/3rd of the wood.

The thing the other poster talked about - holding the knob down...that is SUPPOSED to only be needed when you first light it...I think it kind of overrides the valve setting to put full flame out of the burners and warm the system up to sense the flame.  This unit automatically turns off the gas if it flames out...I THINK that's what you are warming up by holding the knob down...but that usually only takes maybe 30-45 seconds to do.

I find that using a digital thermometer, the unit runs about 25-50 degrees colder than the knob (at least mine does)...yours may vary.

Personally even though it's small, I love this little unit.  Yes, you have to cut your rib racks in half, but if you get two of the vertical holders, you can do about 5 racks at a time in this unit.  

 

[kastur troi]

The knob issue has been fixed for me. It was an install error. This thing is just now my dedicated sides smoker since it can fit a 13x9 nicely (smoked beans, mac and cheese, etc). Not a knock on the product but I'll stick with my stick burner for anything requiring a good smoke.

 

[JimVB]

I just got one of these and have the same issue with the flame not staying lit. I’ve removed reinstalled it 4 times now and even added Teflon tape to the threads to see if that would help but no luck. Masterbuilt customer service is sending me a new panel of some sort so we will see!

 

[Rings Я Us]

To bad they can't ship those pre tested and 90% assembled.
That would save a few thousand hours a year of people's time. :cool:

 

[amlong88]

Are people that have this model that got it working properly still enjoying it. How's the reliability been?

 

[JimVB]

Well Masterbuilt customer service promised to fedex me a replacement panel with instructions. Instead they sent a flame sensor with no instructions. I installed it and it fixed the problem! So as I type I’m “pre-seasoning” the unit (basically burning wood chips in it for an hour).

 

[JimNv]

Well, I just got done with a couple of small 2# pork sirloin tips from Costco using this Masterbuilt Thermopro xl. I ran into the many of the same issues as other posters have had. It seems like you have to hold that dial in for more than 30-40 secs to get the flame to stabilize. It seemed like when it wouldn't light, changing the temperature on the dial then holding it in seemed to help. Weird. After it was going and the meat was in, The dial needed to be about 270-275 to get 225 which seemed to be varying at +/- 10 degrees. I used my remote meat thermometer to get that value. I let the meat cook for about 90 minutes or so and put the meat probe in and it registered 155. I plated the meat and it was really pretty good. I think maybe that 225 may be a bit too quick for the small roasts. It was smokey enough but dialing it back and letting it cook longer might be better. Not sure. Anyway, it's my first time smoking and it went well for the first timer.