Pellet grill temp swing??

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Jan 8, 2024
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I understand some swing is normal. Im cooking at 225 getting temps from 190 to 270 up and down? Probe is clean grill is 2 mo old pit boss . Not closing lid too soon. Outside temp is 72. I read open your rain cap all the way or it could cause swings mine was onlyhalf open. Open all the way now. Maybe it will help? Yall got any thoughts?
 
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Mine only swings 10 or 15 degrees on either side of my set temp, for the most part.
 
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Mine only swings 10 or 15 degrees on either side of my set temp, for the most part.
Yea thats normal from what i read not sure whats up with mine its like a roller coaster
 
How long has it been running? Sometimes you got to let them settle in. If it's a pitboss,what's the smoke setting? Mine isn't, but strive for a good 25° swing. That's when they're smoking right.
 
How long has it been running? Sometimes you got to let them settle in. If it's a pitboss,what's the smoke setting? Mine isn't, but strive for a good 25° swing. That's when they're smoking right.
I leave the setting on p4 wich is the default setting they recomend . Yea maybe i just didnt cook long enough tonight i only cooked about 45 min reverse seared some steaks
 
I'm cooking on a Recteq 1250 and have no temp swings to speak of.
If I've anything it's a steady 5° over set temp during a cook with the lid closed and settled in.
When I open it and it cools off, it'll then go 10°-15° over as it comes back up to temp and then settles back in at set temp or 5° over.
 
My RecTeq Swings around 10 + or- during a cook. It used to bother the hell out of me, and then I realized it really doesn't matter. Nature of the beast. I do make sure I clean the temp probe with a brillo pad from time to time.
 
Mine swings some but the programs are different than other smokers, no 2 manufactures are the same, pellet smokers make better smoke at low temps, they let the temp swing high to average it out at what it's set at, I can set the P# and get a lot more swing but I rarely do. Pre heating takes a bit in the cold to get stable temps
 
I understand some swing is normal. Im cooking at 225 getting temps from 190 to 270 up and down? Probe is clean grill is 2 mo old pit boss . Not closing lid too soon. Outside temp is 72. I read open your rain cap all the way or it could cause swings mine was onlyhalf open. Open all the way now. Maybe it will help? Yall got any thoughts?

My initial setup of my Camp Chef did the same thing to me. The instructions said to set the rain cap to 1.5 inches or something like that. I called them and they said that was wrong and to lower it to approximately 3/4" Now that's the height of the jam nut in relation to the top of the all-thread rod going into the rain cap. That stopped the radical swings, but it still wasn't all that good. The original controller was in 25 degree increments and that's about the swing I got after fixing the rain cap height. Once they came out with a new PID controller to replace the ortech style my temp control is far better. Having typed all that, I'm pretty sure I posted a thread about this a few years ago...
 
My initial setup of my Camp Chef did the same thing to me. The instructions said to set the rain cap to 1.5 inches or something like that. I called them and they said that was wrong and to lower it to approximately 3/4" Now that's the height of the jam nut in relation to the top of the all-thread rod going into the rain cap. That stopped the radical swings, but it still wasn't all that good. The original controller was in 25 degree increments and that's about the swing I got after fixing the rain cap height. Once they came out with a new PID controller to replace the ortech style my temp control is far better. Having typed all that, I'm pretty sure I posted a thread about this a few years ago...
My instructions have 2 settings for the exhaust stack cap. 1/2 inch gap for cold weather, where I have it set now, and 1 1/2 (If I remember correctly) for summer. I've always had a grill with their PID controller and like the 5° temp increment adjustments. It's one of the reasons I went with Camp Chef.
 
My instructions have 2 settings for the exhaust stack cap. 1/2 inch gap for cold weather, where I have it set now, and 1 1/2 (If I remember correctly) for summer. I've always had a grill with their PID controller and like the 5° temp increment adjustments. It's one of the reasons I went with Camp Chef.
I just looked up the manual, and the new models do say that. Mine just says 1 1/2. I keep it at the same height year round and it works great for me. I also saw they now have a Gen 3 controller, but I'm not sure if its compatible with my DLX 24.
 
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My instructions have 2 settings for the exhaust stack cap. 1/2 inch gap for cold weather, where I have it set now, and 1 1/2 (If I remember correctly) for summer. I've always had a grill with their PID controller and like the 5° temp increment adjustments. It's one of the reasons I went with Camp Chef.
I was reading trouble shooting on the pit boss web site and it said if your stack is not all the way open it can cause those swings so i opened all the way cooking again sunday so ill see what happens. Im in south louisiana so we dont really have cold weather it was 72 yesterday when i was cooking
 
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I was reading trouble shooting on the pit boss web site and it said if your stack is not all the way open it can cause those swings so i opened all the way cooking again sunday so ill see what happens. Im in south louisiana so we dont really have cold weather it was 72 yesterday when i was cooking
I'd be inclined to run it awhile empty and see if still does it. Pellets are cheap enough where it ain't gonna cost that much to run a test for an hour or two.
 
I'd be inclined to run it awhile empty and see if still does it. Pellets are cheap enough where it ain't gonna cost that much to run a test for an hour or two.
Ill try it thanks for the info 👍 i love the grill! Its my first pellet grill had it since december ive done a few briskets andnother stuff it gets used at least once a week but i never really sat there and watched the temp till last night
 
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I've got a Masterbuilt pooper. Control is similar to a Pit Boss.
It around 30 minutes to get the temperature stabilized after the 100° blow past the desired setting. Once to set point it holds pretty well.
I don't use it enough to justify a higher quality unit.
 
I would also make sure your fire pot is clean and doesn't have crusties in the bottom affecting the fire burn.....
 
I would also make sure your fire pot is clean and doesn't have crusties in the bottom affecting the fire burn.....
One thing nice about the Camp Chef is the firepot cleanout. You still have to take it apart and give it a good cleaning to get the ash that blows out of the firepot now and then, but you do start with a clean pot each use.
 
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One thing nice about the Camp Chef is the firepot cleanout. You still have to take it apart and give it a good cleaning to get the ash that blows out of the firepot now and then, but you do start with a clean pot each use.
That is a nice feature the CC have for sure!
 
Do you pellet guys get clinkers in your burn pot?

Chris
 
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