Pit Boss at Menards

[tester2]

Did you get one yet? I have only used mine once and it worked great! This is after having many great meals and reviews from a neighbor with the same unit and that is why I bought mine.

 

[oldgiesser]

The first smoke I did was a 12 lb brisket. I used my maverick thermometer to keep track of temp it had a lot of temp spikes up and down so I started playing with the temp settings and if anything made it worse. I then left it set on smoke and it would spike some but average out.The brisket was done in 12 hours and it was excellent. The next day I called tech support and talked to a tech right away the thing the tech told me that the instructions weren't clear on was that in smoke setting it runs by p setting only and not temp if at a temp setting it trys to maintain that temp. He then told me somthing not in the manual, to fine tune the temp turn the cap on chimney up if running hot and down if running cold this works if using temp settings. After that when I knew how to run the smoker I have made 321 ribs twice that were the best I have made or eaten and the grill worked great a lot more even temp.The thing to remember is your burning wood there will be a little up and down but you can sett it and forget it and let it do it thing.

 

[klcustom]

Had mine for a few months. Bought at Menards for 399
Great smoker, cooked many long cooks no flame outs yet or lighting issues. Ran couple hundred lbs of pellets through it with ease. Wish it had a 180 setting. But with adjustable p setting u can achieve that anyways- but that's a minor gripe

 

[oldgiesser]

I have made briskit twice and ribs about 5 times the food has been great but am having trouble with it over shooting temp when set at 200 or 225 by up to 80 degree at times during long cooks somtimes it is not to bad may be 40 but then all of a sudden it go up 80 degree over set temp I have called danson customer service 3 times and have done every thing they have said to try changed p setting opened up chimney vent all the way but still am having these swing now well making 10 lb butt.I will call customer service and talk to tech again on Monday and tell him I am convinced the controller needs replacing. Other than the temp problems I love the pitt boss 820 it is well made food tastes great but trying to figure cook times is a nightmare.Iwill update on tech support.

 

[ckirst]

If you read the manual there is a "P" setting for the auger.  How long the pause is between auger run time.  by adjusting the P number one can fine tune the temperature/smoking feature on the grill.  You shouldn't have given up so quickly, It's a great grill!

 

[oldgiesser]

If you read the manual there is a "P" setting for the auger.  How long the pause is between auger run time.  by adjusting the P number one can fine tune the temperature/smoking feature on the grill.  You shouldn't have given up so quickly, It's a great grill!

I received a new controller from Danson and it has been a lot more stable. It is not dummy prof but one you get use to using one of these grills they are great and set it and for get it.

 

[pgadave]

Which RecTec did you end up buying?

 

[mccunningham]

I have a Traeger brand pellet smoker, and love it! should I buy another I will buy the pit boss from menards. looks better built and $200 cheaper.

 

[smokin in gb]

I love cooking on the Pit Boss but I've had 3 of them fail do to a bad design of the auger drive, the last one broke yesterday(replaced on 4/18/15) during my preheat, what happens is the motor just sits on top of a shelf and the shelf over time bends down and the motor will then spin itself around and the wires short them self out. 6/9/15

 

[hopfster]

Well I stumbled on this thread on the 4th of July 2015, the wife had wanted aTreager since she saw a demonstration at Costco in later 2014, she told me it was a great deal at $699, hmmmm no, not at least till she starts working! Anyway, we saw the Pit Boss at Mendes for $399, on sale till 7-18-15, we still have a week to think about it. After doing some looking and research, we might pull the trigger. We bought a Webber for $400 w some cash from our wedding 9 years ago and I love it! But the wife is NOT an out doors person at all and didn't cook on it cause of the"work"it takes to grill w charcoal, she would rather do burgers in a fry pan than get the grill going...whatever! So if I can get the food I like as easy as flipping a switch, I'm in, especially at$400. I understand that the temp rockets up at first then back down, and some other little things, but as someone said, just gotta learn it and play w it a little. Sounds like it does all the same stuff as the high prices ones. After passing this all, now I'm getting hungry and excited for some smoked ribs! Menards also has those on sale too!

 

[yooper]

Any updates? That's a heck of a price at $399

 

[hopfster]

The only update...we passed on the Pit Boss, bummer we did. It was on sale till yesterday, July 18th, I was there looking at it and ready to pull the trigger but decided against it for now :( other financial obligations need to be met. The wife and I talked and we decided that we WILL FOR SURE get it the next time it hits that price! Menards is pretty good about having the same item on sale a couple times a year, if it does,t go on sale again this year,there's always next! Sunny and 85 right now, gonna wake the kids up from nap, throw them in the pool and fire up the 'ol webber!

 

[yooper]

I ended up buying it during the sale. Only did the burn in so far. Need to go back and read up on the "p" settings before a cook

 

[sawmillmike]

I bought the pit boss last 4th of July, initially I had problems with it. Once I talked to customer service and they told me how the programming worked I have been very satisfied with it. I can smoke as low as 140 without problems and it holds temperature above 200 remarkably well.

 

[k-dog]

With cookingpellets, perfect mix I'm able to smoke at 125/130 on P7 without loosing flame.  I've put 80 pounds of pellets through the pit boss now and really like it.

 

[hopfster]

That's something I would obviously need to learn more about, and would like more knowledge before I do buy one. What is the 'P'setting? Is it the speed of the auger that drops the'pellets'? Or does the P have to do with temp?

 

[hopfster]

And K dog, how long have u had your Pit Boss?

 

[gpb11]

That's something I would obviously need to learn more about, and would like more knowledge before I do buy one. What is the 'P'setting? Is it the speed of the auger that drops the'pellets'? Or does the P have to do with temp?

Close, it actually controls the interval time between when the auger runs.  Different P settings set different time intervals.

See section two of the user manual: https://www.menards.com/main/store/...200/Install_Instruct/PitBoss820Owners2013.pdf

 

[k-dog]

And K dog, how long have u had your Pit Boss?

1 month, over 80 pounds, almost every day. The dang pellet grill has cost me more in meat/veggies and pizza's than the grill itself. 

 

[k-dog]

 
Close, it actually controls the interval time between when the auger runs.  Different P settings set different time intervals.

See section two of the user manual: https://www.menards.com/main/store/...200/Install_Instruct/PitBoss820Owners2013.pdf

Also what the manual doesn't clearly explain is when your in temperature mode the "P" settings are used once the grill meets it's temp.  Lots of people complain about the overshooting of the Pitboss.  You can overcome slightly by using the "P" setting.  Example, You set the grill to 300F, the auger will continue to run until it reaches 300F. Your fire pot is now full of pellets and continues to burn high for a minute or two causing the temp to overshoot. Mine is usual 40 degrees. You can't stop this from happening the first time or after you open the lid.  Now once you've loaded your grill and it's pre-heated you can adjust your "P" setting.  This will be done by lowing your "P" setting to P0.  This means the off time is 55 seconds which is more pellets. It seems backwards to add more pellets to get your temps lower from over shooting but your goal is to keep the fire pot at a more constant fire.  If you had your grill on P7 it's still going to overshoot 40 degrees but it won't put pellets in the pot for 150 secs or goes below 300F.  If it goes 150 secs the fire is now near out and the temp will undershoot and the series starts all over again.  This is what separates the pellet grill manufactures, allot of the higher end models have PID (smart) controlled augers.  If I'm cooking something at 250 I set it to "P0" and don't touch it for 20 mins and might bring it to P1. It will level out real nice.  Knowing what temp all your P settings run at is very helpful.  

My grill with Cookingpellets perfect mix runs like this.

P0  205/215                           

P1  190/205                             

P2  180/190

P4  180                                  

P3  180/185                         

P5  165/175

P6  140/150

P7  125/130

This will change with ambient temp, humidity and the amount of food in the grill.  The pellets by far make the biggest difference.

This is at 70/75F ambient, 1200 feet elevation and fairly humid.