traeger fails.

[remmy700p]

These semantic arguments go nowhere...

 

[buttburner]

 
These semantic arguments go nowhere...

I agree

Sorry I got involved and tried to help out the original poster

 

[susieqz]

you guys sure get passionate about this stuff. i was just looking for a little info.

 

[timberjet]

That is because this is the best hobby ever. haha...

 

[susieqz]

well,i'm happy to hear all points of view. i'll test as much as i can.

there's no need for friends to agree about everything.

i already disagree with the official policies.

i'll just do what's fun.

 

[timberjet]

The best thing about this website is that generally people really want to help each other out. Normally there isn't much of that kind of behavior. But, some folks are very opinionated. I catch myself typing stuff sometimes and I will just shut the computer down and go do something else. Kind of like the only way I can hold my tongue. Like that in real life too. Probably why I live alone.

 

[talan64]

WOW!

I just did a quick search to see if anyone (or everyone) that has a Traeger has the same issues with the ingniter rod, and came to this posting.

There sure are a lot of opinions about pellet poopers, and Traeger especially.

I'll add my 2 cents anyways:

1. I have been pretty happy with my Traeger Lil' Tex, right up until just recently.  The only reason for my discontent is that I am about to install my 3rd ingnitor rod into it, and the last one only lasted 6 months (Winter and spring months so not a lot of smokes).  The original lasted 3 season, the first replacement 1 1/2 seasons, then this one 6 months.  I am still going to replace that ignitor since it is only $30 compared to the 2500+ that it will cost to get the pellet pooper I really want.

2. Pellet poopers are great for those of us that want the "ronco" of smokers, just set it and forget it.  Honestly, I'm just too lazy to get a smoker that will take more attention than my simple little traeger.

3. As for some of the comments I saw in this thread about pellet, I agree, the Traeger pellets suck!  I've been using Bear Mountain pellet, and while I may have to clean out the fire pot a little more often, I get better flavor, and heat out of them.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.  Remember most opinions are worth exactly what they cost - NOTHING!

 

[susieqz]

i have to point out, traegers suck for  long smokes. you have to feed them every 2 hours.

i still have my traeger but never use it. wanna buy  it?

i bot a mes for $120, a maze for $12 n i can get a 12 hour smoke.

i light the maze up before bed, then go to bed. i go look at the smoker after my morning coffee.

i  got the traeger because i thot it would be easy but my set up is a hundred times easier.

i'm glad daveomak made me get the mes.

even easier is the tube, but that only burns 5 hours.

 

[bregent]

>i have to point out, traegers suck for  long smokes. you have to feed them every 2 hours.

Curious about this comment. Why would you have to feed them every 2 hours?

 

[susieqz]

well, if i load the hopper with pellets to  burn, it empties out in about 2 1/2 hours.

the traeger burns pellets for heat.

you are not supposed to let pellets run out.

 

[talan64]

 
well, if i load the hopper with pellets to  burn, it empties out in about 2 1/2 hours.

the traeger burns pellets for heat.

you are not supposed to let pellets run out.

What model of Traeger is that? What brand pellets are you using?  I have the Lil Texas, use Bear Mt pellets, and I've gone 16hrs + with a full hopper.  There is definitely something defective with that smoker. If I use Hickory or Mesquite pellets, it would go longer since they seem to burn a little hotter.  It's too bad yours eats pellets like that.

 

[bregent]

>There is definitely something defective with that smoker. 

Yeah, something doesn't add up. The smallest hopper they make has a 10 lb capacity. At 2.5 hours, that means it's burning 4lbs/hour. I have a hard time believing that's happening. If it was burning 4lbs/hr,  the temperatures would be soaring.

 

[susieqz]

i have the junior elitr. there is no mistake. when i tried an overnite smoke i had to get up every two hours,

yes, it always burns hotter than the set temp.

i  thot this was normal

i'll call treager to see if there's a fix.

thanks so much for alerting me to the possibility that i might get longer run times without filling the hopper.

i ended up buying a mes n maze just so i wouldn't have to constantly feed.

the traeger just sits there, unused.

oh, i have used many brands of pellets, including  awful traeger  pellets.

 

[bregent]

This still is not adding up, even if the grill is malfunctioning.  If you are burning 4lbs per hour, then your grill temperatures would be approaching 500 degrees - your food would burn up in an overnight cook. More fuel = higher temp.  What 'P' setting are you using?

Are you sure you are filling the hopper to the top?

Try this  - fire up the grill and set it to 225. Once it reaches set temp, listen for the auger motor. Is it running constantly or intermittently? Count the number of seconds that it is on, and also how long it is off. This will give us a better idea of what's happening. 

 

[susieqz]

my food doesn't burn up  nor are temps that high. they run about 50-60 degrees hotter than the machine is set, when using it set for 225..

the P is at factory settings.

i'll test it but i already know the auger doesn't run continuously.

i fill the hopper to the top but my hopper is smaller than yours.

as far as i can tell, the machine runs as intended, except for an inability to hold heat, on the 180 setting, it does sometimes hit over 400. same with the smoke setting.

traeger was unhelpful in correcting this.

 

[bregent]

>as far as i can tell, the machine runs as intended,

Well it certainly isn't running as intended it you only get 2.5 hours from a full hopper. As far as I know, that model has a 8lb hopper capacity.  I don't have a Traeger - I have a Camp Chef. But I know plenty of folks that have the Junior Elite that do overnight cooks on it and get 10+ hours on a hopper. It would be understandable if you were getting slightly less, but 4 times less ??

>except for an inability to hold heat, on the 180 setting,

Yeah, most pellet grills have problems with temps this low, and can have flame outs.

 

[talan64]

 
my food doesn't burn up  nor are temps that high. they run about 50-60 degrees hotter than the machine is set, when using it set for 225..

the P is at factory settings.

i'll test it but i already know the auger doesn't run continuously.

i fill the hopper to the top but my hopper is smaller than yours.

as far as i can tell, the machine runs as intended, except for an inability to hold heat, on the 180 setting, it does sometimes hit over 400. same with the smoke setting.

traeger was unhelpful in correcting this.

I think you definitely need to check / adjust the "P" setting.  Also, if your temps are spiking that much, you should check the connection of your temp probe to the control board, a loose connection can cause big temp swings like that.  The temp probe screws into a terminal block, directly on the control board, and those screws can come loose, just don't try to tighten them too much and break the terminal block.

Mine had those temp swings when I had a short in the wiring for the probe, and it would short to the body, and the controller would just keep pumping pellets into the fire pot.

My Traeger has some temp swings but no where near what you are talking about.  When set to 225, I usually swing 215 - 240.  this seems normal for Traegers from all the users I have asked. 

Good luck if you even try to call treager, since they moved out of the country they are useless, but there are a lot of users out there from the early days when Traeger was still a quality smoker, that can help with issues, you just need to ask around.

I plan to replace mine sometime in the "not too distant future", and I plan to spring the money for the Yoder.  I have a work colleague who bought the Mak 2 star (ditched his traeger), and is very happy with it.  

 

[chitownsmoker99]

Thanks for the info as I am researching smokers to buy, this was one brand I was looking at.

One question, why not just return the unit to the store you bought it at? Or did you buy it online?

 

[susieqz]

i got mine directly from trager. they will never replace a unit voluntarily. when i first got mine the auger didn't work. they refused to help, expecting me to do all the fixing on a new unit. so, i called visa n stopped payment. then, they sent a new control box.

now that i know they should work better than mine i may try fixing the P thing, but i don't know how to do that.

i've been doing all my smoking on a MES with a maze. that works great for my  weekly smoke.

much cheaper n a better set up.

 

[ordinary guy]

I bought a junior and then added the digital thermostat to make it an elite.. I kept getting flame outs ... of course I saw the temp go down, so i turned the unit up and then got a huge fire..... Anyway, when I called Traeger they told me to turn up the P setting..... I had no clue...... I did some online checking and here is what I found.....

So For Susieqz......

First there is a little piece of black tape on the temperature control box to the right of the digital readout.... peel that off and use something like a bent paper clip or toothpick and gently push in until you see the P setting number appear on the digital readout..... each time you push it in should go up one number.... I read that the factory setting is P2 .. Mine was set at P8.. remember this was a new temperature control, so it came that way from the factory......

After setting it at P2, it has worked just fine and the pellets are being used at a better rate......

I just ordered some new pellets here from this site and can't wait to try them for better smoke....... I am new to this and only used my pit 4 times but after finding this site a whole world of info has appeared...

Thanks to all here who are willing to help.

and I see I have a bit more ordering to do...LOL