Running too cool or Flame out

This article includes instruction regarding what to do if a grill is running too cool, or the flame is out.

Even though the controller blinks 450°F (232°C) when turning the controller to high, high is a range of 425 - 450°F (218 - 232°C). The Controller goes up in an incremental pattern of 25°F (15°C). There is no need to troubleshoot if your grill performs within these ranges.

If you have a connected grill, ensure your grill is on the latest firmware.

• Visit www.Traegergrills.com/status to find the latest versions.

An incorrect start-up can cause the flame to go out even hours into a cook.

• Visit www.traegergrills.com/support/grill-start-up-guide to find your proper start-up

The grill needs to be allowed to run its whole shutdown cycle and then it can be powered off. An excess amount of ash can be blocking the hot rod from igniting the pellets or blocking airflow.

Ensure there is at least 1 inch of clearance on all sides. Cooking with a large pan can prevent proper airflow causing the grill to run cooler or have some drastic temperature swings.

• Pellets should be stored in a dry, airtight container to prevent moisture and humidity from compromising pellet quality.
• Traeger recommends using a bucket and lid for storage.
• Pellets may be compromised if they are light in color, dull, dusty, break easily, or the bag has lots of sawdust in it.

Having a dirty grill can affect the temperature of the grill in multiple different ways.

• Clean the firepot and ensure it is undamaged.
• Check RTD/Thermocouple.
  • Ensure the orange protective cover was removed from the thermocouple before use. If it was not removed before use, please contact Customer Service.
  • Ensure the customer’s RTD probe or thermocouple is reading ambient temp with +/- 10°F by comparing the outside temperature to the internal temperatures of a cooled down the grill.

Sometimes it is too cold outside, which makes it difficult for the grill to reach temperature. In this scenario, use an insulation blanket.

• This is not necessary on the Timberline and other insulated grills.

The lid should sit flush against the barrel. A small gap is ok as long as it is less than a quarter of an inch (0.65 cm)

• If you are using a Drip tray liner, ensure you are using the correct drip tray liner.
  • Ironwood liners have an indentation on one side
  • Pro liners are smooth along both sides with no indents.
• If you are using foil, ensure it is flush to the drip tray liner and not sticking out, as this may restrict airflow.

• You should be able to hear it when starting the grill. If you can’t, or it sounds weak, try to manually spin the fan. This can help break up any dirt or grime build-up. If the fan continues to run weak, please contact Customer Service.
• Make sure the Auger is spinning and feeding pellets properly. If you don’t see the auger turning, follow these steps in this order.
  • Please note that the auger does cycle on and off.

1. Disconnect the RED wire's Molex connector from the RED and white Molex connector.
2. Reconnect the RED wire's Molex connector with the other RED and white Molex connector.
3. Turn the grill on and check if the auger motor is now working (check if the fan on the back is spinning). If not proceed to the next step.
4. Disconnect the RED wire's Molex connector and the ORANGE wire's Molex connector.
5. Reconnect the wires by using the other component's Molex connector (see diagram).
6. Plug the grill in and turn it on.
   1. If the induction fan turns on – the controller is fine, and the auger motor is bad.
   2. If the auger motor turns on and the induction fan does not – the controller is bad, and the components are fine.
   3. If neither component is turning on – the controller and the auger motor need to be replaced.
7. Plug the components back into their corresponding wires until you are ready to replace the defective part.