Keeps Going Into Shutdown Mode During A Cook (But With No Indication On The Display Or App It Has)

[whoareya]

3 out of the 4 last cooks, it has gone into shutdown mode during the cook with no indication on the display that it has, just my recognition of the fan noises of when shutdown mode is occurring. The temperature displayed remains at the temperature you set it, so you'd normally assume it is working, but clearly from the fan noise I know what is happening. The only way to confirm it visually is to power it off and back on and then the screen tells you shutdown mode has been detected and leave it for 15 minutes to finish.

Last night was the worst it has happened, was doing something that should take close to 3 hours to cook normally and took closer to 5 hours (family around all waiting patiently, a bit embarrassing) It shut itself down 3 times during the one cook. Have no idea why this has become a reoccurring problem, software, firmware, sensors? But it's getting really annoying now.

I did manage to save the meal yesterday, but making people wait an extra 2 hours for food when everybody is hungry isn't ideal. The day before I was doing Burgers, and mushroom & onions at 600F on a plancha when it decided to shutdown halfway through the cook, but with 20 minutes of shutdown and 20 minutes start up halfway through the cook, that food was all wasted and no spares so had to sort something else out for 6 people at very short notice. I could have finished it indoors, but trying to solve it mode kicked in & it was too late to retrieve the situation once I'd realised it was all too late to do so

 

[Chris Z]

As others will no doubt suggest... this sounds like the PID losing it's mind. Did you a do a complete reset? Perhaps something got a bit scrambled at some point.

 

[AHoneyman]

And it really does not like it when you flip the switch. It is better to use the shut off process. I am interested in your recognition of the shutoff process. My SF normally changes fan speed during runs as the temp varies.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Mine shut down one time a couple months ago I think. I’m 99% sure I didn’t initiate the shut down. Ironically it was in between a morning cook and afternoon cook and was relatively a non issue. That said if it was mid cook it’s an issue. Also I have not had issue before or after that one time.

 

[whoareya]

And it really does not like it when you flip the switch. It is better to use the shut off process. I am interested in your recognition of the shutoff process. My SF normally changes fan speed during runs as the temp varies.

Only switched it off once from the power, but needed to do it as it is the only way to see that shutdown message. Because although it is shutting down it is the only way to see that message, as the display will just still show the Temperature you have set and what it was running at before it started shutting itself down iyswim

I've queried it with customer service and hopefully get a reply/resolution in the next week or so. Found this and the only reason I can see it shutting itself off is this link But I've had it shutdown at 350 + 400F now (according to the screen display) which are nowhere near the 700F it describes in the article (unless the screen is lying) for it to be triggered and it got a complete cleanout after the previous burger cook the day before & had another look this morning after reading this and the ashpot was still clean & I was using Weber Pellets

When I shut it down the fans increase and decrease with intensity and is a very noticeable and recognisable noise for a 15-20 minute period on my EX4, when it is running when cooking and reached temp the fans only kick in for short bursts infrequently over the period of the cook.

The one time I missed it happening, the grates were cold, no pellets dropping and the display was still showing 350F. Switched off at the power and I had to set the temp to 350F again to get it all started (as you would with a fresh startup), but no shutdown message like the first time it happened, so it seems to have fully shutdown that time and the display was showing a start point of 135F, so it had shut itself off at least 20 minutes earlier than I noticed it as that is the sort of temp you would expect soon after a shutdown.

 

[AHoneyman]

I believe what you are describing is when the controller looses the temp set point. It displays the current temp and in many cases three dashes where the set point should me. The loss of the set point causes the unit to slowly lose temp prior to shut down. Several of us have had this issue. If you catch this in time before it gets too cold, simply push the control knob and enter a new set point. If you catch it soon enough, it will take off again. If you do not catch it soon enough, it will crash. One of the software updates fixed this for most people.

 

[Mr. X]

do you also have a second probe just measuring air temp? I put one in my smoke fire and it tells a lot of information that helps troubleshoot if something like this is happening.

 

[AHoneyman]

I know you are asking Whoareya but I personally never turn it on without an air probe.

 

[abmet]

I believe what you are describing is when the controller looses the temp set point. It displays the current temp and in many cases three dashes where the set point should me. The loss of the set point causes the unit to slowly lose temp prior to shut down. Several of us have had this issue. If you catch this in time before it gets too cold, simply push the control knob and enter a new set point. If you catch it soon enough, it will take off again. If you do not catch it soon enough, it will crash. One of the software updates fixed this for most people.

It does sound like that issue. I had that a couple of times but not since they fixed it in firmware/software update.

 

[whoareya]

It does sound like that issue. I had that a couple of times but not since they fixed it in firmware/software update

I believe what you are describing is when the controller looses the temp set point. It displays the current temp and in many cases three dashes where the set point should me. The loss of the set point causes the unit to slowly lose temp prior to shut down. Several of us have had this issue. If you catch this in time before it gets too cold, simply push the control knob and enter a new set point. If you catch it soon enough, it will take off again. If you do not catch it soon enough, it will crash. One of the software updates fixed this for most people.

I thought that but this is slightly different in that the controller does freeze and you're unable to change the temp/set point. It goes into proper shutdown mode without the screen showing it.

Doing a whole duck tomorrow, not going to risk the Smokefire though, not risking it cutting out, going to do it on the Pit Barrel Co instead.

 

[whoareya]

do you also have a second probe just measuring air temp? I put one in my smoke fire and it tells a lot of information that helps troubleshoot if something like this is happening.

I bought an ambient probe for it about 6 weeks ago, keep meaning to use it on a cook but keep forgetting, will leave it out next time I use it...

 

[Goneincognito]

If you are going to run a second probe, just make sure that you understand how a PID works and know that you will see more fluctuations on this probe due to that.

 

[AHoneyman]

If you are going to run a second probe, just make sure that you understand how a PID works and know that you will see more fluctuations on this probe due to that.

This is a very important point. Many people think that the temp will be rock solid on the set point. I have been told by Weber CS that plus or minus 50 degrees is reasonable. I think that is a little too big of a variation. But does bbq really require a tight set point? My SF usually runs about 15-20 degrees below set point.

Tonight's run illistrates the usefulness (necessity) of an air probe. I started at 325 and could not get over 270 even when it says it is at set point. So I turned it up to 350 and it slowly climbed to 325. And then as I was finishing, it shot up to at least 425 before I turned it off. Burnt my bacon. Without an air probe, I would know nothing about this.

 

[rwhapham]

Speaking of ambient probes, I just had a get a new Weber one because I'm pretty sure a recent flare up hit temps that did the wiring on my old one in. I'm thinking of drilling a hole in the back to keep the wiring outside of the cook chamber. Does anyone know if having some of the back of the probe outside will throw its readings off?

 

[abmet]

Speaking of ambient probes, I just had a get a new Weber one because I'm pretty sure a recent flare up hit temps that did the wiring on my old one in. I'm thinking of drilling a hole in the back to keep the wiring outside of the cook chamber. Does anyone know if having some of the back of the probe outside will throw its readings off?

The thermocouple should be in the tip.