Smokefire Auger - Rev F

[Bruno]

Is the auger firmly attached to the rod?

Huh?

 

[Zhatt]

Huh?

Is the blade loose on the shaft? I was wondering if it could somehow be loose

 

[Smysmy2]

I am now on my third REV F auger motor. My smokefire works again. I don't believe that it is sawdust or the version letter. The majority of people don't have problems. If you believe the self reporting on the Facebook groups it seems like ~20 to 25% of grills cannot reach 600 even though they worked initially. I believe that they have a problem with the reliability of the performance of the auger motor. The motor does not fail, it just cannot push the pellets at the rate needed to get to high temperatures. Other things may also influence the motor performance, at least in my case. My second Auger/motor/chute replacement did not have a properly mounted gasket between the auger tube and the chute. I noticed that the pellets were uncomfortably hot when I used my hand to mix the pellets near the auger to ensure there was not a cavitation void. I would estimate that it got to about 150 degrees F. I also saw hot embers at the bottom of the auger after shutdown when I was trying to see if sawdust was an issue and was feeding the pellets a handful at a time. This was very disconcerting (see picture). The 04008 firmware update did nothing to help my problem or many other people's problem. My third REV F Auger/motor installation was done by removing the entire hopper and ensuring that the gasket was properly attached. Now The smokefire works like a champ, at least for now. The pellets near the auger are no longer hot at all. These data suggest that the problem is either a manufacturing reliability issue, a design issue with the motors that are gradually being addressed since none of us really know what the letters or numbers mean. The number after the REV F have been increasing for me. Or, it is a heat flow issue where the gasket needs to be in place. I am hoping that the third one is the charm. At least Weber is working with us to solve the problem, even if they can be very slow to act. If you have this problem, please keep engaging Weber. I think that they genuinely want to help us all solve our problems.

 

[Smysmy2]

I just saw that Harry Soo posted a new video where he shows a Welded Hopper/Auger tube assembly that Weber sent him. This complexly eliminates the gasket that I just talked about. Here is the link:

I hope they send all of us who are having problems this new assembly.

 

[Bruno]

Well I sure as hell am sending an email, why does harry get the latest rev and I can’t.

 

[Smysmy2]

Weber had sent me an email yesterday saying that they were sending me one but I did not really understand what it was. Now I understand. Here is what they sent me:

Sophie M (Weber-Stephen Products LLC) Mar 28, 12:34 CDT Hi Steve, We'd like to send you a new welded chute and I'll place an order shortly. That part should resolve your issue. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you. Sophie M Weber Consumer Care Team Weber-Stephen Products LLC

 

[abmet]

I sent them email last night asking about the welded auger assembly they sent to Harry. I got an email this morning saying they would ship me one and already got the order confirmation too.

 

[Gecko]

Fantastic. Will check if they do this over here in Germany as well.

 

[bbq4ever]

Can somebody enlight me, what problem does the welded auger solve?

 

[Smysmy2]

It eliminates the need for a gasket that can fail. It keeps heat and dust away from the motor and other components.

 

[Lee]

They just sent me the F auger it was one piece. Do I still need the other part. I got I last Thursday

 

[abmet]

Check to see if is welded or has a gasket where the hopper and auger tube connect.
Here is a photo I captured from Harry Soo’s video about it that I linked as well.
Video

 

[JYD-BBQ]

Does anyone know if Weber intends to send out these new parts to everyone or just the folks that are having issues ?

 

[Mojo RyZen]

I did not have a problem getting to 600. I experienced three low and slow cooks where my SmokeFire was set to 225 degrees F and slowly sunk to 95 and then 74 degrees F. I've been using drip pans and I installed the new hopper insert. Then, on Thursday, March 12th, I set the grill temperature to 350 and went inside to prepare food. When I came outside, the grill had shut down and displayed an E6 error. This happened on a clean grill with empty aluminum drip pans placed below the flavor bars. I emailed weber photos of the E6 error display, the open grill, and one showing a pile of unlit pellets above the fire pit. They asked for "a clear photo of the auger gasket," which required an empty hopper. I sent the attached three photos which apparently convinced Weber to send me a new auger assembly. I don't see what convinced them. Can anyone identify what my photos revealed (if anything)?

 

[Mojo RyZen]

Weber states the combination of the new auger *and* the latest firmware update will cure my problem.
Here's a direct quote from Weber's email to me:

... happy to share that our first major software upgrade for the SmokeFire grill did occur a few days ago. To update the Firmware, please follow these steps:

· Plug in your SmokeFire.
· Push the SmokeFire power button ON.
· Confirm that you have the latest version, and have updated, the Weber Connect app on your phone. The current version for iOS: 0.9.5 Android: 0.9.4
· Pair your SmokeFire to the Weber Connect app via Bluetooth. Updates will not occur if connected via WiFi.
· Ensure that your smartphone is within Bluetooth range for approximately 15 minutes as the update takes place. We suggest leaving your smartphone on the side table for maximum range.
· It is important to note that during the update, you will not see any prompts or visual cues in the app or on your grill screen. The update will occur in the background. Keep the app open during this process.
· After 15 minutes, shut down your grill by navigating to Grill Settings (on the control screen) and enter shutdown mode. Once shut down is complete, the grill will display that it’s safe to turn off your grill. At this time, flip the grill switch off. Once the grill has completely shut down, power SmokeFire back on again for the update to sync to the grill controller.
· Once the grill is powered back on, wait one minute, and then navigate to the grill’s About screen.
· Check that the Firmware Version is now 04008. It will take up to a minute for the controller version to be reflected.

That update will help prevent the E6 error code and offers the following enhancements:

· Twin Fire Ignition – To help guarantee a seamless startup, our new Twin Fire Ignition technology will automatically reboot ignition if the flame isn’t detected during preheat.
· Reignition Mode – Reignition Mode keeps your grill hot, in the rare event of a flame-out or temperature drop. As long as your pellets are flowing, and the lid is closed, the flame will automatically reignite to get the grill back to its set temperature