Smokefire Auger - Rev F

[abmet]

I swapped mine out. I had some odd temp fluctuations around the time the started sending out the welded chutes. Ultimately I think was probably firmware related but very had zero issues since replacing it. It’s not too hard to do but I did have to remove the hopper to do it. I completely get the don’t mess with it if working fine though. One thing I remember reading at the time was people thought the two piece was allowing smoke to impact the motor but I don’t know if that was the case or not. I went with the thought of there must be something wrong with the two piece ones for them to make the change and ship them out so I went ahead and installed it hoping would prevent whatever issue the new design was for.

 

[Bruno]

I swapped mine out. I had some odd temp fluctuations around the time the started sending out the welded chutes. Ultimately I think was probably firmware related but very had zero issues since replacing it. It’s not too hard to do but I did have to remove the hopper to do it. I completely get the don’t mess with it if working fine though. One thing I remember reading at the time was people thought the two piece was allowing smoke to impact the motor but I don’t know if that was the case or not. I went with the thought of there must be something wrong with the two piece ones for them to make the change and ship them out so I went ahead and installed it hoping would prevent whatever issue the new design was for.

Good call, they did make em for a reason!! I may revisit this next weekend and just do it.

 

[Dassman5]

Please do wish I was more help, I know I’m having zero issues so it’s tough to make a call.

Same here...hence the conundrum.

 

[Dassman5]

I swapped mine out. I had some odd temp fluctuations around the time the started sending out the welded chutes. Ultimately I think was probably firmware related but very had zero issues since replacing it. It’s not too hard to do but I did have to remove the hopper to do it. I completely get the don’t mess with it if working fine though. One thing I remember reading at the time was people thought the two piece was allowing smoke to impact the motor but I don’t know if that was the case or not. I went with the thought of there must be something wrong with the two piece ones for them to make the change and ship them out so I went ahead and installed it hoping would prevent whatever issue the new design was for.

Thanks Abmet, I will swap it out this week and keep the old one as a spare.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Thanks Abmet, I will swap it out this week and keep the old one as a spare.

I think that’s the right call. The new one is better and it takes about a half hour to do.

 

[Dassman5]

I think that’s the right call. The new one is better and it takes about a half hour to do.

Just have to wait for the thunderstorms to pass...

 

[wjg]

they sent me a new chute, auger, and motor assembly. When I removed the old one, it was the same as the one they just sent. I put the new one in and 4 hours later it failed. Dropped my temperature from 250 to 160. Now, since it was cool to the touch, I removed the flavor bars and heat distributor and saw the auger spinning but the burn pot was empty. Ugh. Now they're sending another assy.

 

[JpsBBQ]

they sent me a new chute, auger, and motor assembly. When I removed the old one, it was the same as the one they just sent. I put the new one in and 4 hours later it failed. Dropped my temperature from 250 to 160. Now, since it was cool to the touch, I removed the flavor bars and heat distributor and saw the auger spinning but the burn pot was empty. Ugh. Now they're sending another assy.

Is your wire guard in place or did you remove that? You must have had the pellets “bridge” above the auger opening. That can happen but it’s far more likely to happen with the wire guard helping it happen by creating three bridging anchor points. Just curious.

 

[Dassman5]

they sent me a new chute, auger, and motor assembly. When I removed the old one, it was the same as the one they just sent. I put the new one in and 4 hours later it failed. Dropped my temperature from 250 to 160. Now, since it was cool to the touch, I removed the flavor bars and heat distributor and saw the auger spinning but the burn pot was empty. Ugh. Now they're sending another assy.

It sounds like a pellet bridging problem. I have never experienced this problem, but I removed the safety finger guard shortly after purchase on the advice of others.

 

[AHoneyman]

they sent me a new chute, auger, and motor assembly. When I removed the old one, it was the same as the one they just sent. I put the new one in and 4 hours later it failed. Dropped my temperature from 250 to 160. Now, since it was cool to the touch, I removed the flavor bars and heat distributor and saw the auger spinning but the burn pot was empty. Ugh. Now they're sending another assy.

Are you using one of the larger diameter pellets? They seem to be more problematic.

 

[abmet]

Was it a black one piece chute or silver two piece with a gasket?

 

[wjg]

Are you using one of the larger diameter pellets? They seem to be more problematic.

All Weber. I’ve since removed the finger guard and tossed the Weber “mix” pellets.

 

[wjg]

It sounds like a pellet bridging problem. I have never experienced this problem, but I removed the safety finger guard shortly after purchase on the advice of others.

Did that the other night. So far so good. Thanks

 

[wjg]

Is your wire guard in place or did you remove that? You must have had the pellets “bridge” above the auger opening. That can happen but it’s far more likely to happen with the wire guard helping it happen by creating three bridging anchor points. Just curious.

I have since removed the finger guard. So far so good.

 

[wjg]

I have since removed the finger guard. So far so good.