Temp drop detected

[bbqking]

Good grief, I just want good bbq! Lol that being said, when I got the temp drop message, my ap and the SmokeFire both said 350 which is where I had it set, I whatched it for a bit. All was good, went back inside, 10 minutes later I checked my temp was at 505. Shut down, restarted, set t

 

[Captainmike]

I’ve gone from 600 to smokeboost to test previously and it works fine. Also I have dropped to temps in the 200 range from 600 on quite a few occasions Just need to trust it.

Part of the PiD control programming is setting “ramp up” and “ramp down” rate/time/accel-decel/curve, etc, just insert vernacular according to the application.

It seems to have a threshold it will not cross when dropping from high temps to temps below 300 and low fan. It seems the engineers figured out that temp range is a less efficient burn - and at that it’s a delicate balance between keeping enough flow to maintain a low/smoldering fire at a minimum at the same time not self extinguishing the fire through excess pellet flow. So the smoke fire continues to drop pellets at a semi-aggressive rate at first to keep the fire strong but able to slowly back down the feed rate and decrease temp in result. This results in long cool down times.

The ramp up is a much more aggressive curve especially when you set to over 300 and the higher speed fan kicks on. Just like with any fire adding fuel/oxygen at high rates guarantees quick ignition.

I have found that you can change the temps drastically, but best to change and let it arrive at that setting with added time for it stabilize is the best approach. Constantly adjusting throws off the PiD‘s intended result. I think it’s especially sensitive since this set up is a closed loop but sort of an open delay in feedback (temp changes - pellets need time to ignite and achieve full burn and likewise smolder down).

 

[Dassman5]

I’ve gone from 600 to smokeboost to test previously and it works fine. Also I have dropped to temps in the 200 range from 600 on quite a few occasions Just need to trust it.

Part of the PiD control programming is setting “ramp up” and “ramp down” rate/time/accel-decel/curve, etc, just insert vernacular according to the application.

It seems to have a threshold it will not cross when dropping from high temps to temps below 300 and low fan. It seems the engineers figured out that temp range is a less efficient burn - and at that it’s a delicate balance between keeping enough flow to maintain a low/smoldering fire at a minimum at the same time not self extinguishing the fire through excess pellet flow. So the smoke fire continues to drop pellets at a semi-aggressive rate at first to keep the fire strong but able to slowly back down the feed rate and decrease temp in result. This results in long cool down times.

The ramp up is a much more aggressive curve especially when you set to over 300 and the higher speed fan kicks on. Just like with any fire adding fuel/oxygen at high rates guarantees quick ignition.

I have found that you can change the temps drastically, but best to change and let it arrive at that setting with added time for it stabilize is the best approach. Constantly adjusting throws off the PiD‘s intended result. I think it’s especially sensitive since this set up is a closed loop but sort of an open delay in feedback (temp changes - pellets need time to ignite and achieve full burn and likewise smolder down).

Well said!

This “work in progress” will take some time for the Weber programming engineers to work out the majority of the bugs (part of the problem being dealing with a solid which introduces its own offset to “action-reaction time” when compared with liquid fuels) but I am confident they will get there.

By the way, this issue is not unique to the SF. A quick web search will find for flame-out issues with Traeger and RecTec as well.

What is going to be difficult to ultimately resolve, however, after reading comments and complaints on other websites and with other manufacturers, is which events are due to the PID programming logic, and which are the result of operator error or simply impatience.

 

[OILBOY1162]

So how does everyone clean the built in ambient probe? Curious.

 

[Johnny Guitar]

I spoke to a Weber engineer about the Temp warning.

When you get this warning it has something to do with the pellets getting jammed and no pellets are being fed to the firebox via the auger. That is why we got one of those plastic spatulas to push down the pellets. Since having the convo and watching the pellets and making sure there is no "pellet void" I haven't seen that warning

 

[Dassman5]

So how does everyone clean the built in ambient probe? Curious.

I normally just use an alcohol wipe or denatured alcohol on a paper towel. If there are large pieces of junk on it, I have used a plastic scraper to gently remove it after letting the alcohol soak in.

 

[Differentdrummer]

Snap, it just shot up to over 500?! Opened lid and it dropped to 380. Shut the kids and it start climbing again? Also looks like smoke coming up from pellet Shute...

The charcoal pellets are known to leave a lot of solid ash in the burn pot. If your burnt pot wasn’t clean prior to the cook and you’re not getting good airflow that will cause what you’re seeing it will just continue to try to feed pellets to make up for the temperature

 

[Johnny Guitar]

Just got a message on my ap, and the screen on my EX6. “Temp drop detected. Close lid, or check pellets,” the lid is closed and the pellets are just fine....? The temp is staying at 350 where I set it....strange. Only thing is I’m using Weber pellets in this cook. They had the charcoal flavored under them, so they are probably just now starting to feed through. Maybe that’s why?’

I have had this problem.....I spoke with the VP of Quality about this. Usually this caused by pellet void. Down below where the Auger picks up the pellets a void can occur thus not feeding the auger. That is why they ship that plastic spatula. He said every once in awhile, push the spatula down and stir the pellets. Since then I haven‘t had that problem.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Once I removed the wire guard and installed the new welded chute that eliminates the offset in the pellet delivery, this issue went away for me. As with any pellet grill you have to pay attention to the pellet hopper a little bit, but on a low and slow it should take hours and hours for a funnel like sink hole to develop. Happens much faster at high temps due to faster pellet feeding. BTW, the pellet bridging is not unique to the SF, it’s pretty much a common circumstance in pellet grills.