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[smokinbandit101]

What kind of airflow issues should I be looking for I know exhaust is not blocked. I can check the fan with an ohm meter I suppose?

Thanks for the help. I talked to camp chef they think its either the probe or the controller, but they want to send a bag of pellets out to see if it wasn't an old bag of pellets first.

I gave it my best diagnostic shot...

A few things you can do to check. First, if the displayed temp on the grill is close to the temp on the Fireboard, then it's likely that neither the probe or the temp measurement part of the controller is bad. Next, the grill uses a very simple algorithm to control temp. If the grill temp is below setpoint, then the controller sets the duty cycle so that the auger is on for a longer period compared to when the grill is above setpoint. I don't recall the exact duty cycle timings ( I had posted them on PH) but maybe someone with a CampChef can measure for you. If the duty cycle for both above and below setpoint is the same as yours, then there is most likely nothing wrong with the RTD or controller and I would start looking at airflow issues.

[bregent]

What kind of airflow issues should I be looking for I know exhaust is not blocked. I can check the fan with an ohm meter I suppose?

Thanks for the help. I talked to camp chef they think its either the probe or the controller, but they want to send a bag of pellets out to see if it wasn't an old bag of pellets first.

I gave it my best diagnostic shot...

A few things you can do to check. First, if the displayed temp on the grill is close to the temp on the Fireboard, then it's likely that neither the probe or the temp measurement part of the controller is bad. Next, the grill uses a very simple algorithm to control temp. If the grill temp is below setpoint, then the controller sets the duty cycle so that the auger is on for a longer period compared to when the grill is above setpoint. I don't recall the exact duty cycle timings ( I had posted them on PH) but maybe someone with a CampChef can measure for you. If the duty cycle for both above and below setpoint is the same as yours, then there is most likely nothing wrong with the RTD or controller and I would start looking at airflow issues.

I never figured it out, but there was some speculation from other owners that it might be a weak fan, or a leak somewhere in the air channel. Another poster said their problem started after they added a gasket around the door, which is something I had also done. Did you put a gasket around your lid?

[smokinbandit101]

yes I did add a gasket around the lid day one.

[Bentley]

Ta da....

[bregent]

yes I did add a gasket around the lid day one.

The problem being related to the gasket seemed far fetched to me, but he said once he removed it the grill functioned normally. I had already returned my grill by that time so didn't have a chance to try it. I looked for that post in the wayback archive but couldn't find it but maybe some other CampChef owners will remember who it was that posted it.
Why not try propping the lid open a hair with something and see if that changes anything?

[smokinbandit101]

Will do I'll update with results.   

I'm guessing the theory is  Not enough heat escape > less pellets are being put into the pot> so fire goes down> heat goes down rapidly> dumps more pellets to compensate too fast > temps spike and repeat cycle.

I didn't have  any problems in the summer running low and slow so maybe the lower outside temps are making the problem more pronounced because of the rapid cool down of the unit.

Anyway I'll stick something in the door and see if that helps tonight.

[Rolngthun]

 This is my opinion on what happens with the gasket. At settings below 300. Not enough heat escapes. The temp goes well over set point. And the controller does all it can to reduce the temp. By the time the temp drops down to set point, the fire is about out. So it drops well below set point. At which point the controller keeps sending a lot of pellets trying to recover the temp. Now it has lots of pellets and spikes even higher over the set point, and takes even longer to come back down. If it takes too long to come back down to set point, the fire is out.
 The Smokedaddy controller does seem to handle this situation better. I suspect because it also controls the fan speed. It appears to still feed some pellets in but pulses the fan slowly while reducing the temp. But this reduces the cycling that produces the smoke.
 A simple way to check if this is your problem, is to shim the door open a touch. I use my smoke tube between the front shelf and the handle on the lid. All you need is the thickness of one or two coins. Easy and does not cost a thing to try.

[Bentley]

Ya don't need to seal your pits, I can assure you there is plenty of smoke in there!

[smokinbandit101]

Much better thanks guys. I did not think that the gasket would be causing that, but it makes sense now.  The big spike was from loading dinner on the grill and had the door open a little longer then I would have liked.