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[okie smokie]

Have been able to get the temp on high up to 500+ quite a few times in the cool and semi cold (40's) until twice in the past week.  I had put a 30# sack of Traeger Competition into the hopper about 6 weeks ago.  Then we had 3-4 weeks of heavy rain, with smoker, covered, and under a dry porch. Then had surgery (rotator cuff) on my right shoulder 3 weeks ago and did not use cooker until 4 days ago, and again last PM. Burgers and salmon.  Hard to get the temp up past 420 for steaks and up to 400 for the salmon.  Fire pot was clean first time and because of the result, I cleaned it before the salmon. Temp outside in the high 30's first time and low 40's the second. The pellets looked fine but decided that they had absorbed all of the recent humidity. So I cleaned them out and will replace them with Lumber Jack Hickory from a fresh bag. Could be wrong but will test and report. Comments?

[hughver]

I'm sure that this is no consolation, but my Traeger Select could never reach 500°, not even after I installed an SS4 controller and ran it on continuous pellet feed. My next move is to install a 2.5 RPM auger motor. 

[Bentley]

My 1st thought was adulterated pellets...

[okie smokie]

I'm sure that this is no consolation, but my Traeger Select could never reach 500°, not even after I installed an SS4 controller and ran it on continuous pellet feed. My next move is to install a 2.5 RPM auger motor. 

This was not a problem for the last 6 months (purchase in June).  Your comment about your Traeger is a very common one, as I too had the same with my Traeger Lil Tex. I suspect it is the pellets. Will know soon. 

[Canadian John]

 Awaiting your results.  In the meantime I would suspect either damp pellets requiring BTU's to evaporate the moisture and/or the cold conducting heat from the outer pit surface, and the cooler combustion

air.  Do I win a prize?   

[Bar-B-Lew]

Have you ever been able to get to 500° with those same type pellets before?  If not, it could be the brand of pellets.

[okie smokie]

Have you ever been able to get to 500° with those same type pellets before?  If not, it could be the brand of pellets.

Used them often before with no problem.  I suspect that they were "humidified" by the monsoon rains we had last month. Haven't had a chance to try with fresh (different brand) pellets yet.  Plan to do so tomorrow if I get to it. There is one other possibility as to the problem, but I won't discuss it here until I check it out. So stay tuned.   

[okie smokie]

Temp today 43* and windy, sunny.  Pellets, new bag of LumberJack Hickory Blend (60% red oak, 40% hickory). Wind around 10-15mph.  Set the temp for 500*. Took about an 40 minutes at the current settings to get to 431*.  Held that temp until I went into the settings mode and returned the Auger feed to #65 which is the default. I had previously set it to #40 on advice from RT tech service-they had said that since I lived in a hotter climate, that I would have trouble keeping the temp in low smoke setting and thus needed a lower feed rate.  Although this setting is to reduce the auger speed to maintain lower temp settings I suspected that the setting probably reduces the auger speed in general. Anyhow, the temp immediately began to climb and topped of at 478* in another 10 minutes.  My infrared sensor gave me a temp on the GrillGrates at 524* when the smoker control read 478* I was very happy with the result. I can easily sear at 524*. My conclusion was that both the fresh pellets and the adjustment of the auger speed did the trick. I think that the high temp was really good for an uninsulated pit on a cold windy day. There is also a "high" setting that I did not use. Will see how much higher that will take it (next time).Plan to leave auger set at the default year round, since I never do Low Smoke. 225* is my usual low setting.  I can easily change the setting in summer if I ever need to. 
 

[okie smokie]

Temp today 43* and windy, sunny.  Pellets, new bag of LumberJack Hickory Blend (60% red oak, 40% hickory). Wind around 10-15mph.  Set the temp for 500*. Took about an 40 minutes at the current settings to get to 431*.  Held that temp until I went into the settings mode and returned the Auger feed to #65 which is the default. I had previously set it to #40 on advice from RT tech service-they had said that since I lived in a hotter climate, that I would have trouble keeping the temp in low smoke setting and thus needed a lower feed rate.  Although this setting is to reduce the auger speed to maintain lower temp settings I suspected that the setting probably reduces the auger speed in general. Anyhow, the temp immediately began to climb and topped of at 478* in another 10 minutes.  My infrared sensor gave me a temp on the GrillGrates at 524* when the smoker control read 478* I was very happy with the result. I can easily sear at 524*. My conclusion was that both the fresh pellets and the adjustment of the auger speed did the trick. I think that the high temp was really good for an uninsulated pit on a cold windy day. There is also a "high" setting that I did not use. Will see how much higher that will take it (next time).Plan to leave auger set at the default year round, since I never do Low Smoke. 225* is my usual low setting.  I can easily change the setting in summer if I ever need to. 

I have since decided to add an overcoat to my 590.  Please see the current thread on this subject.