Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MikeMcQ]

  Went to turn on to smoke some salmon for dinner and no response. Unplugged power, plugged back in and short initial flash, could see 3 lines of code and dark again. Tried multiple times. Left unplugged over night still nogo. Bios just won't initialize, dead controller.

Ok call Memphis support, did not expect to solve the problem and get her running, was not disappointed as expected    remained dead. Ordered replacement contoller $632. Was told in stock and should ship next day.

Next day came and went with no cc charge no email notification of shipping or anything. Called support back and was told shipping was backed up probably go tomorrow. Again tomorrow came with no shipping email and no cc charge.

Called again this afternoon and was told shipping 3 days behind. Nice, $5k smoker grill and can't ship a replacement controller in a timely manner, being paid for no less not a warranty replacement since 7 months out of warranty! Again was told might ship later this afternoon but no holding my breath. 

16lb porkbutt 14 hours into cook on my (6 years older) MAK 2 Star....

[02ebz06]

WOW, that's pricy for the controller.
Is it a Chinese made Pro?
When I purchased the Chinese made Elite. It was DOA.

I had a Pro and an Elite (USA made) with no problems.

[MikeMcQ]

WOW, that's pricy for the controller.
Is it a Chinese made Pro?
When I purchased the Chinese made Elite. It was DOA.

I had a Pro and an Elite (USA made) with no problems.

No my Pro is pre outsourcing to China vintage. Agree pricey but only other option is to dump the whole thing!

[okie smokie]

Let us know how the repair and results go. Sorry for your problem.

[MikeMcQ]

Let us know how the repair and results go. Sorry for your problem.

Will do. I'd be very irate indeed Memphis still not shipping an in-stock replacement controller in 3 business days, if not for the fact of having a perfectly working decade old MAK 2*. If someone were to ask me which I'd recommend between a MAK or a Memphis take a guess which it would be.

[okie smokie]

Let us know how the repair and results go. Sorry for your problem.

Will do. I'd be very irate indeed Memphis still not shipping an in-stock replacement controller in 3 business days, if not for the fact of having a perfectly working decade old MAK 2*. If someone were to ask me which I'd recommend between a MAK or a Memphis take a guess which it would be.

My experience with the Beale Street is well documented here. But I thought the pre-China grills had a superior record. A little clue might be that it is almost impossible to find a large number of reviews (of any kind) on their products, in particular favorable. Structurally, except for the BS they are a quality build and the pre-China owners on this site seem very happy with theirs. I thought the service guys were very nice on the few occasions we talked but performance was slo-mo, and satisfaction was absent for me.There was one other observation on my unit, and that was it produced a massive amount of soot on the entire interior, with all three controls that were tried. Hope the new control settles your problem.

[pmillen]

There was one other observation on my unit, and that was it produced a massive amount of soot on the entire interior, with all three controls that were tried.

"Soot" and not ash?

[Osborn Cox]

Let us know how the repair and results go. Sorry for your problem.

Will do. I'd be very irate indeed Memphis still not shipping an in-stock replacement controller in 3 business days, if not for the fact of having a perfectly working decade old MAK 2*. If someone were to ask me which I'd recommend between a MAK or a Memphis take a guess which it would be.

My experience with the Beale Street is well documented here. But I thought the pre-China grills had a superior record. A little clue might be that it is almost impossible to find a large number of reviews (of any kind) on their products, in particular favorable. Structurally, except for the BS they are a quality build and the pre-China owners on this site seem very happy with theirs. I thought the service guys were very nice on the few occasions we talked but performance was slo-mo, and satisfaction was absent for me.There was one other observation on my unit, and that was it produced a massive amount of soot on the entire interior, with all three controls that were tried. Hope the new control settles your problem.

A friend of mine has 5 pellet grills, (3 Traegers, pit boss, and req tec).   The pit boss always leaves a film of soot on food, have tried new controller (smoke daddy) new fire pot, new fan, different pellets, nothing has fixed it.   We can’t figure it out.

[okie smokie]

Yes soot. I suspected the design of the fire pot/fan may have something to do with it on BS or the control algorithms? But really don't know. I know that my RT's have never had this problem. I know that some soot will gather is some areas on any grill, but this was obvious after the first or second cooks most obvious on the grates. Wonder if any other Memphis owners have noted this? I notice the new fire pot design on the premium Memphis models have been change. ? Well I no longer have a horse in this race, so will quit here. 

[02ebz06]

My Elite would get soot on the inside of the hood.
It would start to flake every now and then, so I would just vacuum it so it wouldn't get on food.

[BigDave83]

A friend of mine has 5 pellet grills, (3 Traegers, pit boss, and req tec).   The pit boss always leaves a film of soot on food, have tried new controller (smoke daddy) new fire pot, new fan, different pellets, nothing has fixed it.   We can’t figure it out.

I would look for a new fan or an obstruction in the air flow, be it in the chamber under the burn pot maybe a dirty stack if it has one.

[MikeMcQ]

The saga continues. Customers service incompetent, lazy or plain and simply liars. Recap last Wednesday morning ordered a replacement controller and was told in stock likely to ship next day. Nada Thursday called back Friday and was told shipping was backlogged. Nada Friday afternoon or Monday. No cc charge and no notification of shipping. Called today and was told he personally "processed the order" to shipping yesterday Monday 4 business days after the call was logged! And after I'd be told twice order was with shipping backlogged. Lying then or now!? Couple hours later still no pending charge on my credit card. 5 business days and nothing done. Jeeze lame at best.

Not a happy Memphis customer to say the least. Oh of course zero communications from them of any hold up. Lack of communication probably the biggest sin in customer service. No biggest sin is lying to your customers...

For the record, after my last call to Memphis I called MAK just to let them know and thank them for the great job they've always done!

[02ebz06]

With switching to grills made in China and Greg (great tech guy) leaving, they have gone down hill fast.
Side question Mike, have you had any auger fires or serious problems with your MAK ?
I had a Blazin' GridIron and had several.
The auger feed tube being right over the burn pot concerns me about getting another grill with that design.

[MikeMcQ]

With switching to grills made in China and Greg (great tech guy) leaving, they have gone down hill fast.
Side question Mike, have you had any auger fires or serious problems with your MAK ?
I had a Blazin' GridIron and had several.
The auger feed tube being right over the burn pot concerns me about getting another grill with that design.

No serious problems with my MAK 2* just one auger jam recently in 8 years. Have noticed some possible smoldering now and then but haven't noticed an actual fire. Though recent jam may have been a result of an auger tube smoldering situation, don't know. When clearing jam didn't noticed burned pellets etc.

My many contacts with MAK support have been multiple upgrades after buying mine 2 years old. Adding wifi module, upgrading controller bios to support wifi, discussing makgrillsmobile (love the web version, hate the phone app, web version runs great on phone as well as laptop) adding cart sides and door, adding front shelf, adding Flashfire igniter (it be way fast), and lastly new controller to support new style K temp probes.

[02ebz06]

With switching to grills made in China and Greg (great tech guy) leaving, they have gone down hill fast.
Side question Mike, have you had any auger fires or serious problems with your MAK ?
I had a Blazin' GridIron and had several.
The auger feed tube being right over the burn pot concerns me about getting another grill with that design.

No serious problems with my MAK 2* just one auger jam recently in 8 years. Have noticed some possible smoldering now and then but haven't noticed an actual fire. Though recent jam may have been a result of an auger tube smoldering situation, don't know. When clearing jam didn't noticed burned pellets etc.

My many contacts with MAK support have been multiple upgrades after buying mine 2 years old. Adding wifi model, upgrading controller to support wifi, discussing makgrillsmobile (love the web version, hate the phone app, web version runs great on phone as well as laptop) adding cart sides and door, adding front shelf, adding Flashfire igniter (it be way fast), and lastly new controller to support new style K temp probes.

Thanks for the response.