The Pit Boss pellet grill is a great tool for outdoor cooking applications. Not only does it impart superb wood flavor, it can be used for anything from quick grilling to all-day affairs, like smoking a whole brisket. When you grill as often as I do, however, you sometimes need to correct certain mechanical issues. That’s why we put together this Pit Boss pellet grill troubleshooting guide.
Pit Boss Pellet Grill Problems and Solutions
Because pellet grills use electricity to power the auger, they’re prone to more issues than charcoal- or gas-fired units. In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the most prevalent ones, from Pit Boss temperature problems to smoke discoloration.
Error Messages
It’s the bane of all pellet grilling enthusiasts: The dreaded “Er” symbol. Pit Boss models have two different error messages, each with their own cause and potential solutions.
ErH
This message indicates an issue with the heat and temperature control of the pellet grill. When you see it, it could mean one of two things: Either the grill is overheating, or the temperature probe wire isn’t properly connected.
Overheating may be caused by excess fuel, an issue that can be resolved by turning the grill off and clearing the pellets from the firebox. Make sure the grill has had a chance to cool down before you attempt to remove the pellets. While you’re at it, clean the rest of the interior and check to ensure that all the components are positioned correctly.
You might also get the ErH message because of a grease fire in the cooking chamber. Again, if this happens, switch the grill off immediately and wait for the flames to go out. You may need to douse them with baking soda or kosher salt if they don’t extinguish on their own.
Once you’ve determined that the overheating issue has been resolved, turn the dial to OFF to clear the error message and open the grill lid. Wait a few minutes before setting the dial to your desired temperature.
If the grill isn’t overheating, the ErH message might be the result of an improper connection between the probe wire and the temperature control system. In this case, you should check the wire for damage and make sure it’s firmly attached to the control panel.
ErP
This message has a simpler root cause: It means that the temperature dial was still switched on when the grill connected to AC power. It’s a basic safety feature that keeps the unit from starting by accident.
To get rid of the ErP symbol, turn the temperature dial to the OFF position. Wait two minutes, then set the dial to your desired temperature.
Flashing Temperature
When the numbers on the LCD screen are flashing, that indicates that the ambient temperature inside the grill has dipped too low. If the grill is in “SMOKE” mode, this means the temperature has gone below 110 degrees Fahrenheit. For “COOK” mode, the numbers flash when the heat is below 150 degrees.
Fortunately, this isn’t a serious problem—it’s actually a feature that benefits the chef, alerting you to the fact that your fire might be going out. When it happens, look inside the hopper and replenish the pellet supply, if necessary. You should also check for any blockages.
Next, remove any ash buildup from the pot or burn grate. Check the fan and auger motor to make sure they’re both operating at the correct speed. If these are moving too slowly, the fire isn’t receiving the fuel it needs.
Flashing Dots
When you see flashing dots on the LCD screen, it means that the grill igniter is on. As Pit Boss pellet grill problems go, this is a good one to have—it simply indicates that the unit is working properly.
Blank LCD Screen
If the LCD screen just isn’t lighting up at all, there are several possibilities.
First of all, it could be because the pellet grill just isn’t plugged in. You’d be surprised at how often this happens—people are so gung-ho on getting their grill fired up that they forget to take this simple first step. Make sure the plug is properly secured to a working outlet before you do anything else.
If the grill is plugged in and the screen remains blank, it could indicate that the circuit board fuse has been tripped and needs to be replaced. Check your user’s manual for instructions—there should be a diagram that provides you with a visual aid.
A blank screen could also mean that the GFI (also known as the GFCI, or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) has been tripped. The GFI outlet is designed to protect you against electrical shock when plugging in a device. In this case, you should check all your wire connections to make sure that they’re fully secure. The wires should also be completely dry.
To learn more about resetting the GFI outlet, see Grill Won’t Start, below.
Also, take a look at the minimum amperage for your GFI service. It needs to be at least 15 amps in order to power the Pit Boss pellet grill.
Lastly, check your extension cord. For pellet grills, you should never use a cord that measures more than 25 feet in length. If it’s longer, the grill could be receiving insufficient voltage. Long cords also pose a fire hazard, so switch yours out for a shorter model if you haven’t already done so.
Grill Won’t Start
This frustrating issue could be caused by any of the grill components. Again, make sure the unit is plugged in and that the outlet has power.
Next, unplug the grill and everything else on the GFI circuit. Plug the grill back in and see if the GFI trips again. If it does, then you should contact customer service to explain the problem.
If not, then another appliance on the circuit may have caused the GFI to trip. Keep plugging these in one by one to see if any of them trips the outlet. Remember that a GFI might also trip due to an anomaly in the electrical system itself, so your grill might not be at fault.
Should the GFI fail to reset, take a look at the circuit breakers. The system won’t reset without sufficient power. Take a look at this video tutorial for more detailed instructions.
Next, move the temperature dial to the OFF position, then switch it to the SMOKE function. The LCD screen should light up, indicating that all is well.
If that doesn’t work, remove the cooking grates and grease tray so you can take a good look at the igniter. If nothing happens when you turn the unit on, replace the 5 amp fuse on the back of the control panel. Should the igniter continue to fail, you’ll need to contact customer service for a replacement part.
While the grates and grease tray are out of the way, check the auger. If it’s not feeding pellets into the firebox, then this is the part that needs to be replaced.
Once all the other probable causes have been ruled out, it’s likely that the control panel is at fault. Contact Pit Boss and explain the situation so that they can issue you with a replacement.
Temperature Is Too High at SMOKE Level
When the grill is too hot during the SMOKE function, it means that the P level is set too low. Make sure the temperature dial is set to SMOKE, then push the P setting button to boost the level.
Grill Isn’t Heating to Set Temperature
Pit Boss temperature problems typically arise because the burn pot isn’t getting enough oxygen to achieve or maintain the desired temps. Check the burn pot, the air intake, and the fan to make sure there are no obstructions.
If the burn pot has holes or severe corrosion, it needs to be replaced. You should also ensure that the fan is in good working order. Be forewarned that you might have to remove the cooking grates and grease tray for this.
Alternatively, the pellets themselves could be causing the issue. Look inside the hopper and add more pellets, if necessary. Replace them if they’re damp to the touch or if they’ve visibly deteriorated in any way. You can also check the temperature probe and wipe it thoroughly with a damp clean cloth.
Finally, take a look at the P setting to ensure that it’s set to the level you want. The “P” stands for “pause,” so as you adjust the setting, you’re controlling the amount of pause time between cycles. When you increase the P setting, you’re decreasing the pellet supply, resulting in more smoke and a lower grill temperature. Conversely, decreasing the setting will give you less smoke and a hotter fire.
Temperature Fluctuations
These can be caused by anything from ambient weather conditions (whether it’s too hot or too cold outside) to a dirty temperature probe.
Try to keep the grill out of direct sunlight, and avoid grilling when it’s windy or raining outside. If you enjoy grilling year-round, consider buying a grill blanket for additional insulation. Also, clean the probes, cooking grates, and dome thermometer on a regular basis.
Finally, we should note that occasional fluctuations are to be expected when you’re burning wood. Keep a close eye on the thermometer when they occur, as the temp might very well level off within a few minutes.
Smoke Signals
If the smoke has a yellow or greenish hue, or if the grill is producing a great deal of it, there’s probably too much greasy buildup inside the cooking chamber. You can head off the problem by thoroughly cleaning the cooking grates and the inside of the lid after each use, especially if you prepared greasy foods like burgers or chicken thighs.
It’s also a good idea to inspect the hopper and the burn pot for any obstructions. While you’re checking the hopper, be sure to discard any wet pellets and replace them with a fresh dry batch.
Flare-Ups
Flare-ups are both annoying and potentially dangerous, especially if they have a chance to escalate into a full-blown grease fire. To avoid them, keep the temperature at or below 350 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re cooking foods that contain a lot of grease.
Our Favorite Pit Boss Grill
Final Thoughts
Pit Boss Pellet Grill troubleshooting is fairly straightforward when you know what you’re doing. Should you run into a problem that wasn’t addressed here—or if the grill just isn’t responding to your efforts—feel free to contact the customer service department. They should be able to point you in the right direction, so you can get back to enjoying your grill.
Best of luck, and happy grilling!
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Our Pit Boss pellet grill isn’t working. The auger isn’t turning. The grill sounds like it comes on when I turn it on but nothing is happening. I am no mechanic. Can you tell me some simple things to try or where I should take it for repair? It was purchased from Academy Store in 2018.
Thanks.
Hello I’m Bruce I was cooking last night as I was taking meat off LARGE amounts of smoke coming out of pellet hopper. I pulled the plug. Help please any ideas. Going to clean tomorrow and hope for the best.
My pit boss is running everything but the auger never kicks in. Do you have any ideas
Same here. Less than a month old and no instructions on how to access it.
Two year old classic model is running 100 to 150 degrees hotter than set temperature. Inside is totally clean and P setting at default setting 4. I’ve cleaned gauge probes per troubleshooting list.
I have had my smoker about 6 months. last week it stopped mid smoking, I have replaced the fuse, but it still doesn’t do anything. I have checked the plug in and it works , when I plug in the smoker its like its not getting power, nothing lights up.
Any ideas?
I have had my pit boss 820 for a little under a year now and I used it for Easter Sunday and the smoke was coming though the auger and out the storage box and now I have taken it apart and cleaned out the auger and now it will not heat up the burn pot changed out the pellets changed the extension cord checked the breaker all works just won’t heat up the pot
On my pit boss memphis the smoker will not turn on
Did you ever find out what was up with your grill? Mine is doing the same thing.
Very good info. One month ago I had a problem with a malfunction where excessive smoke began billowing at the very start, actually blew the door open. I cleaned the entire pit again, including the pot. Restarted and that seemed to work. Today tried again and the exact same problem. Cleaned everything including the pot and the problem continues.
If you are starting your pellet grill with the lid closed you can expect and explosion. The smoke itself is combustible in this situation. You should always start your pellet grill with the lid open. When the fire pot actually lights you will hear it and the smoke will start to diminish.
Keep the lid open during the start up smoke. Only after the smoke goes away, then close the lid.
pit boss pellet smoker copperhead
with new c panel doesn’t ignite.
it did this prior to new c panel. Thought the c panel would fix this and the no display.
What should I check
My pity boss gets way to hot and trips the breaker? Cleaned everything still too hot?
Heat settings all work good except at 400 degrees won’t stop heating up. Have to turn it down.
Mine is doing the same thing and can’t figure it out
I can see the blue light on the fan button when I press that to start but fan doesn’t start and it says erl
Just bought our smoker and the fan won’t turn off.
The fan will continue to run for several minutes after the grill is shut down. This is not a defect.
I can not get my Austin xl
To power on
5 amp fuse is good
0.5.0 is the code I get when I turn on the grill. Auger works, fan works, but no igniter and panel just flashes the code
I’ve had my Austin xl for close to 3 years now. Love using it. I’ve have a problem that has been happening for the last 6 months. It smokes great, holds temp pretty good, but occasionally it won’t relight the pellets sometimes. It will run great for hours then I notice temp drops. Check things out and the burn pot is full of pellets. So it’s not relighting. I have just replaced main board, igniter and temp sensor probe and it still happens. What’s my problem?
I’ve have a Deluxe xl. Love using it. I’ve have a problem that has been happening for the last 6 months. It smokes great, holds temp pretty good, but occasionally it won’t relight the pellets sometimes. It will run great for hours then I notice temp drops. Check things out and the burn pot is full of pellets. So it’s not relighting. What’s my problem?
My 440 us doing the same thing. Have you had any luck figuring it out?
I had the same problem. It was a broken gear in the auger motor. It had broken teeth and would randomly catch and stop.
Just purchased my pit boss grill can’t get it to start up ,auger works fine lots of pellets in combustion chamber ,ignighter starts pellets smoking but fan doesn’t come on and it goes out. I unplugged fan and tested it it runs fine
What is the problem???
I bought the Table Top model PB150PPG. 4 out of the 5 times I used it, it burned the pellets in the auger tube. Heavy smoke was coming out of the pellet box. What is causing it to burn in the auger tube?
My 440 us doing the same thing. Have you had any luck figuring it out?
You have pellet dust in your auger tube, Frome one end to the other, and it stays at the bottom of the tube and acts just like a wick. Pull the auger and blow out the dust from hopper and auger tube w air compressor, reassemble, Bob’s your uncle. Going fwd, try not to dump the dust in the pellet back into the hopper. Some go to the extreme of sifting theirs but this is “blow out” service procedure is one that should be done every couple bags, even if you are careful about not dumping dust into hopper. Reason is, the pellets break and crumble in the auger while traveling to fire box, leaving more dust.
I bought the the same Table Top model PB150PPG yesterday and right out of the box on the first burn off when I shut it down it back burned into the auger tube a little bit. Could it get that much dust in the auger from its first run of 30 minutes? I never have that issue with my FB700 love that grill. I will empty the pellets and blow it out and try sifting the pellets for this grill and see if that helps
My Ranger xl is 2 years old, the control panel is not working , I am really disappointed with this smoker for what I payed . I will not buy another pit bill smoker.
Can the pit boss KC combo platinum series rained on. with or without being used
er 1 is the code coming up. Changed out the board but same results . I was told it was the auger. Could it be the auger motor and if so how do I check it?
[email protected] Thomas Dominy
It seems my Copper Top Pit Boss Grill starts to smokes out of the hopper midway through a cooking session. When it gets turned off it really starts to smoke out of the hopper the fan is still running like it should , and the auger works just fine what causes this?
My Pit Boss 700fb paint bubbles on second use!
Opened a claim with Pit Boss took almost two weeks to get back to me and told me I should buy some of there touch up paint.
i have a pitboss pro series pb820ps1 that keeps breaking….it will not turn on….they keep sending control boards to fix the problem……i have went through 3 of these boards from june of 2020 until now…waiting on board three….has any one else had this issue ?….i like the pellet smoker and grill but this is turning into a major problem……..what to do what to do.
I could use some help. I have an Austin XL. I replaced the auger motor but did not work. I decided to buy another one and that did not work either. The control panel powers up, the blower and igniter work. I’m curious if a “Bad” control panel could be partially functional? I’m hoping to not throw parts at it without knowing the cause. The auger tube is clear. Thanks in advance. Hoping to get it going as a last ditch effort before I run out and buy a new one.
I had a grease fire and cleaned everything after it cooled. Then restarted and everything worked fine (changed temperature just fine). then when I turned it off it kept on going. All the lights where off but fire kept going.
On my pitboss Lockhart my lower grill is set to 350 degrees and my upper cabinet is over 600 degrees but my lower grill temp never gets over 300 degrees actual.
My grill shoots up to 500 plus degrees no matter what temperature it is set at. This is a safety hazard and no matter what I do I can’t get it to stop. This morning, I tried again and there was smoke coming out of the pellet hopper the grill was so hot.
@Tarzen, I was wondering if you ever found out what was wrong, mine is doing the same thing.
Brent
Mt Pit Boss auger does not work. All other functions work, just not the auger. I cleaned the unit, looks brand new. Started up well, lots of smoke. It got up to 125 degrees and then the auger quit. No smoke, temp dropped, the fan continues to work. Please assist.
Jim
I have the same issue. I’m wondering if you ever got an answer?
My grill will start perfect until the fire starts and then the auger stops feeding pellets
Our grill was purchased Wednesday, 6/16/21 at Lowe’s as a Father’s Day gift from our kids. Saturday, 6/19/21, is our first time to plugin the grill. We followed the step-by-step instructions in the User Manual to start it.
The LCD screen remained blank throughout the Hopper Priming Procedure, the First Use-Grill Burn Off and now we are attempting to cook. The LCD screen is still blank.
We have checked your troubleshooting points… 1. the unit is plugged in… 2. the GFC is not tripped… 3. no extension cord is being used. We see the other option is 4. the circuit board fuse needs to be replaced.
Please help… this PB0820D3 wood pellet grill & smoker is brand new!
What do we do from here?
Charleston Pellet Gas Combo Grill | Pit Boss Grills
We smoked a salmon last night but could not get the smoke over to the grill side. Opened middle vent from smoker side to grill side! Any tips?
Just received the pit boss for father’s day. Was doing the burn off at 350f walk away for 10 minutes came back and it was off no lights.
Same problem. Any answer?
when i was using my vertical pro series 4 i noticed that after it was reaching close to 200 that the smoke turned from the white/blue that i had been use to, to a more black smoke. while researching i discovered that black meant not enough oxygen so i opened up the chimney a little more, then all smoke more less stopped and when i opened the door that black smoke rolled out of it. it would shut off so i unplugged it thinking i don’t want to keep feeding the fire i could see through the crack where the ash pot goes. i cooled and then cleaned the unit inside and out, removing the pellets and straining them thinking that the bottom of the bag may have had too much dust instead of pellets. so i tried again this morning and again there seems to be too much flame and not the smoke pit smell of smoke but more like a trash fire smoke. can you help? i am about half scared to use it.
I have a 440d2 and have a problem getting the burner plate out of the grill to clean it. Are there any trick to removing it?
Ok / just something I haven’t read online anywhere is my “Pit Boss “ pro-series after the 4 th use in 6 months had its first problem. When I plugged it in / it would show power on but flashed ( L41) code on screen. Tried 4 or 5 times unplugging and changed receptacles. Called on a Sunday at 1:30 pm and got a live human / great. What the problem was the computer board had to be reset. Customer service helped get it going and also they sent me a new backup board for free. Couldn’t ask for better service. Smoking deer hams and sausage is delicious. Later all !!!
My pit boss gave me a Pellet signal after 2 hours running, and the hopper is full and then eventually shut itself off.
-15 degrees out and the smoker gives me an Err. I had this problem last year and had to lie to it with a propane torch to warm up the inside near the probe then it took off. Not so lucky this time.
Seems like there is a limit to this devices outside temp range after all. Your thoughts?
My Pit Boss Will feed pellets but will not burn. The barrel keeps filling up with unburned pellets. How do I fix this issue?
Can find why I set my digital thermometer on the grill at 450 or whatever and it will stay for a bit then next time I look it says it is set for 350 even tho the knob is at 450. I have turn it to off and start over this happens all the time
Power cord ok fuse ok panel not lighting up.
This is my 2 d pit boss. Upgraded for features now the “IT” is not working. Any thoughts?
My pit boss pellet feed side starts then in a few seconds it goes into shutting down mode?
Pit Boss pb700fb has ErP code. When grill is off position the igniter will heat pellets and start to smoke. Turn dial nothing happens. It has worked great for 4 yes never had any issues till now. What should I look at or replace to fix the problem.
My pit boss keeps putting pellets in and will not light. We have took all pellets out started over, same thing. What’s wronf
I had to replace the heating element and now it stays hot even when the grill is off. Any suggestions as to what is wrong?
I have the Austin XL Pit Boss. I cook pretty much everything at 225 degrees. I’d like to know the P Setting for this temperature for the maximum smoke I can get! If I am understanding what I have read, it should be set at the highest level of seven!????? Please advise!
on the grill side of my hybrid pro series unit – I cannot grill higher than 400. It just won’t go hotter. Often it only goes to 300.
Sugggestions
I have a pit balls classic. It is about 3 1/2 years old. This is never happened in the entirety of time I’ve had the grill till tonight. It exploded ! I had just vacuumed the pot and turned it on. I went inside turned the porch light on. I went back out and this thing was smokin like crazy. It has never smoked like that during a start up. I was standing about 8 feet away with my back to it and it blew up. Then worked fine. What do you think or know what happened ?
While grilling the Thanksgiving bird on our fb700, the temp. got very hot and it was adjusted downward. Later, we noticed the paint inside the grill had blistered and some paint on the outside had burned away, leaving silver metal. We won’t be eating that turkey. How do we repaint the inside and outside or is the grill a total loss?
My pit boss xl smoker is having issues regarding the glow plug or the igniter is not working properly all of the sudden. The fire chamber would fill up and run over with the pellets which were dry by the way. The last 3 times i used the xl, I to take a blow torch to the pellets as the fell into the fire chamber and get them burning before there were a sufficient amount to get the grill started. The auger and fan work fine like they’re supposed too. # frustrated!
my Pellet smoker errors out before it gets to temp. I’ve followed recommendations above to no success.What else should I look for?
I have found that if i plug it in and try to start it up right away it does not ignite the pellets. If I plug it in a walk away from it for 5 minutes then try to start it it ignites properly. It is almost like it needs a few minutes to boot up the computer after you plug it in. Also, if you grill in the winter make sure your pellets have not absorbed moisture; they won’t ignite if they have.
Pro Series Wood Pellet Smoker, Starter button does not work. This is the 3rd time we have used this smoker. Can you help?
My grill auger will no turn, the blower is on but not feeding pellets.
auger will not stop running while on, had it set for 250 and it run up to 650 destroying a brisket.
changed out controller and thermostat no change, temp still runs wild. do i need a new hopper motor ?
I can`t get the direct heat slide to open.I have cleaned it after every use but it won`t open.Am I just not trying to open it properly are is it stuck shut??