🔥 Heat Deflector Mod now available on Amazon. Check it out HERE ➡ amzn.to/456wwWA 🔥 Flame Tamer Style Diffuser ALSO now available on Amazon. ➡ amzn.to/45SFZRx
I tried this. Then put thermometers throughout the grill. It ran 60° hotter than the temp read out said. Then I pulled the end cap mod and the temps averaged what was on the read out. It seems the engineers did account for this.
@@mikesouders1 I think it depends on the model. Yours might not be the same, or the design has been updated. This video is just almost a year and a half old.
@ mine came with the piece under the left side of the heat shield already installed but I did have to put a piece of steel channel over the fire to distribute the heat better. Before I installed that piece of channel the left side of the grill was 70-90 degrees hotter than the right. After installing it both sides are within 1-2 degrees of each other at 250 degrees but I did notice that at 350 degrees the left side gets about 40 degrees hotter than the right. It’s better than before but still not perfect at hotter temperatures.
Shout out to Mad Backyard for sharing these potential fixes! I've been frustrated with temperature issues since the 1150 came out. I'm ordering the deflector and tamer as soon as possible! Hopefully, Pit Boss will have enough sense to incorporate these two modifications into there production line so that new sales customers won't suffer our fate, and pay you a consulting fee as well.
I finally did my homework and came across this video. I purchased the two mods for the curved air gap and a diffuser over the firebox for my PB1100 Pro Pellet and Gas split. I was never able to keep my large low and slow cuts on the pellet grill long enough and therefore they were never as tender as I hoped. The center of the grill would run 20-40 deg over the firepot and therefore it cooked too quickly. Roasted a 5.5 lb pork butt yesterday and it pulled away from the bone with ease and I could tell it was going to shred nicely. Very happy with these changes and now I have hope for tender brisket the next time I smoke. Thanks very much for this info.
I just got this combo too and I think I'm having temp regulation issues too. Set to 270 fluctuates between 270 to 285. Can you link me the stuff you bought?
Your video helped tremendously!! I’m a fabricator. Took a piece of 20 gauge stainless and made my own rolled ledge for the flame broiler to set on. Also remember to use stainless steel for that little piece of C channel that you put over the broiler. Some steel is cooked with chemicals and may get end up in your food. Thanks 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Pit Boss seems to have addressed the issue of heat going to the temp probe themselves. Just checked and my Nav 850 has a rounded off the area that the broiler sits on. So it's nice they tried to fix that issue.
I really appreciate your taking the time to give assistance for these Pit Boss Smokers. I am still new to the game of smokers. I bought a Pit Boss 1150 at my local Lowes back in Summer of 2022. It took me three or four smokes before I realized that the very important piece of metal that should have been at the end of the heat deflector was missing and causing my cooks to take entirely too long because of the false temperature. I did the mods and it helped a little, but I have found that my Pit Boss to be an epic failure. It is less than two years old and it struggled last year to get to 350 and stay there. I probably got a lemon. I have a friend who has the Pit Boss 850 and she doesn't have half the problems. I am going to spend the extra money and get a Traeger Ironwood XL. It is a lot of money, but I have had some really frustrating smokes with this Pit Boss. What is most annoying about the Pit Boss 1150 is that they are still making them without the heat deflector mod.
I agree with you on the temperature issues you mentioned. I've had my 1150 since the summer it came out and I've been through 3 control boards including the original one, an augur motor and a fan. Luckily the control boards were replaced under warranty (pretty good customer service in the 1st year, but still a pain). The rest out of pocket but not expensive. I just replaced the inner temperature probe before seeing this video, in hopes of getting more accurate temps. Shout out to Mad Backyard for sharing these potential fixes!
Ordered both for my Austin XL and Laredo 1000. I have to say they made a major difference in my temp fluctuations. I would, definitely, recommend the diffuser and air gap mod to anyone having temperature issues.
The air gap on my pro series 850 is rounded on the left side already. I bought the flame tamer a few years ago and it works wonderfully! It was well worth the money. Thanks so much for this video. Keep up the good work.
@@madbackyard I just bought the navigator 850g. Haven't used it yet. Maybe that flame tamer would work on mine. Or just cut a piece "C" Channel and use it
GREAT video. I have a Camp Chef and it seems that all the pellet brands have their own unique problems. One thing I didn't hear you say how important it is to keep that temp. probe CLEAN. Once the probe gets caked up, the grill temp can vary quite a bit so CLEAN THAT TEMP PROBE! !! !!!
Pit Boss 1150 temp Run-A-Way I purchased my Pit Boss last November when Lowe’s had their $500 off sale. I used it twice without any problem. The cooking temp was rock solid. Yesterday, Feb 14th I put some chicken leg quarters and hamburger meat on the Pit Boss. I had the temp set at 270 deg F. I have been watching the You Tube videos on cooking chicken leg quarters at 270 deg F. for about 3-4 hours. I was outside watching things when in about 2 hours my temperature went from 270 deg to 310 deg F. I hadn’t changed anything. I called Pit Boss and talked to Mr. Jo. He hadn’t had a clue. He ask what kind of pellets I was using and I told him Oak Kingsford pellets. He said he never heard the name Kingsford pellets or charcoal bricks. The pellets were new and dry so I don’t know what was going on. I always clean out all the pellets when I cook. This includes all the pellets in the auger tube. Anyone have this problem?
Great info. I have the issues you addressed. Though I have a different problem now the display board is hard to read. Also it shuts off at random. I unplug it to reset.
I’m definitely not an expert on electronics but sounds like it may be a controller or power supply issue that there is no way to fix other than replacing. I would contact Pit Boss tell them to send you a new one.
I am new to pellet smoking and have a Lockhart Platinum which has put a lot of ash in the box and I was on the phone with Pit Boss this morning and I mentioned I had just ordered the diffuser and the lady told me that ANY 3rd party accessory would void the warranty.... having read many here that have already installed these two items, I think it is the right path to a fix for many....
I just bought a Pro850 from Lowe's and they've already fixed the gap issue by the probe. I did buy the diverter for over the firebox. Thanks for the tip
Thanks for the video . I just looked at my pit boss and yeah my thermometer is coated with a lot of grease and chard food . I have to clean now after watching this .
i needed this video like a year ago lol. the temps were like 30 to 40 deg off. thinking it was the thermometer they sent me a new one and i had the same issue. got tired of it, so i sold my pit boss.
@@marilyndoucet3106 I bought mine from smokeslikeaboss.com. There are also Amazon versions available now, keep in mind they are not exactly the same but many have purchased them and reported good results: Heat Deflector Mod ➡ amzn.to/456wwWA 🔥 Flame Tamer Style Diffuser ➡ amzn.to/45SFZRx
Thank you for this. I've been having crazy temp differences between what it was reporting and what it actually was. I just ordered this it should be here today fingers crossed because it's been driving my bunkers trying to figure out!
I am in Northern Illinois so in winter i have a welding blanket from a harbor Freight that i use to cover the smoker to help hold in the heat better for those cold winter smokes. I had a vertical smoker from Pit Boss originally and it had a heat diffuser that came with it. I wonder if that would work here if they offer it as a replacement part
Happy 4th of July! This video on dealing with inaccurate temperatures was very helpful. We are new to smoking and the few cooks that we have done to this point did not turn out as well as hoped. We believe a big part of the less than desirable result was due to the huge temperature variations. The ambient temp (measured on the grate), over the burn pot was almost 100 degrees below the set temp of 250. The temp at on the hopper side of the grill was about 20 degrees below the temp at the burn pot, and the temp at the smoke stack end was about 30 degrees less than at the burn pot. We have a PS850PS2, so the curved deflector was already incorporated by Pit Boss. We purchased the massive Flame Tamer referenced in your Amazon link. It evened out the temps very well. Pit Boss should incorporate this into future builds. I have a couple other questions I’m hoping you can help us with. When you select your cooking temp, for example, 250 degrees, do you expect the ambient temp a couple of inches above the grates to be at 250 or do you assume the ambient temp to be 20-30 degrees less than the set temp? We put a Meater in the middle of a pork butt approximately, about 3” above the grates and the temp was around 220. We are unsure whether we should increase the set temp to allow us to reach the 250 at the middle of the butt or leave it at 250. The second question is in regards to the hopper design. We were told by Pit Boss that a 20lb hopper should last around 16 hours when set at 250. We filled the hopper with new pellets. After 6 hours, the hopper was still 3/4 full but there was a tunnel of no pellets exposing the auger. Is there a fix to get the pellets to fall evenly so we don’t have constantly jiggle the grill to make the pellets fall? Thanks in advance !
Hi Laurie! Glad the flame tamer helped with your temp issues. There's nothing wrong with turning the temp up to 270 or so if you find your Pit Boss running a little below your setting. I hadn't found the flame tamer mod yet back when I made this video so my smoker tended to run too hot which is why I kept it back a little at 250 knowing it might be creeping up to 270 in reality. I love using the Meater as well but keep in mind there sometimes will be a cooler "bubble" of air around your meat which is where the Meater is reading, especially during the first half of the cook. This is just from the cooler temp of the meat itself, evaporation, etc. So, its normal for the Meater to read a little lower than the true cooking temp. It will usually come up more to what you expect as the meat cooks and gets hotter. As far as the hopper, I made a video showing how to remove the grate so you can brush and even out the pellets with your hand if you want to. th-cam.com/video/-p3RxgRhx7M/w-d-xo.html. If you don't want to do this, you can use a paint stick to jostle the pellets and even them out so you dont have to shake your whole smoker. Hope that answers your questions! Thanks for watching the channel!
Great info here, thanks. I've suspected the temp readings on my Pitboss 700fb weren't accurate. Was excited to see this fix. I checked the website you mentioned, and they don't list the 700fb. Hmm. Might be time to disassemble it, clean it, and have a look. My first pellet smoker. My son found them on sale over the winter, and he talked me into buying one, too. I'm glad I did. It's much easier to use than my WSM. Consequently, I use it more often.
I love my WSM. First smoker I ever bought. Everything I have made in It has tasted Amazing. But yes, it can be an ordeal to setup and cleanup for a just a simple meal.
Hello. Just got the PB850 ps2 and it has the rounded lip on both sides. Doesn’t have the fire pot cover. Good to see them making corrections! Maybe they saw your video!
Hey Michael- thanks for watching! I believe I heard that they never changed the rounded lip on the 850 for some reason. A couple other people have told me their 850s don’t have this issue. All the other recent models, as of right now at least, do though. The smokes like a boss guys have the full list on their website. Thankfully you don’t have to deal with it!
Got a pit boss pro 850 about 3 months ago. The ledge for the heat-shield is curved to match so seems like that feature has been fixed as standard. The extra shield for the firepot sounds nifty though.
For whatever reason the 850 never had this problem. But on most other models they made a straight edge. I will have to look at some new floor models this spring to see if they ever changed it on the larger versions.
I gave up on the direct flame option on my Pit Boss. I purchased a Heat defuser from Smoke Daddy which is modified for the pit boss curved sides. Enjoy your videos.
This is incredibly helpful. I just bought my first pellet grill (Pit Boss Pro 1600) last week, and have noticed exactly what you just described. Thanks for all of your content!
I went with Pitboss specifically because the sear plate but I wasn’t aware of the issues I’d have. I’m glad I found this, I actually ordered the flame tamer. I didn’t need the air gap mod because my pit has the round plate. We will see how it goes!
Neat. I watched a video on their website and it appears that not all pitbosses have this issue. Maybe just the older ones??? I got to go pull the cover on ours and check now. We've only done the bake off and cooked in it once so wasn't really paying attention to that. We have the slider for searing etc but I do believe ill be making one from a sheet of stainless myself now that I know what it looks like. Now that I know this is an issue for a hot spot in the middle It does explain some of the oddities we experienced in cooking. I will order that side cover tho for the probe if ours doesnt have it.
Thanks VERY MUCH for this info!!.My PitBoss Pro Series 850 was getting as much a 30-40 degree difference from display Temp to ACTUAL temp.Was going to buy a replacement Temp probe until seeing this video. Kudos to you!!
Wrap temp prob loosely with tin foil. I was struggling with temp issues on my copperhead v5 for three years and finally figured it out. Tin foil is your friend brother! Thanks for the tips
I have a ZGRILLS smoker, got it back in 2019, before prices went crazy. I love it, never had a bit of trouble with it, only complaint is that it didn't have casters on the hopper side legs, but, nothing a welder and some casters ordered from Amazon didn't take of.
Yes mine has performed well too. I only wish the lid and frame were a little more heavy duty but temperature control has been great. Thankfully they must have switched to adding 4 casters since then!
GREAT video, thank you! I just got my Pit Boss 850 and I thought you'd like to know: they fixed the flat/round heat deflector problem! My heat shield rests on 2 rounded ends, out of the box. I'll be buy that flame tamer soon though :)
Ha, no commission or affiliation with them. But the parts worked for me. In the meantime try putting your ribs on upper rack with an aluminum water pan below to block and disperse some of the direct heat from the fire pot.
You can also ball up some foil into a tube and shove it on the shelf where the heat deflector will eventually go to block the hot air from hitting your thermostat. Somebody else commented with that idea and it’s a good one.
Yeah I saw those recently too. I may try the 3 window one to help direct more heat away from the left side which tends to get hotter with the flame broiler being closer to the grates on that side.
@@madbackyard I did testing before and after the diffuser. I ended up being within 30 or so degrees across the grill. I contacted Smoke Like a Boss, and they suggested the 4 window. I tested afterwards, and with the exception of the edges, I'm say within 10-15 degrees across the grates. The only thing I've noticed now is that due to the Flame Tamer, my temp runs a bit under the probed temp, so I end up cooking slightly hotter.
Hi, would this still be needed for Pit Boss 1230CS1 wood pellet and gas combo. It doesn’t specify my model anywhere and I absolutely have the heat not being even. Thanks
I just used foil on the plate today and had some odd results. Seemed like my cook took an extra hr - 1.5 hrs. I think the foil caused even further temp issues.
Excellent vid! So, theoretically you could wad up some aluminum foil and put it the space by the thermometer?? You could probably make a "cover" for the pot as well...just thinkin here
Yes. I actually tested with a rolled up wad of aluminum foil before ordering the piece itself and it worked the same. Just annoying to have to constantly reposition every time you move the flame broiler. As far as the cover for the fire pot, I'm not sure if you were implying to use foil there too, I would NOT. Unless you really know what you are doing with sheet metal and can fabricate a similar mod, I would just order theirs.
I noticed my temperature fluctuations were happening because of smoke residue/grease building up on the wired connection prongs for the probe. The prongs for me were located on the backside of the pellet hopper behind a metal guard that can be unscrewed. There are wires with metal prongs at the end that connect into each other. Its the probe connecting into the controller board. After removing the guard, the prongs have a rubber guard around them. I found residue all around the outside and the inside of the rubber. I cleaned them with 90% isopropyl alcohol with q-tips and it helped immensley. I do keep the actual probe clean too but it doesnt help near the amount as keeping the connector pieces free of residue. My original problem was the grill kept overheating and shutting off after 6 months of decent use. Tried a few different things but that was the culprit, and it also helpes with temperature fluctuations and keeping the correct temperature that is read on the sceen. I regularly clean once per month or 2 now and haven't had any issues at all with overheating or incorrect temperatures.
@Mad Backyard ya its on a pitboss 580 square inch. I bought an Austin xl onyx and noticed it didn't have those prongs on the outside of the smoker any where. So it's probably just specific to that models or models that run the connection on the outside
As I was watching this I was thinking that my Pit Boss wasn't flat on the left side that I remember so I checked, and sure enough mine is rounded on both ends. I have a PB820PS1 which is about four years old, so maybe the newer models are flat. The only issue I have had with it is that priming doesn't work anymore, otherwise it has been a great unit!
Yes, some of the previous models were rounded. I’m not sure why they made the change on the 1150 and other newer series. That stinks about priming. So the auger still turns normally, just not when you hold the prime button?
Thanks for the info. I have a PB850PS2 Pro Series. With the smaller cooking area, it can be tricky moving large cuts of meat around and not getting it over searer. The 4-window Flame Tamer is the mod i have been looking for. I just ordered it, and Subscribed, Thank you.😎
Great video. I recently got a PB 850 Pro Series from Lowes. I've done some good cooking on it and got some good results, but I've been seeing some comments around about inaccurate temperatures and I stumbled up on your video. Happy to report that the first fix you had (the deflector thing) is actually included in my Pitboss so they must have watched your video :P. My PB isn't the same as yours, so I don't have that big flat plate that's level with my burn pot like yours. I think I'll go get some steel and just make a simple defelctor that will rest on the bottom of my grill and work like that deflector, kinda wondering if there's some way I can add a lever similar to the searing plate lever that slides the deflector out of the way... don't know that I want to hack up my grill that much though so I think I'll just do it the hard way and remove the burner plate every time. Thanks for all of the tips!
Thanks for the kind words! Yes, the 850 has always had a curved lip from what I understand. Not sure why it's different on just that model, but at least you dont need that mod. I took out the big flat plate you mention because other people claimed it did nothing and was throwing off their temperatures. I'm not sure if it helped but it definitely hasn't hurt anything. And I saw Pit Boss stopped including it on newer models as well so they must have found the same thing. The flame tamer still sits on top of the burn pot even without it. In fact I pull on it a little and squeeze it around the screw heads so it actually sits very snug and doesn't move around at all once it pinches down on them. If I want to knock it off to sear I open the sear plate and knock it out of the way with a slotted screwdriver and I don't have to take the flame broiler off while cooking. Hope that helps!
@madbackyard I have a Pitboss Lexington 540 and while the auger is working, the fan motor is not. I went for my first cook of the year and didn’t hear the familiar roar at turn on. How do I fix this???
That was an older one, but you can use any good probe thermometer. Make sure they come with the little clips to attach to your grates. I now like this one from Thermopro: amzn.to/3MVAoSB
Didn’t feel like spending $80 on them since the reason I went with the pit boss is because it was cheaper then all the others. Instead I went to Lowe’s and bought 26 gauge sheet metal for $9 and made took some measurements and cut them my self with my harbor freight shears.
Thanks for watching! I'm not sure about that model. Just check if the lip of the shelf it rests on is already curved and flush against it. I know that's how the 850 pro series is.
I just ordered both items that you use. Look forward to share my experience. I'm retired , 75 years old, Tool & Die Machnist and Master Pattern Maker. But I'll let these people make mine..just saying
i watch all your r vids,always meessing with gillls, do you think by adding aluminumfoil to a pitboss heat difuser wold reflect the heat downward and not up to the plate, i have the pb150 tabletop model
Thanks for watching our channel!! Someone on here mentioned balling up some aluminum foil to go in the spot where the heat deflector plate would go near the temperature probe to accomplish the same goal of blocking the hot air. I think it’s a great idea to try out before you buy the deflector to make sure it works for you. I think that’s how I’m understanding your question. As far as the flame tamer, I would not use any aluminum foil near the fire pot as it’s just going to burn up and adhere to stuff and make a mess. It just gets too hot in that area.
My 1150 has the heat diffuser and is curved , I have never had a problem with fluctuating temps. As for the flame tamer I do a lot of searing and prefer that it does not get covered. Thanks for your tips.
Thanks for watching Rob! Glad to hear you haven't had temperature issues like I did. I like that the flame tamer is easily removable when you want to use the direct heat. You can even use slotted screwdriver through the grates and knock it out of the way so you don't' have to take everything out to move it.
Hi Chris - I haven’t used that brand specifically so just theorizing here…but I imagine it has something to do with your igniter rod. Check that the ash in your fire pot is cleaned out well first, and then that the ignitor rod is working consistently. If it’s not coming on consistently or making contact with the pellets the auger will keep feeding more to the pot and then when they do eventually ignite you get a temperature spike. Many people have talked about replacing their control panels and thermometers with no change to this particular problem on pit bosses, which leads me to believe its more of a heat source issue than a measurement issue.
Thanks you for your video. I went to their site and it appears they don't support the 820S model I have and couldn't find another company who makes one. Wish I could upgrade to a newer model but am retired now and not in my budget.
I have a new Pit Boss Pro model PB1100PSC3 dual grill, pellet grill on the left and gas(LP) grill on the right. I watched your TH-cam video about removing the Safety Grid on the Hopper. I had an older Pit Boss grill and was able to remove the grid on that but on this one I was only able to remove3 of the screws, the others were very tight and would not budge, I tried WD 40 to loosen them up with no luck. I have up because I didn’t want to strip the Phillips head grooves on the screws. Do you have any tips for me? Thank you.
I own a Louisiana smoker that looks a lot like the Pit Boss. I am having the opposite problem. To get the grill to as low as 200 - 220 I have to set the computer to 170, and that is low as the computer goes. Any though on how to solve the problem? Thanks, and this is an excellent video.
Thanks for the kind words! I haven’t used a Louisiana pellet smoker personally but a couple thoughts come to mind. Make sure the temperature probe is very clean. You can use some isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel to wipe off any accumulated grease that may be blocking heat from getting to it thus giving you a lower temperature reading. Secondly, it’s HOT everywhere in the country right now. It’s really hard to keep temps down in any smoker under 200 on a hot day especially in direct sunlight. Try moving the smoker to the shade and also opening your exhaust vent all the way on hot days to get that airflow moving through a little faster. Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing your video . I enjoyed the information . I have a 1600 Elite and will try the plate there at the temp. gage area. Thank You again
I’d love to see an option to have a rod connected to the flame tamer so you could pull it out of the way when you want to use the sear option. All you’d need is a small piece of sheet metal bent 90 degrees to mount to the bottom of the grill to act as a guide and stop for the rod.
Hi - I am interested in Pit Boss smoker/grills and I am just curious if this is considered a "set and go" grill where I can set it in the evening and smoke overnight without worrying about it either fluctuating temps or have it burn my deck down?
It is mostly set and go. However I don’t feel comfortable letting it run all night on my deck without checking on it. Maybe if it was on a concrete patio 50 feet from the house I’d be more ok with it. People do it but it’s up to you at the end of the day. Still an active fire running all night. I might be more comfortable with an electric smoker where there is no active combustion running all night on my deck because once you are done smoldering wood chips it is just an electric oven. Thanks for watching!!
Hiw do you keep the pellet tude from catching on fire? Ive dont slow 6 hiurs cooks of ribs and every time i have to stop and clean out the ash cup and all the pellets from the tube.
HI Sabrina- I'm not sure I'm following your question, are you asking about a pellet tube catching on fire? Are you using a separate pellet tube smoker or are you referring to the auger and ash pot in your Pit Boss? If you are using a pellet tube smoker, make sure to light just the end really well for a few minutes using a butane torch, not a regular lighter. Let the end burn for a couple minutes then gently blow it out and lay it on its side. The rest of the pellets should smolder for a few hours depending on the size of the tube but should not be on fire anymore. Hope that helps, let me know if this is not what you were talking about. Thanks!
I'm sorry I should've proofread my question. It's the auger on my pitboss. Every time I smoke ribs 6 hours, The auger tube catches fire about halfway through. The pellet box begins smoking really badly. I end up pulling the ribs off and clean out the fire pot and empty the auger tube. It's annoying!
OK..that's called a burn back and is a HUGE and very dangerous problem if the auger tube is catching fire and especially if it's making its way all the way back to the hopper loaded up with pellets. First check that all the ash in your fire pot is cleaned out and emptied before every cook. If it's loaded with old ash all the way up to the top this can cause a burn back. Beyond that. it may be a mechanical or electrical malfunction with your Pit Boss. If its still under warranty, I would contact them and try to get a replacement. I would not cook on that grill Sabrina if that is happening, it could result in a very dangerous fire.
The other issue could be that your fan is not working so the pellets are not burning fast enough and they are piling up inside the firepot and eventually igniting the auger tube. It probably takes a little while for the pellets in the auger tube to completely smolder down to the other end back to the hopper. This is why you're noticing the smoke in your hopper a few hours into the cook every time. Check that you hear the fan kick on and stay on when you start your Pit Boss. If not it needs to be replaced/repaired and you shouldn't cook on it until then.
Thank you! I'm going to call pitboss asap. I picked it up last year. Usually, when we see smoke coming from the box we will empty the box first. Then deal with the auger. I clean the whole pit out after we're done smoking and it cools down. So leaving ashes isn't the problem.
I have heard from some 850 owners that the lip the flame broiler sits on is already curved on that model so they don't need the heat diffuser. Make sure to check yours. The one I'm demonstrating on is the 1150/ The flame tamer should fit over the fire pot and work just fine. Thanks for watching!
We tried exactly that in this video. Check it out! SEARED Steakhouse Quality Steaks on a Pellet Grill! | How to Sear Steaks on ANY Pellet Grill th-cam.com/video/74bDNqNBF2Y/w-d-xo.html
did the heat deflected over the fire pot on my pb laredo 1000 and my temperatures were wacked. a simple piece of hd aluminum foil over the top of the sear plate just in the center works like a charm in the laredo 1000
@@madbackyard i just lay a small piece on the bottom rack above the fire box and sear plate and it works perfectly. I tried a heat defuser and my grill wouldn’t work right no matter what direction I turned it. The problem is the sear plate doesn’t seal completely especially once they get older.
My 820 pro does not have the air gap issue but it still runs 100° less than what the display says it is running, I have changed out the circuit board and the temperature sensor and still have the temperature issue of not being as hot as it says it is
Wow, that's quite a big discrepancy in temperature for sure. If no air gap and you've already replaced those components not sure what else it could be at that point. Curious if anyone else watching has run into this big of a difference.
Is that a wifi controller? If so that's your problem. I've tried several wifi controllers in the last 3 yrs. Everyone had the issue of running cooler than the set temperature.
Just got a Pit Boss Sportsman 1000 for Father's Day. Wife and kids surprised me. Doing steaks on it today. Looks like I'll go out to the shop and fab these 2 parts before I put food in it.
What a great present, thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy the new smoker. Make sure to check out our other pellet grill videos and all our Pit Boss recipes at madbackyard.com.
🔥 Heat Deflector Mod now available on Amazon. Check it out HERE ➡ amzn.to/456wwWA
🔥 Flame Tamer Style Diffuser ALSO now available on Amazon. ➡ amzn.to/45SFZRx
That diffuser is twice as expensive as smokeslikeaboss but the heat deflector is half as much
A Better brand of a pellet grill is available everwhere
Will the heat deflector work on a Pit Boss 700FB1?
I wish someone just made a flat version of the broiler shield without the option to sear. Would solve both of these problems.
The diffuser in your link is much larger than the one in your video. Most of the reviews on amazon say it is too big for their pellet grill.
You should not have to modify a $700 pellet smoker. Pit Boss needs to fix this.
In my opinion it should’ve been fixed during their testing phase. These seem like common sense fixes.
I tried this. Then put thermometers throughout the grill. It ran 60° hotter than the temp read out said. Then I pulled the end cap mod and the temps averaged what was on the read out. It seems the engineers did account for this.
@@mikesouders1 I think it depends on the model. Yours might not be the same, or the design has been updated. This video is just almost a year and a half old.
My new 850 model was redesigned and doesn’t need that piece
@ mine came with the piece under the left side of the heat shield already installed but I did have to put a piece of steel channel over the fire to distribute the heat better. Before I installed that piece of channel the left side of the grill was 70-90 degrees hotter than the right. After installing it both sides are within 1-2 degrees of each other at 250 degrees but I did notice that at 350 degrees the left side gets about 40 degrees hotter than the right. It’s better than before but still not perfect at hotter temperatures.
Thanks for being so kind to share these Useful tips for the Pitt Boss grills.
Thanks for watching!
Shout out to Mad Backyard for sharing these potential fixes! I've been frustrated with temperature issues since the 1150 came out. I'm ordering the deflector and tamer as soon as possible! Hopefully, Pit Boss will have enough sense to incorporate these two modifications into there production line so that new sales customers won't suffer our fate, and pay you a consulting fee as well.
Ha, I won't hold my breath, but thank you for the kind words!
Believe it or not, it's been hard for me to find helpful videos with my pit boss, but this video was great. GOD bless you!
Good to hear! Thanks!
I finally did my homework and came across this video. I purchased the two mods for the curved air gap and a diffuser over the firebox for my PB1100 Pro Pellet and Gas split. I was never able to keep my large low and slow cuts on the pellet grill long enough and therefore they were never as tender as I hoped. The center of the grill would run 20-40 deg over the firepot and therefore it cooked too quickly.
Roasted a 5.5 lb pork butt yesterday and it pulled away from the bone with ease and I could tell it was going to shred nicely. Very happy with these changes and now I have hope for tender brisket the next time I smoke. Thanks very much for this info.
I just got this combo too and I think I'm having temp regulation issues too. Set to 270 fluctuates between 270 to 285. Can you link me the stuff you bought?
Your video helped tremendously!! I’m a fabricator. Took a piece of 20 gauge stainless and made my own rolled ledge for the flame broiler to set on.
Also remember to use stainless steel for that little piece of C channel that you put over the broiler. Some steel is cooked with chemicals and may get end up in your food.
Thanks 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Nice!👍
Thanks for this ! I just bought a Pit Boss 1250 Competition Series and made my own for free with scrap laying around the garage.
That is awesome!
Pit Boss seems to have addressed the issue of heat going to the temp probe themselves. Just checked and my Nav 850 has a rounded off the area that the broiler sits on. So it's nice they tried to fix that issue.
850s have always been rounded for some unknown reason…
I really appreciate your taking the time to give assistance for these Pit Boss Smokers. I am still new to the game of smokers. I bought a Pit Boss 1150 at my local Lowes back in Summer of 2022. It took me three or four smokes before I realized that the very important piece of metal that should have been at the end of the heat deflector was missing and causing my cooks to take entirely too long because of the false temperature. I did the mods and it helped a little, but I have found that my Pit Boss to be an epic failure. It is less than two years old and it struggled last year to get to 350 and stay there. I probably got a lemon. I have a friend who has the Pit Boss 850 and she doesn't have half the problems. I am going to spend the extra money and get a Traeger Ironwood XL. It is a lot of money, but I have had some really frustrating smokes with this Pit Boss. What is most annoying about the Pit Boss 1150 is that they are still making them without the heat deflector mod.
I agree with you on the temperature issues you mentioned. I've had my 1150 since the summer it came out and I've been through 3 control boards including the original one, an augur motor and a fan. Luckily the control boards were replaced under warranty (pretty good customer service in the 1st year, but still a pain). The rest out of pocket but not expensive. I just replaced the inner temperature probe before seeing this video, in hopes of getting more accurate temps. Shout out to Mad Backyard for sharing these potential fixes!
If I am not too late, look at the Camp Chef Woodwind series. GREAT pellet smokers, MUCH better than Traeger.
Ordered both for my Austin XL and Laredo 1000. I have to say they made a major difference in my temp fluctuations. I would, definitely, recommend the diffuser and air gap mod to anyone having temperature issues.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback, it's always good to hear that products I recommend are working for other people besides just myself! 🤪
The air gap on my pro series 850 is rounded on the left side already. I bought the flame tamer a few years ago and it works wonderfully! It was well worth the money. Thanks so much for this video. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much!!
@@madbackyard I just bought the navigator 850g. Haven't used it yet. Maybe that flame tamer would work on mine. Or just cut a piece "C" Channel and use it
I just got a pit boss last weak and was struggling with the temps. Thank you for the tips. Awesome video.
Glad it helped, thanks!🙏
Omg! Thank you! I upgraded my panel to wifi/bluetooth and got these….nailin the temps now
Glad it helped!
Just bought a Pitboss sportsman 820 and had the heat issue because of the center being hotter. So glad i came across your page🙏.
Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
I know I'm late to all this, but you guys at Mad Backyard are awesome! Thanks so much for your videos!
Welcome aboard! Thank you!🙏
GREAT video. I have a Camp Chef and it seems that all the pellet brands have their own unique problems. One thing I didn't hear you say how important it is to keep that temp. probe CLEAN. Once the probe gets caked up, the grill temp can vary quite a bit so CLEAN THAT TEMP PROBE! !! !!!
Thanks! Yes, you are absolutely correct, thanks for pointing that out!
I've been having so many problems with mine and it's so disappointing. Gonna try this and see if it helps
I purchased both of these items a couple of years ago from smokes like a boss and I can confirm that my 1100 has way better temperature control now!
I have that problem right now with my pit bbq thanks for the tip I’ll buying as soon i can
Pit Boss 1150 temp Run-A-Way
I purchased my Pit Boss last November when Lowe’s had their $500 off sale.
I used it twice without any problem. The cooking temp was rock solid.
Yesterday, Feb 14th I put some chicken leg quarters and hamburger meat on the
Pit Boss. I had the temp set at 270 deg F. I have been watching the You Tube videos on
cooking chicken leg quarters at 270 deg F. for about 3-4 hours.
I was outside watching things when in about 2 hours my temperature went from 270 deg
to 310 deg F. I hadn’t changed anything. I called Pit Boss and talked to Mr. Jo. He hadn’t
had a clue. He ask what kind of pellets I was using and I told him Oak Kingsford pellets.
He said he never heard the name Kingsford pellets or charcoal bricks.
The pellets were new and dry so I don’t know what was going on. I always clean out all
the pellets when I cook. This includes all the pellets in the auger tube.
Anyone have this problem?
Great info. I have the issues you addressed. Though I have a different problem now the display board is hard to read. Also it shuts off at random. I unplug it to reset.
I’m definitely not an expert on electronics but sounds like it may be a controller or power supply issue that there is no way to fix other than replacing. I would contact Pit Boss tell them to send you a new one.
I am new to pellet smoking and have a Lockhart Platinum which has put a lot of ash in the box and I was on the phone with Pit Boss this morning and I mentioned I had just ordered the diffuser and the lady told me that ANY 3rd party accessory would void the warranty.... having read many here that have already installed these two items, I think it is the right path to a fix for many....
You can use the diffuser without screwing it in. It just slips right into the slots on the flame broiler and the weight will hold it in place.
Very good info! New Pit Boss owner here. Keep ‘em coming! 👍
Thanks!! Make sure to also check out our website madbackyard.com!
I just bought a Pro850 from Lowe's and they've already fixed the gap issue by the probe. I did buy the diverter for over the firebox. Thanks for the tip
I bought the same grill a couple months ago and I noticed the curved bit was already fixed
Thank you. I kept saying there was a crazy hot spot in the center. I'm new to this so I was so happy to hear I was right! I'll order the part!
I've got a smaller pitboss and the firepot is directly underneath the temp probe, so simplly opening the lid you get swings like a damn acrobat.
Thanks for the video . I just looked at my pit boss and yeah my thermometer is coated with a lot of grease and chard food . I have to clean now after watching this .
Glad it helped!
Man thanks posting this video! Your material plus the ideas in the comments is enlightening!
Thank you so much!
i needed this video like a year ago lol. the temps were like 30 to 40 deg off. thinking it was the thermometer they sent me a new one and i had the same issue. got tired of it, so i sold my pit boss.
Haha. Well thanks for watching!
This was a really helpful video. I ordered both today. Excited to see the difference
Glad it helped Shane! Thanks for watching!!
Where can I order these items? 2:27
@@marilyndoucet3106 I bought mine from smokeslikeaboss.com. There are also Amazon versions available now, keep in mind they are not exactly the same but many have purchased them and reported good results: Heat Deflector Mod ➡ amzn.to/456wwWA
🔥 Flame Tamer Style Diffuser ➡ amzn.to/45SFZRx
Thank you for this. I've been having crazy temp differences between what it was reporting and what it actually was. I just ordered this it should be here today fingers crossed because it's been driving my bunkers trying to figure out!
Glad it helped, thanks for watching!
Thanks for a very informative video. Hoping the deflector solves my temp issues. Will let you know. I"ve ordered the deflector.
Right on, thank you!
I am in Northern Illinois so in winter i have a welding blanket from a harbor Freight that i use to cover the smoker to help hold in the heat better for those cold winter smokes. I had a vertical smoker from Pit Boss originally and it had a heat diffuser that came with it. I wonder if that would work here if they offer it as a replacement part
Great tip!
Happy 4th of July! This video on dealing with inaccurate temperatures was very helpful. We are new to smoking and the few cooks that we have done to this point did not turn out as well as hoped. We believe a big part of the less than desirable result was due to the huge temperature variations. The ambient temp (measured on the grate), over the burn pot was almost 100 degrees below the set temp of 250. The temp at on the hopper side of the grill was about 20 degrees below the temp at the burn pot, and the temp at the smoke stack end was about 30 degrees less than at the burn pot. We have a PS850PS2, so the curved deflector was already incorporated by Pit Boss. We purchased the massive Flame Tamer referenced in your Amazon link. It evened out the temps very well. Pit Boss should incorporate this into future builds. I have a couple other questions I’m hoping you can help us with. When you select your cooking temp, for example, 250 degrees, do you expect the ambient temp a couple of inches above the grates to be at 250 or do you assume the ambient temp to be 20-30 degrees less than the set temp? We put a Meater in the middle of a pork butt approximately, about 3” above the grates and the temp was around 220. We are unsure whether we should increase the set temp to allow us to reach the 250 at the middle of the butt or leave it at 250. The second question is in regards to the hopper design. We were told by Pit Boss that a 20lb hopper should last around 16 hours when set at 250. We filled the hopper with new pellets. After 6 hours, the hopper was still 3/4 full but there was a tunnel of no pellets exposing the auger. Is there a fix to get the pellets to fall evenly so we don’t have constantly jiggle the grill to make the pellets fall? Thanks in advance !
Hi Laurie! Glad the flame tamer helped with your temp issues. There's nothing wrong with turning the temp up to 270 or so if you find your Pit Boss running a little below your setting. I hadn't found the flame tamer mod yet back when I made this video so my smoker tended to run too hot which is why I kept it back a little at 250 knowing it might be creeping up to 270 in reality. I love using the Meater as well but keep in mind there sometimes will be a cooler "bubble" of air around your meat which is where the Meater is reading, especially during the first half of the cook. This is just from the cooler temp of the meat itself, evaporation, etc. So, its normal for the Meater to read a little lower than the true cooking temp. It will usually come up more to what you expect as the meat cooks and gets hotter.
As far as the hopper, I made a video showing how to remove the grate so you can brush and even out the pellets with your hand if you want to. th-cam.com/video/-p3RxgRhx7M/w-d-xo.html. If you don't want to do this, you can use a paint stick to jostle the pellets and even them out so you dont have to shake your whole smoker. Hope that answers your questions! Thanks for watching the channel!
Concise and very helpful- Thank you!
Glad it helped!
Does this fit the 850?
Great info here, thanks. I've suspected the temp readings on my Pitboss 700fb weren't accurate. Was excited to see this fix. I checked the website you mentioned, and they don't list the 700fb. Hmm. Might be time to disassemble it, clean it, and have a look. My first pellet smoker. My son found them on sale over the winter, and he talked me into buying one, too. I'm glad I did. It's much easier to use than my WSM. Consequently, I use it more often.
I love my WSM. First smoker I ever bought. Everything I have made in It has tasted Amazing. But yes, it can be an ordeal to setup and cleanup for a just a simple meal.
That's the first thing most notice once buying a pellet grill. You cook way more outside than you ever did. I love mine for baking.
Hello. Just got the PB850 ps2 and it has the rounded lip on both sides. Doesn’t have the fire pot cover. Good to see them making corrections! Maybe they saw your video!
Hey Michael- thanks for watching! I believe I heard that they never changed the rounded lip on the 850 for some reason. A couple other people have told me their 850s don’t have this issue. All the other recent models, as of right now at least, do though. The smokes like a boss guys have the full list on their website. Thankfully you don’t have to deal with it!
I have have the same Pit Boss, PB850PS2 and just checked their list and looks like Heat deflector isn’t available for my model.
Got a pit boss pro 850 about 3 months ago. The ledge for the heat-shield is curved to match so seems like that feature has been fixed as standard. The extra shield for the firepot sounds nifty though.
For whatever reason the 850 never had this problem. But on most other models they made a straight edge. I will have to look at some new floor models this spring to see if they ever changed it on the larger versions.
I gave up on the direct flame option on my Pit Boss. I purchased a Heat defuser from Smoke Daddy which is modified for the pit boss curved sides. Enjoy your videos.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!!
Thank you for this video. I made these modifications, and it was a great improvement.
Great to hear! Thanks!
Thanks for this very informative and helpful video!
This is incredibly helpful. I just bought my first pellet grill (Pit Boss Pro 1600) last week, and have noticed exactly what you just described. Thanks for all of your content!
Glad it helped! Thanks!
I went with Pitboss specifically because the sear plate but I wasn’t aware of the issues I’d have. I’m glad I found this, I actually ordered the flame tamer. I didn’t need the air gap mod because my pit has the round plate. We will see how it goes!
Same for me with the 1150...good luck to us both now i have to some how wait patiently for the mods to ship lol
@@Jaykav99 let me know how it works for you. As soon as I get it I’m doing a Boston butt!
Is it the same size for the 1150 and 1600. I just got a 1600 proseries today.
My Pit Boss has given me an overheat error from day 1. A new control panel didn't fix it but THAT metal side piece will this afternoon. Thank you!
Hopefully does the trick, thanks for watching!
which heat deflecter would i need for the Pit Boss Wood Pellet Pro Series 850-Sq in Hammertone Pellet Grill with Smart Compatibility
I would check the smokes like a boss website. They have a running list of compatible models.
Neat. I watched a video on their website and it appears that not all pitbosses have this issue. Maybe just the older ones??? I got to go pull the cover on ours and check now. We've only done the bake off and cooked in it once so wasn't really paying attention to that. We have the slider for searing etc but I do believe ill be making one from a sheet of stainless myself now that I know what it looks like. Now that I know this is an issue for a hot spot in the middle It does explain some of the oddities we experienced in cooking. I will order that side cover tho for the probe if ours doesnt have it.
Did all these mods years ago where where ya at lol. I did thermal images via my fluke got my temp deffs to 8 degrees across my whole top
Awesome!
Thanks VERY MUCH for this info!!.My PitBoss Pro Series 850 was getting as much a 30-40 degree difference from display Temp to ACTUAL temp.Was going to buy a replacement Temp probe until seeing this video. Kudos to you!!
Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
Wrap temp prob loosely with tin foil. I was struggling with temp issues on my copperhead v5 for three years and finally figured it out. Tin foil is your friend brother! Thanks for the tips
Interesting...thanks for sharing! What's the rationale behind doing this? Just to keep it clean or to lower the perceived temperature?
Glad I found your channel. I made my own cover for the fire box but never thought about the gap by the thermometer. Thanks for the video.
Right on Johnny, thanks for watching!
I have a ZGRILLS smoker, got it back in 2019, before prices went crazy. I love it, never had a bit of trouble with it, only complaint is that it didn't have casters on the hopper side legs, but, nothing a welder and some casters ordered from Amazon didn't take of.
Yes mine has performed well too. I only wish the lid and frame were a little more heavy duty but temperature control has been great. Thankfully they must have switched to adding 4 casters since then!
GREAT video, thank you! I just got my Pit Boss 850 and I thought you'd like to know: they fixed the flat/round heat deflector problem! My heat shield rests on 2 rounded ends, out of the box. I'll be buy that flame tamer soon though :)
I'm frustrated right now trying to cook ribs. Just ordered suggested mods, I hope they give you a commission. Thanks for making this video!
Ha, no commission or affiliation with them. But the parts worked for me. In the meantime try putting your ribs on upper rack with an aluminum water pan below to block and disperse some of the direct heat from the fire pot.
You can also ball up some foil into a tube and shove it on the shelf where the heat deflector will eventually go to block the hot air from hitting your thermostat. Somebody else commented with that idea and it’s a good one.
Awesome Thks just got into smoking and noticed the temp flux
The pro 850 has the curved seat already thankfully, but I did just order the piece for over the burn pot. Thanks for the info. Good vids. Smoke On
Cool, thanks for watching!
I made this from thick sheet metal, works great, thank you
Where did you get the bottom plate that sits over the burn pot and auger tube?
This came on older models. I do not use it anymore and pit boss does not include it anymore.
I also see on their website that they have firebox mods with 3 and 4 window options. Wondering how these would compare to the original
Yeah I saw those recently too. I may try the 3 window one to help direct more heat away from the left side which tends to get hotter with the flame broiler being closer to the grates on that side.
@@madbackyard I did testing before and after the diffuser. I ended up being within 30 or so degrees across the grill. I contacted Smoke Like a Boss, and they suggested the 4 window. I tested afterwards, and with the exception of the edges, I'm say within 10-15 degrees across the grates. The only thing I've noticed now is that due to the Flame Tamer, my temp runs a bit under the probed temp, so I end up cooking slightly hotter.
I have the navigator that I just bought. I'll check my heat and see if I need the different heat shield
Thanks! Lets us know how it works out!
very helpful🙂, thank you for sharing!
Thank you! 🙏
Hi, would this still be needed for Pit Boss 1230CS1 wood pellet and gas combo. It doesn’t specify my model anywhere and I absolutely have the heat not being even. Thanks
I’m not sure about that model. I would contact smokes like a boss and see what their thoughts are. Thanks for watching!
I don't know when you did this but my new Lexington has this temperature baffle built in.
Also, the plate over the slots in the broiler plate is solid, which adds metal between the firebox and the cooking aea.
Good to know! Maybe they watched this video… 🧐 😆
Thank you sir. I recently purchased the 1600 series and I've noticed that it's so big it's hard to keep an even temperature across the entire space
Glad I could help, thanks for watching!
Did this fit your 1600
To prevent the heat from coming up the grate, I put heavy duty foil over the entire curved dome. It also keeps the grease off of it.
I just used foil on the plate today and had some odd results. Seemed like my cook took an extra hr - 1.5 hrs. I think the foil caused even further temp issues.
Excellent vid! So, theoretically you could wad up some aluminum foil and put it the space by the thermometer?? You could probably make a "cover" for the pot as well...just thinkin here
Yes. I actually tested with a rolled up wad of aluminum foil before ordering the piece itself and it worked the same. Just annoying to have to constantly reposition every time you move the flame broiler. As far as the cover for the fire pot, I'm not sure if you were implying to use foil there too, I would NOT. Unless you really know what you are doing with sheet metal and can fabricate a similar mod, I would just order theirs.
I noticed my temperature fluctuations were happening because of smoke residue/grease building up on the wired connection prongs for the probe. The prongs for me were located on the backside of the pellet hopper behind a metal guard that can be unscrewed. There are wires with metal prongs at the end that connect into each other. Its the probe connecting into the controller board. After removing the guard, the prongs have a rubber guard around them. I found residue all around the outside and the inside of the rubber. I cleaned them with 90% isopropyl alcohol with q-tips and it helped immensley. I do keep the actual probe clean too but it doesnt help near the amount as keeping the connector pieces free of residue. My original problem was the grill kept overheating and shutting off after 6 months of decent use. Tried a few different things but that was the culprit, and it also helpes with temperature fluctuations and keeping the correct temperature that is read on the sceen. I regularly clean once per month or 2 now and haven't had any issues at all with overheating or incorrect temperatures.
Thanks for sharing that tip! It’s not an area I would think to check on the grill for grease buildup but I guess it can happen!
@Mad Backyard ya its on a pitboss 580 square inch. I bought an Austin xl onyx and noticed it didn't have those prongs on the outside of the smoker any where. So it's probably just specific to that models or models that run the connection on the outside
Cool, thanks for sharing!
As I was watching this I was thinking that my Pit Boss wasn't flat on the left side that I remember so I checked, and sure enough mine is rounded on both ends. I have a PB820PS1 which is about four years old, so maybe the newer models are flat. The only issue I have had with it is that priming doesn't work anymore, otherwise it has been a great unit!
Yes, some of the previous models were rounded. I’m not sure why they made the change on the 1150 and other newer series. That stinks about priming. So the auger still turns normally, just not when you hold the prime button?
Thanks for the info. I have a PB850PS2 Pro Series. With the smaller cooking area, it can be tricky moving large cuts of meat around and not getting it over searer. The 4-window Flame Tamer is the mod i have been looking for. I just ordered it, and Subscribed, Thank you.😎
Glad it helped, thanks for watching and subscribing!
Great video. I recently got a PB 850 Pro Series from Lowes. I've done some good cooking on it and got some good results, but I've been seeing some comments around about inaccurate temperatures and I stumbled up on your video. Happy to report that the first fix you had (the deflector thing) is actually included in my Pitboss so they must have watched your video :P. My PB isn't the same as yours, so I don't have that big flat plate that's level with my burn pot like yours. I think I'll go get some steel and just make a simple defelctor that will rest on the bottom of my grill and work like that deflector, kinda wondering if there's some way I can add a lever similar to the searing plate lever that slides the deflector out of the way... don't know that I want to hack up my grill that much though so I think I'll just do it the hard way and remove the burner plate every time. Thanks for all of the tips!
Thanks for the kind words! Yes, the 850 has always had a curved lip from what I understand. Not sure why it's different on just that model, but at least you dont need that mod. I took out the big flat plate you mention because other people claimed it did nothing and was throwing off their temperatures. I'm not sure if it helped but it definitely hasn't hurt anything. And I saw Pit Boss stopped including it on newer models as well so they must have found the same thing. The flame tamer still sits on top of the burn pot even without it. In fact I pull on it a little and squeeze it around the screw heads so it actually sits very snug and doesn't move around at all once it pinches down on them. If I want to knock it off to sear I open the sear plate and knock it out of the way with a slotted screwdriver and I don't have to take the flame broiler off while cooking. Hope that helps!
@madbackyard I have a Pitboss Lexington 540 and while the auger is working, the fan motor is not. I went for my first cook of the year and didn’t hear the familiar roar at turn on. How do I fix this???
I am building a refrigerator smoker, and I'm stuck with airflow, temp control, and mitigating dirty smoke. Any advice would be appreciated.
Great video and tips 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you!
my pit boss lexington has the curved piece top and bottom, temps never vary unless I open the lid
Interesting...shows what a difference that makes...thanks for watching Bruce!
Thanks for that info! What’s the brand of thermometer you’re using?
That was an older one, but you can use any good probe thermometer. Make sure they come with the little clips to attach to your grates. I now like this one from Thermopro: amzn.to/3MVAoSB
Didn’t feel like spending $80 on them since the reason I went with the pit boss is because it was cheaper then all the others. Instead I went to Lowe’s and bought 26 gauge sheet metal for $9 and made took some measurements and cut them my self with my harbor freight shears.
That’s great!!
@@madbackyard I hope the sheet metal wasn't galvanized.
@@ericskelton8109probably not i hope . If your trying to save money why would you buy the galvanized stuff lol
Make me one, please. 😊
@@ericskelton8109A36 steel isn’t usually galvanized.
Well done video! Great tips
They mention that the Austin XL Onyx does not need the air gap mod but I'm going to look into the flame tamer, thanks for the info!
Thanks for watching! I'm not sure about that model. Just check if the lip of the shelf it rests on is already curved and flush against it. I know that's how the 850 pro series is.
@@madbackyard yeah they're curved from the factory on the new onyx.
Will this work for the pit boss Austin xl?
I believe yes but you can check the smokes like a boss website they list all the compatible models.
I just ordered both items that you use. Look forward to share my experience. I'm retired , 75 years old, Tool & Die Machnist and Master Pattern Maker. But I'll let these people make mine..just saying
Haha, well thanks for watching. Sometimes it’s just easier that way isn’t it!
My flame broiler is right in the middle and I do have to adjust my cook around the center
i watch all your r vids,always meessing with gillls, do you think by adding aluminumfoil to a pitboss heat difuser wold reflect the heat downward and not up to the plate, i have the pb150 tabletop model
Thanks for watching our channel!! Someone on here mentioned balling up some aluminum foil to go in the spot where the heat deflector plate would go near the temperature probe to accomplish the same goal of blocking the hot air. I think it’s a great idea to try out before you buy the deflector to make sure it works for you. I think that’s how I’m understanding your question. As far as the flame tamer, I would not use any aluminum foil near the fire pot as it’s just going to burn up and adhere to stuff and make a mess. It just gets too hot in that area.
@@madbackyard k,thanks
My 1150 has the heat diffuser and is curved , I have never had a problem with fluctuating temps. As for the flame tamer I do a lot of searing and prefer that it does not get covered. Thanks for your tips.
Thanks for watching Rob! Glad to hear you haven't had temperature issues like I did. I like that the flame tamer is easily removable when you want to use the direct heat. You can even use slotted screwdriver through the grates and knock it out of the way so you don't' have to take everything out to move it.
@@madbackyard ha ha I like the screw driver trick , food for thought , pun intended. Cheers
Nice.
Did the flame tamer that went over the fire pot work to even out the temperature in the pit?
Hello. I have. A Louisiana smoker. Grill heats up to 350. I adjust it down to 225. Stays there for awhile. Then climbs back up again. Is there a fix ?
Hi Chris - I haven’t used that brand specifically so just theorizing here…but I imagine it has something to do with your igniter rod. Check that the ash in your fire pot is cleaned out well first, and then that the ignitor rod is working consistently. If it’s not coming on consistently or making contact with the pellets the auger will keep feeding more to the pot and then when they do eventually ignite you get a temperature spike. Many people have talked about replacing their control panels and thermometers with no change to this particular problem on pit bosses, which leads me to believe its more of a heat source issue than a measurement issue.
Thanks you for your video. I went to their site and it appears they don't support the 820S model I have and couldn't find another company who makes one. Wish I could upgrade to a newer model but am retired now and not in my budget.
I have a new Pit Boss Pro model PB1100PSC3 dual grill, pellet grill on the left and gas(LP) grill on the right.
I watched your TH-cam video about removing the Safety Grid on the Hopper.
I had an older Pit Boss grill and was able to remove the grid on that but on this one I was only able to remove3 of the screws, the others were very tight and would not budge, I tried WD 40 to loosen them up with no luck. I have up because I didn’t want to strip the Phillips head grooves on the screws.
Do you have any tips for me?
Thank you.
You left the diffuser over the auger and fire pot on and the use the fire pot cover ?
I own a Louisiana smoker that looks a lot like the Pit Boss. I am having the opposite problem. To get the grill to as low as 200 - 220 I have to set the computer to 170, and that is low as the computer goes. Any though on how to solve the problem? Thanks, and this is an excellent video.
Thanks for the kind words! I haven’t used a Louisiana pellet smoker personally but a couple thoughts come to mind. Make sure the temperature probe is very clean. You can use some isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel to wipe off any accumulated grease that may be blocking heat from getting to it thus giving you a lower temperature reading. Secondly, it’s HOT everywhere in the country right now. It’s really hard to keep temps down in any smoker under 200 on a hot day especially in direct sunlight. Try moving the smoker to the shade and also opening your exhaust vent all the way on hot days to get that airflow moving through a little faster. Hope that helps!
I got a flame tamer and left side is still hotter than the right.. any suggestions? I have a pro series 850
Thank you for sharing your video . I enjoyed the information . I have a 1600 Elite and will try the plate there at the temp. gage area. Thank You again
Glad it was helpful! Thanks!
Did this fit your 1600?
I am going to try putting foil over the broiler when I do ribs and brisket instead of getting the flame tamer.
Let us know how it works for you!
Wow, just looked to get one and out of stock indefinitely, what happened, guess I'm going to have to make one ! I subbed and liked, cheers !
hi Joe- Thanks for the sub! They go in and out of stock pretty frequently. I would just check back in a day or two.
Ok, Thank you !@@madbackyard
I’d love to see an option to have a rod connected to the flame tamer so you could pull it out of the way when you want to use the sear option. All you’d need is a small piece of sheet metal bent 90 degrees to mount to the bottom of the grill to act as a guide and stop for the rod.
Hi - I am interested in Pit Boss smoker/grills and I am just curious if this is considered a "set and go" grill where I can set it in the evening and smoke overnight without worrying about it either fluctuating temps or have it burn my deck down?
It is mostly set and go. However I don’t feel comfortable letting it run all night on my deck without checking on it. Maybe if it was on a concrete patio 50 feet from the house I’d be more ok with it. People do it but it’s up to you at the end of the day. Still an active fire running all night. I might be more comfortable with an electric smoker where there is no active combustion running all night on my deck because once you are done smoldering wood chips it is just an electric oven. Thanks for watching!!
Hiw do you keep the pellet tude from catching on fire? Ive dont slow 6 hiurs cooks of ribs and every time i have to stop and clean out the ash cup and all the pellets from the tube.
HI Sabrina- I'm not sure I'm following your question, are you asking about a pellet tube catching on fire? Are you using a separate pellet tube smoker or are you referring to the auger and ash pot in your Pit Boss? If you are using a pellet tube smoker, make sure to light just the end really well for a few minutes using a butane torch, not a regular lighter. Let the end burn for a couple minutes then gently blow it out and lay it on its side. The rest of the pellets should smolder for a few hours depending on the size of the tube but should not be on fire anymore. Hope that helps, let me know if this is not what you were talking about. Thanks!
I'm sorry I should've proofread my question. It's the auger on my pitboss. Every time I smoke ribs 6 hours, The auger tube catches fire about halfway through. The pellet box begins smoking really badly. I end up pulling the ribs off and clean out the fire pot and empty the auger tube. It's annoying!
OK..that's called a burn back and is a HUGE and very dangerous problem if the auger tube is catching fire and especially if it's making its way all the way back to the hopper loaded up with pellets. First check that all the ash in your fire pot is cleaned out and emptied before every cook. If it's loaded with old ash all the way up to the top this can cause a burn back. Beyond that. it may be a mechanical or electrical malfunction with your Pit Boss. If its still under warranty, I would contact them and try to get a replacement. I would not cook on that grill Sabrina if that is happening, it could result in a very dangerous fire.
The other issue could be that your fan is not working so the pellets are not burning fast enough and they are piling up inside the firepot and eventually igniting the auger tube. It probably takes a little while for the pellets in the auger tube to completely smolder down to the other end back to the hopper. This is why you're noticing the smoke in your hopper a few hours into the cook every time. Check that you hear the fan kick on and stay on when you start your Pit Boss. If not it needs to be replaced/repaired and you shouldn't cook on it until then.
Thank you! I'm going to call pitboss asap. I picked it up last year. Usually, when we see smoke coming from the box we will empty the box first. Then deal with the auger. I clean the whole pit out after we're done smoking and it cools down. So leaving ashes isn't the problem.
Do the mods in the links fit the 850 pro series?
I have heard from some 850 owners that the lip the flame broiler sits on is already curved on that model so they don't need the heat diffuser. Make sure to check yours. The one I'm demonstrating on is the 1150/ The flame tamer should fit over the fire pot and work just fine. Thanks for watching!
If you take diffuser off of the z grill can you then sear?
We tried exactly that in this video. Check it out! SEARED Steakhouse Quality Steaks on a Pellet Grill! | How to Sear Steaks on ANY Pellet Grill
th-cam.com/video/74bDNqNBF2Y/w-d-xo.html
did the heat deflected over the fire pot on my pb laredo 1000 and my temperatures were wacked. a simple piece of hd aluminum foil over the top of the sear plate just in the center works like a charm in the laredo 1000
I wouldn’t advise putting foil on or over your burn pot of flame broiler.
@@madbackyard i just lay a small piece on the bottom rack above the fire box and sear plate and it works perfectly. I tried a heat defuser and my grill wouldn’t work right no matter what direction I turned it. The problem is the sear plate doesn’t seal completely especially once they get older.
My 820 pro does not have the air gap issue but it still runs 100° less than what the display says it is running, I have changed out the circuit board and the temperature sensor and still have the temperature issue of not being as hot as it says it is
Wow, that's quite a big discrepancy in temperature for sure. If no air gap and you've already replaced those components not sure what else it could be at that point. Curious if anyone else watching has run into this big of a difference.
Is that a wifi controller? If so that's your problem. I've tried several wifi controllers in the last 3 yrs. Everyone had the issue of running cooler than the set temperature.
Just got a Pit Boss Sportsman 1000 for Father's Day. Wife and kids surprised me. Doing steaks on it today. Looks like I'll go out to the shop and fab these 2 parts before I put food in it.
What a great present, thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy the new smoker. Make sure to check out our other pellet grill videos and all our Pit Boss recipes at madbackyard.com.