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23 replies

Char Broiler heating issues

FM Former Member
Posted February 14, 2011 08:19 AM
Hello. Brand new to the forum.
I've been reading the forum's for awhile and decided to join.. There is a lot of good advice here and I am in need of some myself. I recently purchased the 24 inch charbroiler as well as an fec 100. I'm having an issue with the broiler not heating up as well as I thought. The middle is hot but about 5 inches from both ends don't really get up to temp. I've read where people are cooking great steaks and chops on this and I just can not see where that would give a good product on mine. I'm just doing burgers right now and it takes a good 10 min to cook a 1/2 lb flat fresh patty to temp. I do have it inside our restaurant under a hood system without the attached cover that comes with it. I thought that would be part of the problem not having the attached cover, so I tried using a sheet tray to try to simulate the cover which worked well but still no difference in heat.
Problem 2:
After cleaning out the pots well, I will fire it up and sometimes it will light well and other times it will back all the way up the ramp with pellets before lighting and then it will burn all the pellets in the pot as well as on the ramp. needless to say this is a danger for me. I did call cookshack to ask them , they did not really understand why it would do both my issues so I'm just reaching out to you who own one for advice.

Thank you
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FM Former Member
Problem 2.

When the pot is clean, the ignitor may not have enough pellets to light before it turns off (it's only on for a few minutes, by design). Easy thing to do it throw a handful of pellets in the pot and it will start up normally

Problem 1.

I dont have a CB yet (one is coming) so I'd call CS and ask them. I haven't heard of this issue and it's new enough, not sure how many users we have who can help. Quickest answer is to just call.

Russ

p.s. I delete the other two duplicate posts. This is the right forum to put it. Multiple places only confuses the issue as people wouldn't know which one to respond too Big Grin
FM Former Member
A quick update on the chargrill.. I spoke with tony from CS and he helped me with the heating and overloading the pot issues. 1) overload: When you first fire up the grill turn on low until the pellets ignite, then turn on high.
2) heating up: Tony said the best way to get the right tempature is to leave one side on high and the other side on low.( i was just using the one side on mine at a time not both). Seems to work well and the grill seems to have better heat on all the surface. For those who own one I would like to hear what you think of yours.

Thanks
FM Former Member
Think of fire management 101. If you set it high, it dumps a lot of pellets trying to get to that temp. What happens is that if you clean the pot, you're suffocating the fire before it starts.

So pellet overflow is either that or a bad ignitor.

That's why I throw a handful of pellets in to start, get the fire going quickly, but I like the low temperature start idea BUT if it doesn't feed enough pellets, it might not start (just wanted to say that in case you get one where it doesn't start)

Always a little learning curve, but CS Customer Service is the best.

You post/question is perfect, I'm getting my CB in the spring after I get my deck finished.

Russ
FM Former Member
I have had a charbrioler going on 8 months now & I have not had any heating issue. What I do like about it is. Approximately 4 inch to the front of the grill it does have a cooler spot. I like this because as I grill steaks or burgers or whatever else, I can move them around so they don't over cook or dry out. Here is a picture

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FM Former Member
Thank you for writing with your info. It is getting better results now. I think I will get the hood sometime soon and i'm sure that will help as well. It looks like a nice setup you have thank you for the picture. You must use that as a smoker as well by the way it looks?.
Or at least i don't think that is the way it attaches to the grill.
FM Former Member
My post is from a year ago, before i had my CB.

The CB is slightly different than the FE (which is what my comment is based on).

The CB will continue to smoke and blow the air after you turn it off until all wood is turned to ash and the air flows that ash out. Most times it should be clean just from how it operates.

I don't start mine like I do my FE, I don't put pellets it. But I don't walk away either.

I just turn it on and let it go, and wait to make sure the fire lights. The CB does have a feature the FE doesn't, an "ignitor" button. If after 5 min or so I don't see anything and BEFORE the pot gets to full, I'll hit the ignitor. I've only had to do that once.
FM Former Member
Morning:

Big Joe, i am sure you know this but each time you start the CB, it will automaticly start you out on High & once it fires up, it's up to you to change the setting to where you want it to cook at. High, Med or Low, when your not cooking but need it to stay warm, hit the control setting to Low

Earl
Bustin Loose BBQ
FM Former Member
Chef, I am only kicking at stones here but is it possible that the lager fan may have been installed incorrectly & it might be upside down. The reason I am thinking this is I still think you have a air flow problem. The fan might be reversed & is taking the air away instead of add to the firepot. If everything is working right, then sorry it's a call to Cookshack for more help.
FM Former Member
they are getting smothered
even when on low
used a torch couple days ago and it worked its way all the way up the ramp

Also noticed a bit of black smoke in the beginning of the lighting process, I guess we'll see what the tech says

Love the grill just want it to work properly for the cooks using it
A astronorickMember
Im tired of replacing ignitors, so light with torch. When we turn CB on, we immediately hit the arrow to 'low' to feed fewer pellets. They do overfeed in my experience. My FEC-120 does the same thing.

quote:
Originally posted by chefb2057:
they are getting smothered
even when on low
used a torch couple days ago and it worked its way all the way up the ramp

Also noticed a bit of black smoke in the beginning of the lighting process, I guess we'll see what the tech says

Love the grill just want it to work properly for the cooks using it
B bigjoeMember
i disconnected my ignighter so i would use less voltage that way i can plug into the same socket for both my cb's. any way i start with a handfull of pellets in the pot add the gel and light and let it burn for a few minutes till the pellets are burnining goor. then i turn it on so the fan will kick up the fire pot. i've had no problem since i started doing this. loving my grill

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