FEC 120 Ribs over cooking on the two top shelves

1. If ribs are hard as a rock, I don't think they're done;

2. I get a little ash on the top shelf sometimes (no big deal for me);

3. Not sure what you mean by the 'grinding' sound of the fan and how you 'adjust' it. The grinding sound combined with all the ash you say you're getting on the top shelf leads me to ask if you ever vacuum the cook pot area between cooks (your fan may be clogged with ash);

4. I don't know what you mean by 'manually turning on the flame'. Are you using a flammable liquid of some sort? Also, if you have to 'manually light the flame' leads me again to ask if you ever vacuum out/clean the firepot & firepot area;

5. Is your pellet flow that fast that flames run up the chute? Might be an auger problem (call Cookshack);

6. My bottom two shelves (5th then 4th) normally heat up the fastest, followed by the top, second and then third;

7. What kind of ribs are you cooking and at what temp?

BB and St Louis

We clean the firepot every morning

the Temp is 234

Ash could be a function of what pellets you are using...

First off you need to confirm that your pit is running at the correct temp. If the fire is high enough it is lighting pellets in the chute you probably have either 1)a fire regulation problem or 2)an airflow problem.

If ribs are getting burnt at the 45 min point running at 234 degrees... I'm leaning toward a fire/temp control problem. I cook SL spares and it takes a good 4 hours at 274 to get them where they need to be.

Stick a remote probe near the factory temp probe and run the pit at your normal temp and see what is going on, how the temps compare etc.

And as always... call Bill or Tony at Cookshack this AM.

I agree with Nordy, something don't sound right. Good advice on calling costumer service, they will get it figured out.