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So I thought I'd throw a pork belly in the smoker. Well after 30 minutes it only got up to 74*. Did a quick look around and it seems the auger isn't turning very much. I did check a few times and it does turn maybe an 1/8 of a turn every now and then. Outside temp was around 35-38*. Any ideas what to check for in the daylight?

Backup plan... Pork belly is in the oven.
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I had a similar problem. Temps were off by 25-30 o most of the time. The cause in my case was a faulty control board, which was replaced.

Other things I was told to check for.
Check the bottom of the pellet bin for dust build-up. Disconnect the auger from the motor. Check for pellecrete in the tube assembly. Check the auger leading edges for wear. Rounded edges may cause insufficient pellets. Vacuum the tube and the plenum housing around the fire pot. Check the lower 120 mm fan. Is it running and revving rpm's when in operation? Check the auger motor fan. It should start and stop whirling as the auger turns.

Once you've eliminated those possible trouble spots, call Bill or Tony if you're still having an issue.
Well I think I found the problem. Burned out auger motor. Took it out applied power to it... Dead as a door nail.

I think the tan covering that looks like it's melted is supposed to be white.

Any idea why it would burn up? Didn't see any pelletcrete anywhere. Stuck a small screwdriver into the shear pin hole to try to turn the shaft and it won't budge.

I guess tonight's smoked meatloaf will have to be put on hold.



I had a chunk of wood in a bag of pellets I missed once and it got in the auger jamming it up. Was lucky it didn't fry the motor but I was out there right after it happened on start up.

Only time I've ever seen that (knock on wood) in about 30 tons of pellets. Not sure how the chunk got in there but it was about 3" long and a little wider than a pencil. It was pinched pretty good but the motor couldn't quite get it sheered off.
on blowing the dust off of pellets, I use my little 2-gal shopvac that I have on standby next to the smoker to vacuum out the firepot. I put it on blow and blow a stream of air across the pellets as I'm pouring them into the hopper - all the dust blows away.

Never had any foreign objects or elongated pellets in my BBQ delight pellets, nor cookshack pellets which came with the smoker.

On the auger, Andy, I'm sorry for your loss. I had a problem with my auger a month ago, that I never posted due to business. The weld broke and the center shaft on the auger was spinning but the corkscrew piece was setting still. Luckily I had a spare and was up and running in no time. Also, it must have been this way for a while, as I was hearing the auger motor labor for a couple of smokes before the old auger broke and it does not labor at all with the new one.

anyway, glad you got it fixed.

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