I post this ONLY as a troubleshooting post--Not as a bitch!
On this Thanksgiving Day, I was in the middle of a full cooking day. Just having fun, cooking for neighbors, and testing stuff for comps.
Doing a couple of Turkey Breasts, a Duck (big side story there ), a slab of ribs for a neighbor, and some test chicken parts. Wife said I was only missing "A Partrige in a Pear Tree".
Having a great time!
After two hours or so, I notice the FEC is down to 190 from a setting of 270.
Fire pot is empty--nothing, NADA, going on --just embers.
OK--Let's troubleshoot.
Combustion fan??--checks OK--pulling and pushing air.
Auger Drive/Shear pin??--Probable suspect.
So, I unstrap the FEC and move it out where I can pull the end cap.
Reach under all the wires and motor and stuff and auger shaft is rotating and driving just fine!
So, the auger "appears" to be working and not a shear pin problem.
What now?
Emptied all the pellets and pressed the START buttum to make the auger go to work--checked the auger at the bottom of the hopper---NOTHING--NADA--No rotation at all!
So--pulled the step motor and the auger out.
The Auger welds had failed at the point they were welded onto the shaft!
FEC is done for the day--but, saved by my little Treager.
Got it all done.
So, I will try to get the shaft/spiral auger re-welded locally (hopefully) and call Cookshack Fri or Mon to let them know about this.
I have a Traeger 070 which saved the day for us--so no real damage except for the timing.
Competition teams can not survive with equipment failures.
I already carried a spare fan and spare drive pins packaged with the tools to change them immediately.
Now, I am gonna add an auger assembly!
Today, this was a timing irritation,
But at a comp, .........?????
For the record, I burn Candy Sue's pellets, so they are not the problem that caused the weld to fail.
Like I said, this is meant to inform--not to bitch.
Just learn your cooker and troubleshoot methodically and all will be well!!!!
If you comptete--learn the "possible failure points" amd carry spares (with tools) to stay in the game!
TIM
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