FEC120 issue

First, get a Maverick ET-732 or ET-733 remote pit/food alarm with HI/LO TEMP Alert.

Second, Call Tony/Bill @ Cookshack Service.

Let us know how it works out.

I've had the mysterious "pellet dam" happen over the years, maybe 2 or 3 times in 10 years.

"Something" causes the fire to go cold/out and then the pellets back up and snuff it out basically. It's all about air flow. Like you when I clean and restart everything works fine.

If it repeats, it's usually a bad fan (not working) so there is no airflow through the firepot.

I would still call Tony/Bill just to follow-up and maybe they have a list of what to check.

I've had the 'dam' happen to me a couple times in the first year or so I had my FEC-120. I haven't had it happen for the last couple years and I hope I discovered the culprit.

There's a flange created by the metal tube housing the auger where it enters the firebox area at the top of the chute. Ash builds up on top of that flange. If you don't think to vacuum the top of that flange (as I failed to do in the 'early' years of my FEC-120) I think the ash build up eventually falls down onto the chute and blocks pellets from making it to the pot while the igniter is providing 'fire'. By the time the weight of built up pellets break through the dam and get to the pot, the igniter is either no longer igniting, or the sudden, large rush of pellets dowses any flame. I vacuum that flange area consistently now and have not had a dam problem since. My two cents worth.