Auger Jams

[Dons60]

I have a new Dual Fire 1200 (RT-1200) I've only had about 4-5 cooks. 3 of which were on the Smoker side. All three of these the Auger jammed. Each time I had to move the meat to the sear side to finish the cook. Each time I emptied the hopper as much as possible by hand, removed the insides to get to the fire pot and auger exit. I then used my shop vac to remove the remaining pellets to discover that there were hard pellets jammed between the auger and sidewall of the Shute. There is absolutely no pellet dust. Each time I've been able to free the auger by poking the jammed pellet ('s) free. I turn on the grill and test the auger. It moves as it should. Reinstall everything including a few pellets in the hopper and to a test run. Things work as normal until about halfway into the next cook the auger jambs and the temp plummets.

I contrast the sear side seems to work just fine. No jamming, Works well I can hear the auger push through and break up any pellet that might be lodged.

Any advice on what might be the cause of this? I have a request into RT support. Waiting for response.
Thanks, Don

 

[Motodad1776]

This appears to be an issue with this new model, and what pellets are you running by chance?

 

[Dons60]

This appears to be an issue with this new model, and what pellets are you running by chance?

Bear Mountain Hickory. They work fine in the sear side. I have about 4 cooks on that side without issue using the same pellets.
Last night When I cleaned out the auger there was no dust whatsoever. But I could see the auger was bound up with 2 pellets wedged between the auger and sidewall of the auger chute. I punched them loose with a screwdriver and it worked. But I know now it will bind again on my next cook. Its like the chute is oversized or the auger spiral is undersized just enough that if 2 pellets end up in the right spot it will bind and stop. The only indication is a drop in temperature. No temperature adjustment does anything. Only a complete cleanout and refill.
Thanks Don

 

[Dons60]

Also I forgot to mention, there are no error codes when this happens. You would think there would be a code for a stuck auger.
Don

 

[SmokeOCD]

Maybe a bad bag, they’ll make you try this anyway… try different pellets. Pit Boss is the smallest pellets I’ve used. If it still jams it’s a Recteq issue. Someone will be right along to tell you which CSR to ask for. (Inside joke, you’ll find out soon enough)

 

[Jim6820]

I think @SmokeOCD has it right; try some different pellets. Personally, I’ve found LumberJack pellets to be smaller diameter and easier to feed into the auger. If you are using Recteq Ultimate Blend, I have had problems with them in the past jamming the auger in my RT-340. Others haven’t had issues with them, so it may just be that I got some from a bad run.

That said, do try some different pellets to see if that solves the problem.

 

[Dons60]

Maybe a bad bag, they’ll make you try this anyway… try different pellets. Pit Boss is the smallest pellets I’ve used. If it still jams it’s a Recteq issue. Someone will be right along to tell you which CSR to ask for. (Inside joke, you’ll find out soon enough)

Just so I'm clear. You mean that a smaller pellet (dia. and length or just dia.) will not bind between the auger and sidewall of the chute. Is this correct?
Don

 

[Motodad1776]

Yeah Lumberjack are probably consistently the smallest sized pellets and are excellent if can find them. I like the Kirkland pellets from Costco but they can be pretty long, however they are also the softest pellets I have ever used and are so easy to break apart, I haven't heard a crunch or pop one time using these in comparison to the gauntlet of others I have used.

 

[Dons60]

I hear you guys advice. But I still have to wonder why the sear side does not have this issue. It works fine so far. Like I said I can actually hear the auger push through any pellet('s) that get in the way.
Don

 

[Ol' Smokey]

Might have a weak/faulty motor on that side...

 

[SmokeOCD]

I hear you guys advice. But I still have to wonder why the sear side does not have this issue. It works fine so far. Like I said I can actually hear the auger push through any pellet('s) that get in the way.
Don

Ok swap the augers and motors. Now if the sear side jams probably bad motor, if the smoke side still jams it’s something about the construction of the chute.

 

[hput2]

A lot of options here, I would call Recteq and see what they say before you try everything listed above. And who knows they might tell you the same thing!

 

[Dons60]

A lot of options here, I would call Recteq and see what they say before you try everything listed above. And who knows they might tell you the same thing!

Thanks hput2,
I have a support request in. I believe I did that on Thursday this week. So only response is we've received your message. I will go back and find some videos on auger replacement Just for an idea on how to do it if needed. . I did watch one for a motor replacement.
Thanks for all the help
Don

 

[Dons60]

I am so disappointed in this grill I did hear back from a Tech at RecTeq. He said to remove the rectangle inspection plate with tab just in back of the burner pot and check for obstruction(s). Then replace only finger tight. Well I did this and It jammed just like the other 4 times only sooner. I was only 30 min. in to the cook set at 205 degrees this time.
I was smoking Pork Steaks. I wanted to slow smoke these for about 2.5 hours so they would be tender. My only option at this point was to move them to the sear side and try to slow cook them there. I set the temp to Low which is 200 degrees I believe. This seemed to be fine for several cycles of the grill calling for more pellets and the bump in temp. However, it would drop to 190 or lower before it would deliver more pellets. Then the temp would rage to 250 & higher before it would go all the way back down to 190 or lower again. Then finally it jammed. Temp dropped to 111. I tried setting temp higher to see if the auger would start pushing pellets it didn't until I shook and bumped the auger motor housing and this seemed to dislodge the auger but it must have delivered way to many pellets because it started smoking heavily. So much so I thought I would need to go get my fire extinguisher. Again all this while the grill is set to Low. I opened the door to remove the meat and couldn't even see them. I fished them out and left the door open and after about 5 or so min. Flames flashed and the smoke started to clear and the temp raged way up to over 400. Again all while the temp was set at 200. I let the pellets burn out and when the temp got close to 200 I put the meat back on. Then a lot of smoke started coming out of the hopper lid. I was afraid that it would catch fire so I removed the meat again and set the temp to full to see if the auger would push any fire in the auger chute out. It did after about another 5-8 min run time. I set the grill back to 200 and let it cool down again, replaced the meat and finished the cook.
Has anyone had trouble trying to cook at the lowest settings like this? How in the world am I supposed to slow smoke a brisket for 10 hours with the grill like this? So far this is the worse $1600 dollars I've ever spent! What an utter disappointment.
I called RecTeq as soon as my smoker side stopped again and before I moved the meat to the sear side. They will be sending me a new motor for the smoker side. But now the sear side has jammed on the low setting as well.
Don

 

[Dons60]

This appears to be an issue with this new model, and what pellets are you running by chance?

Bear Mountain Hickory
Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated
Don

 

[Waterboy]

It sure sounds like you got a lemon. These really are good grills overall though I’m sure it doesn’t seem like that to you. I’d give the new motor a try but if it doesn’t help you need to ask for a supervisor next time you call support. If they don’t make it right call Ray Carnes (owner) directly. It will help if you are keeping a log of all that is going on so he gets how bad your grill is behaving.

 

[Dons60]

It sure sounds like you got a lemon. These really are good grills overall though I’m sure it doesn’t seem like that to you. I’d give the new motor a try but if it doesn’t help you need to ask for a supervisor next time you call support. If they don’t make it right call Ray Carnes (owner) directly. It will help if you are keeping a log of all that is going on so he gets how bad your grill is behaving.

Thank you so much I will do exactly that.
Don

 

[Motodad1776]

When a growing company tries/does new things on a platform which just makes it more complicated in order to do more.......this kind of crap happens. I feel for ya, not too many have bought this model here so the data stream coming in is pretty sparse. Sounds like you either got a lemon, or perhaps this grill looked good on paper, but in actual real world application is lacking. There simply isn't a do it all grill, which is why I also have a Weber charcoal grill and a Blackstone griddle.......good luck dude, hope you get this sorted and they make it right, perhaps ask for a different model over getting this running right?

 

[Dons60]

When a growing company tries/does new things on a platform which just makes it more complicated in order to do more.......this kind of crap happens. I feel for ya, not too many have bought this model here so the data stream coming in is pretty sparse. Sounds like you either got a lemon, or perhaps this grill looked good on paper, but in actual real world application is lacking. There simply isn't a do it all grill, which is why I also have a Weber charcoal grill and a Blackstone griddle.......good luck dude, hope you get this sorted and they make it right, perhaps ask for a different model over getting this running right?

Yes I might just do that. I researched what I thought was enough about RecTeq before I got this. It looked and sounded like just what we needed. It is only my wife & I. Often Random grill cooks like steaks, burgers, Brats and such are a summer norm. But I wanted to be able to do long smoking recipes as well.
I'll keep at it until they get it right. Both sides seem to work ok at higher temps. I can watch and hear it cycle as needed + the app signals me when it calls for a temp increase back to original setting. All this of course if it is working correctly.
Thanks again Don

 

[Dons60]

Yes I might just do that. I researched what I thought was enough about RecTeq before I got this. It looked and sounded like just what we needed. It is only my wife & I. Often Random grill cooks like steaks, burgers, Brats and such are a summer norm. But I wanted to be able to do long smoking recipes as well.
I'll keep at it until they get it right. Both sides seem to work ok at higher temps. I can watch and hear it cycle as needed + the app signals me when it calls for a temp increase back to original setting. All this of course if it is working correctly.
Thanks again Don

I decided to clean out my grill before I started to work on it again. Once all parts were cleaned I decided to start the grill and watch it while on low temp. It did the same thing again. I was able to talk to Dan Goff who had emailed me earlier. He said he was pretty sure I was having flame outs. He talked me through the Auger settings Both sides were set at 5. He said to set the Smoker to 30 and the sear to 20 which I did. The smoker worked as it should for about 2 hrs. However, the sear side would no on a low setting. So I set the sear side auger to 30 and it work for about 2 hrs. on the lowest setting.
I'll have to see how my next cook works out. But I think we may have fixed it.
Thanks to all who posted. Your advice is much appreciated.
Don