First burn

[Jerry Doggett]

I started my B380 this morning and it ran for about 25 minutes and didn't get above 68 F. It started at 55 so something was happening. Then it started billowing smoke at a ridiculous rate but the temp still didn't move. I wound up shutting it down. Is this normal?

 

[larry4406]

I’m gonna say no. I’ve got an RT1250 so yours maybe different.

I think you were on your way to your first “puff”.

 

[Waterboy]

It isn’t normal. Did you prime the pot and run the auger to make sure it was full of pellets? It sounds like it didn’t have the proper fuel and heat mixture for a normal ignition. My guess is if you open the lid and start it up again it’ll start. It may smoke a bunch until the pellets in the pot get burned and the feed normalizes. If it happens again you’ll probably need to look at feed rate, igniter position, maybe try different pellets to make sure you didn’t get a bag with too much moisture, or possibly a bad controller.

 

[Jerry Doggett]

It isn’t normal. Did you prime the pot and run the auger to make sure it was full of pellets? It sounds like it didn’t have the proper fuel and heat mixture for a normal ignition. My guess is if you open the lid and start it up again it’ll start. It may smoke a bunch until the pellets in the pot get burned and the feed normalizes. If it happens again you’ll probably need to look at feed rate, igniter position, maybe try different pellets to make sure you didn’t get a bag with too much moisture, or possibly a bad controller.

Thanks. My issue is that I live in a condo building and can't have it smoking that much for more than a few minutes. I'm going to take it somewhere else and see if I can figure it out without getting fined by the condo association

 

[Greg Jones]

Thanks. My issue is that I live in a condo building and can't have it smoking that much for more than a few minutes. I'm going to take it somewhere else and see if I can figure it out without getting fined by the condo association

I think you will be selling or returning your grill soon. These pellet grills make smoke, because they burn wood pellets. Just for reference, the wife and I recently bought a new home. The number one criteria I had about home shopping was that it could not have an HOA that could regulate chit like this. My advice, get rid of the recteq, go back to a gasser, and hope that politicians don’t say you can have one of those also.

 

[Jim6820]

@Greg Jones is right! Sadly, if you have a HOA that regulates “smoke,” a wood-pellet-burning grill is not for you. They are supposed to smoke; it is the nature of the beast. If smoke from a grill is a problem for the HOA, using a pellet grill will be a headache for you. Sorry to say that.

 

[Ol' Smokey]

Thanks. My issue is that I live in a condo building and can't have it smoking that much for more than a few minutes. I'm going to take it somewhere else and see if I can figure it out without getting fined by the condo association

HOAs can kiss my butt. I would never want to be under their thumb when it comes to my property....

 

[Motodad1776]

HOAs can kiss my butt. I would never want to be under their thumb when it comes to my property....

They had a purpose at one time, but now overall it's a hypocritical poorly run and mandatory financed nuisance. Things that get enforced and others that don't, just doesn't sit well with me. I understand the no grills at certain condo associations, as one out of control fire can destroy more dwellings than where it originated from.

 

[orion39]

It isn’t normal. Did you prime the pot and run the auger to make sure it was full of pellets? It sounds like it didn’t have the proper fuel and heat mixture for a normal ignition. My guess is if you open the lid and start it up again it’ll start. It may smoke a bunch until the pellets in the pot get burned and the feed normalizes. If it happens again you’ll probably need to look at feed rate, igniter position, maybe try different pellets to make sure you didn’t get a bag with too much moisture, or possibly a bad controller.

Hello,

I have just purchased the RT1000 "The Beast" and this is quoted from the user manual:
Operating Your Grill
Power Button:
DO NOT MANUALLY FILL YOUR FIREPOT WITH PELLETS.
As that applies to the RT1000, check your user manual.

 

[orion39]

Maybe I stand corrected? Here is another quoted from the manual:

Initial Setup Procedure
Before cooking for the first time, we recommend you remove the cooking grate and wash it with mild soap and water. Fill your hopper at least halfway and place a 1/4 cup of pellets in the firepot. Reinstall the deflector, drip pan, and grates and set grill to 400°F. Once the grill reaches 400°F, let it run with the lid down for 1 hour.

 

[Pacman]

place a 1/4 cup of pellets in the firepot

I, and I presume others, always prime the firepot this way after cleaning. You don't need much, just enough to make contact with the igniter and get the fire started. I think the operative word is "fill" vs. "prime". Sounds like you're on your way to cooking.

 

[SmokeZilla]

I’m not sure if I ever saw anything about an RT with a self-priming fire pot. Especially after emptying the hopper or starting a new device. One can however put too many pellets in fire pot when priming and turn the startup process into a smokey mess until they (the overfilled pellets) burn properly.

 

[RattleR]

Maybe I stand corrected? Here is another quoted from the manual:

Initial Setup Procedure
Before cooking for the first time, we recommend you remove the cooking grate and wash it with mild soap and water. Fill your hopper at least halfway and place a 1/4 cup of pellets in the firepot. Reinstall the deflector, drip pan, and grates and set grill to 400°F. Once the grill reaches 400°F, let it run with the lid down for 1 hour.

I have the RT-700 and it should be similar. To “Prime” the fire pot, I did not measure just scooped some in the cup of my palm like I do a seasoning, might be close to a quarter cup not having bear paws for hands. I was attempting something along the lines of what @Pacman stated. Catch an old RT-700 YT on setting up the 700 or 1250.

 

[orion39]

My Initial Burn-In

I put a handful of pellets in the burner pot and set the grill for 400F. About 5 minutes after it started, I was reading 472F actual temp. After 5 more minutes the set and actual temp were both reading 400F. For the next 50 minutes, the temperature variation never exceeded 2F. Awesome!

 

[NewbieGrillerinChandler]

I started my B380 this morning and it ran for about 25 minutes and didn't get above 68 F. It started at 55 so something was happening. Then it started billowing smoke at a ridiculous rate but the temp still didn't move. I wound up shutting it down. Is this normal?

I just tried to do a first burn with mine today as well - and saw the exact same thing - except i never let it get to where it was billowing smoke - after 10 minutes of it not heating but 5 degrees I turned it off. Were you able to get yours working?

 

[v1per95]

I just tried to do a first burn with mine today as well - and saw the exact same thing - except i never let it get to where it was billowing smoke - after 10 minutes of it not heating but 5 degrees I turned it off. Were you able to get yours working?

To me this sounds like you didn't give it long enough, especially if this was your very first burn and the auger wasn't primed.