Have You Experienced A Lid Pop: If So when Did You Purchase Your Smoker

[Nerdygrrl]

I know some of you are sick of me and that is fair. Many of you know that I have been struggling with my smoker, as it turns out, the heating element was installed incorrectly causing excessive smoke buildup and risk for possible explosions. I had my assistant plot out when these explosions started occurring on RT units and the data was pretty clear.

They looked at posts here, Reddit, FB and wherever else their Google fu took them and discovered a very clear line.

I think it would be beneficial to not only us owners, but to RT to have a better understanding of the units in question so they can address the issue. This isn't a bashing, but merely for data collection purposes.

Have you experienced a smoke explosion?

If so, when did you buy your unit/what unit/did you ID the cause of your explosion?
If you reached out to RT how did they reply?

RT Forum

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/wtf-just-happened.3185/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/i-experienced-the-boom-as-well-with-my-1250.5147/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/so-how-does-one-blow-up-a-brand-new-grill.5140/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/white-smoke-explosion.5728/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/rt-590-explosion-now-what.4593/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/had-my-first-fire-lid-pop….6306/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/exploding-700.6506/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/start-up-issue.5998/#post-82446

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/my-590-blew-up-tonight.4244/#post-49438

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/what-happened-here.6605/#post-91179




https://www.recteqforum.com/search/508248/?q=explosion&o=date



Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/2551220991618233/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/4761356667271310/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/9527280010678928/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/9454240231316240/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/4119612368112413/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/4808435392563437/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/3775586622514991/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/4806329799440663/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/5877137179026581/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/6761309973942626/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/2641534909253507/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/posts/4772079299532380/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/942243535849328/user/17104687/

YouTube

 

[Chevys10zr2003]

I have not had a lid pop on my 1250 and I ordered it the day it was announced which was early August 2021. I do know that there was a firmware update that changed the shutdown procedure to allow more burnout time before adding pellets. Don't remember when that was though.

My ignitor does stick into the firepot I would estimate 1/4". Not sure on the exact dimension but I know when I clean out the ash with a spoon it easily gets caught on it.

Two things to note is that I always start with the lid open and shut the lid once I hear the flame going and feel heat coming from the front of the drip pan and I always turn it down to LO and wait for it to stabilize at 180 before shutting down.

 

[Gonefishin]

No to explosions, bought mid 2020. I did have a recessed igniter I adjusted for erratic starting. Sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldn’t.

 

[C. Keeper]

I've flipped my lid a few times, never a pop.

 

[LarryCTN]

^^^^^This!^^^^^^

 

[Pacman]

I bought mine in August 2021 as well. No lid detonations ever. I believe I did come close after shutting down directly from 400 to off one time just about when this started becoming a topic. I no longer do that. I have started with lid closed and lid open with no meaningful difference other than piece of mind with the lid open. I clean out everything before/after long cooks and manually re-prime the fire pot with a small handful of pellets after cleaning. My igniter extrudes about 1/16 of an inch from the housing.

 

[BillsCamino]

Never any lid pops...start always by using the app...lid closed.
SUPER dependable !!! Ordered 02/22

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Is a lid pop anything like a pop-a-top.

 

[kennethk]

700-1070. no lid pops
700 is a tank
1070 is 'delicate'

 

[Nerdygrrl]

For those responding no lid pops, how is your ignitor situated?

 

[C. Keeper]

For those responding no lid pops, how is your ignitor situated?

Kind of a personal question

 

[RHEINLEIN]

For those responding no lid pops, how is your ignitor situated?

Some have been out 1/6" beyond the face of the holder. Current igniter is flush with the end of the holder tube.

 

[Nerdygrrl]

Some have been out 1/6" beyond the face of the holder. Current igniter is flush with the end of the holder tube.

The Patio legend that had the um, incident, do you remember how the rod was situated in that?

 

[Mike]

Not a single explosion here.

 

[Gonefishin]

My last post on it says mine’s out 1/8”, no missed starts or puffs.

 

[RHEINLEIN]

The Patio legend that had the um, incident, do you remember how the rod was situated in that?

The Patio legend that had the um, incident, do you remember how the rod was situated in that?

I do not know about the igniter position. I do know it was burning toward the 495 set point 13 minutes before it started to overshoot.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

My ignitor is the OE and going on 4+ years now. It sets about 1/16" back. I've never had a smoke flashover, puff, explosion, etc. I think I may have avoided a few by my practice of leaving the door open for ignition. I've had some big smoke a few times.

 

[TheRicker]

I have not had a lid pop on my 1250 and I ordered it the day it was announced which was early August 2021. I do know that there was a firmware update that changed the shutdown procedure to allow more burnout time before adding pellets. Don't remember when that was though.

My ignitor does stick into the firepot I would estimate 1/4". Not sure on the exact dimension but I know when I clean out the ash with a spoon it easily gets caught on it.

Two things to note is that I always start with the lid open and shut the lid once I hear the flame going and feel heat coming from the front of the drip pan and I always turn it down to LO and wait for it to stabilize at 180 before shutting down.

The lid is always supposed to be open during startup. That pertains to all wood pellet grills.

 

[RattleR]

I will play one time. RT-700 arrived and used Mid March 2022. Never had any of the issues being reported, not one, none. No lid or hopper seals, no burn backs, no WiFi issues except the app blowing up after an update about 6 months ago, and easy reconnect. I never start my charcoal or gas grill or gas’s smoker with the lids closed so it was only natural to open the lid on the 700. I always slow/starve my charcoal Weber when I finish cooking, I also turn my gas grill to low after I finish cooking and clean the grates, for a little while and then turn off. So once again I do the same for the 700. Aside from that I have only had three RT support contacts, once prior to purchase to ask some questions, second when I saw my cover was defective, no questions asked replacement two days later. And once to return a cover I ordered for my SNL that he didn’t need, that was on me. I just took the difference and ordered some rubs which arrived 3 days later. FWIW.

 

[Nerdygrrl]

The lid is always supposed to be open during startup. That pertains to all wood pellet grills.

I 100% agree with you on this given with how these things are designed, however RT states the opposite and have doubled down on it like they have regarding the recess on the ignitor rod.