RT-1250 Leaks and other issues

[HowieG]

I am a new RT-1250 owner as of about one week ago. I was debating between the 1250 and the Traeger Timberline, and decided the 1250 was the better value. Today, I did my first cook and noticed several problems. The biggest is that there is a grease leak around the auger housing where it meets the cooking chamber. I noticed grease dripping from the bottom of the barrel and upon closer inspection I can see several places (3 to be exact) where moisture/grease is leaking. The second thing I think is an issue is that the fan does not run long enough to finish burning the pellets in the pot. I didn't time the fan run time, but it seems like it was maybe 5 minutes. When it turned off, the pellets were still smoldering and the smoker was still very, very warm, consequently. And third, the vent cap on the stack. I noticed greasy moisture condensing and dripping from the rim of the cap, and dropping onto my driveway along with the grease dripping from the bottom of the barrel. Does the really serve any purpose in regulating the cook temperature, or can I remove it altogether? I'll be calling RT support tomorrow on these issues. I hear their CS is very good....we'll see. If not, I'll be returning it pronto and getting me a Traeger.

 

[Gonefishin]

I don't understand the grease dripping from everywhere from just 1 cook but I'll wait to hear from someone with the same smoker. The pellet issue is well known, I take it you did a higher temp cook, many of us turn the temp down to 225 or some such and wait for the smoker to achieve that temp before shutting the unit down. That's as close to a fix as I can offer.

 

[sdynak]

Welcome! Good advice above from @padlin00 already on the shutdown. Although this is kind of a user work around Recteq should really address it but not likely for older users with controllers that can't be updated. If you stick around they just might send an update where it could address that. I have no clue if they are even considering it just know the newer controllers can be updated remotely from what I understand.

For the grease dripping, the only thing I can think of is if you have your food right over the drip tray, either the tray is not in properly, or there is an issue where the channel is where the tray sits and some is leaking there instead of out to the bucket. Did you remove the tray and look for where the leak originates?

All brands will have their issues.. I had 2 Traegers before this and I won't go back. Not sure I recommend Recteq either though. There are some things that would hold me back from being a fan person and insisting my buddy purchase one. But it mostly does what I want it to and I can live with those quirks for now.

Good luck with Recteq. They should sort some of your issues.

 

[Mozekian]

Grease has been an issue on the 1250s, including mine

RecTeq will say “get some ash buildup to fill the gaps”

My mind says “why have gaps?”

Truth is the seal job between the fire pot and the base is poor.

I did 3 things

1) bought some high temp sealant and resealed the entire inside and let it cure for a few days.

2) ran the grill for a few hours to create some ash and pushed the ash towards to areas that had cracks. Waste of pellets but needed some ash

3) told recteq they can send me their grill mat for free because of the stain I have on my concrete now.

3a) Don’t take it above 500 degrees because the sealant caulk will begin to break down at that temp. In fact, the sealant RecTeq uses isn’t rated for the near 700 degrees RecTeq advertises on their 1250. So basically if you use the grill to get hot, it will affect the grill.

Now that I have it on the mat, I don’t worry if grease is even leaking any longer. Get your free mat. And seal it up next time you clean out the fire pot

 

[PRC]

Grease has been an issue on the 1250s, including mine

RecTeq will say “get some ash buildup to fill the gaps”

My mind says “why have gaps?”

Truth is the seal job between the fire pot and the base is poor

How is grease even getting into the bottom of the barrel to leak?

 

[sdynak]

How is grease even getting into the bottom of the barrel to leak?

That's my question.. there should not be any grease in the bottom. Someone should know where it is coming from but only see folks talking about it in the bottom.

How is is getting there folks? It should run off the drip pan to the bucket. If it is making it in the bottom look where it is coming from. The bottom should not hold or have drippings period.

 

[Mozekian]

How is grease even getting into the bottom of the barrel to leak?

High temp splatter. Seems that “seasoning” that gets all over the inside will also get into the sides of the drip tray and down into the chamber. Lowest point is the firebox area.. drip drip

Just as grease gets all on the inside of the lid and walls, it will come down in the gaps too. I don’t design the things but this is based on what I’ve seen, what the company has said, and my attempts to fix

 

[PRC]

High temp splatter. Seems that “seasoning” that gets all over the inside will also get into the sides of the drip tray and down into the chamber. Lowest point is the firebox area.. drip drip

Just as grease gets all on the inside of the lid and walls, it will come down in the gaps too. I don’t design the things but this is based on what I’ve seen, what the company has said, and my attempts to fix

10 years of smoking I have never had any grease get into the bottom. It goes on the drip tray and into the bucket. I don’t do high temp cooks where grease would splatter when it hits the drip tray but I am not even sure how it would splatter over the side of the drip tray, it is not like grease is pouring out of the meat, at least that is my experience.

 

[sdynak]

High temp splatter. Seems that “seasoning” that gets all over the inside will also get into the sides of the drip tray and down into the chamber. Lowest point is the firebox area.. drip drip

Just as grease gets all on the inside of the lid and walls, it will come down in the gaps too. I don’t design the things but this is based on what I’ve seen, what the company has said, and my attempts to fix

Wow.. this sounds like a fire just brewing. I don’t ever see grease in the bottom and I have the 3 rpm motor and do high temp cooking.

Maybe the leak is coming from somewhere else? If you are getting that much I can’t imagine that splatter would accumulate enough for a drip and wetness in the bottom but I guess anything is possible .

 

[Pacman]

I only saw grease in the bottom of the barrel twice and it was 100% my fault both times. In the first instances I did not make sure the drip tray was properly seated to slope towards the gutter and drip bucket. On the second instance, I was using grill grates and did not have them "pushed in" all of the way on top of the grill and the valleys in the Grill Grates were channeling the grease just past the edge of the drip pan.

It does make me want to go poke around my firepot to look for sealant gaps next time I clean it.

 

[Mozekian]

Guys, I’ve explained what I’ve seen and what recteq has said. I too never thought grease could get to the bottom, until it did. IF I didn’t have leaks, I would have never noticed it.

I have a 700 and a 1250, no issues ever with the 700.

I’ve given my experience to help the guy who was having similar issues and that’s all I can do. I’ve never had my cooker “pop” when startup either, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen

 

[Greg Jones]

I would tend to agree with @Mozekian, although I don’t think it necessarily has to be a direct splash splatter. When I first bought my RT-700 with smoke box, I had grease dripping from the front right corner of the smoke box, and I hadn’t even used the smoke box yet. I suspect the grease was airborne in the exhaust smoke and some of it condensed on the smoke box racks. Or my wife could have poured grease on the ground to mess with me! Regardless, it sealed up quickly on its own and I haven’t had any leaks since.

 

[SquireJim]

Hey Folks....Can't really offer too much, as I'm waiting on delivery of my RT-1250 (1st experience with RecTeq)...That said, I DID have similar issues with a Blazin Grill Works Grid Iron, which I had to remedy myself, as BGW voided my warranty for their leak...Said it was caused by a grease fire (NOT)and that voided my warranty. ANYWAY, I had a friend come over with a MIG welder and re-weld all of those seams, which completely solved the issue. If your rig is under warranty though, I'd put the ball in THEIR court. Good luck!

 

[Thor8594]

I could understand this happening if the meat was all the way out to the edges of the grate in the "do not put meat here zone" and it was rendering down and dripping in the barrel during the cook. I am like everyone else, next vacuum party, I will look for leaks as well.