recteq grills uncovered

[RedT]

Following. I did my first RT-1250 all-night brisket cook yesterday and this morning while cleaning it was surprised concerning the amount of smoke residue on the smoker. Two questions:
1. Does LaveLock work? Is it applied to the lid or to the barrel?
2. Is there a handy cleaning solution to remove the brown smoke stain?
(I think that must be 3 questions)

 

[Greg Jones]

Following. I did my first RT-1250 all-night brisket cook yesterday and this morning while cleaning it was surprised concerning the amount of smoke residue on the smoker. Two questions:
1. Does LaveLock work? Is it applied to the lid or to the barrel?
2. Is there a handy cleaning solution to remove the brown smoke stain?
(I think that must be 3 questions). Ishtar get better/ ore

You perhaps will get better/more responses if you start a new topic, as this one is not about keeping the grill clean.

 

[bigjim]

There are some here that believe leaving a recteq out in the weather without a cover is a crime punishable by who knows what. Especially if there are pellets left in the hopper. I have two recteq grills (340 and 700) that have been left outside, without being used, since March 5, 2023 (not a typo, over a year ago) without a cover. Now the grills are under a deck, but that doesn’t shield them from anything other than the sun when it comes to weather as the rain continues to pelt them. In full disclosure, the grill and the pellet hoppers have been sealed. After a post here today that one would be negligent by leaving their grill uncovered, I went out and started my RT-700. The picture tells it all-no problems, fully functional immediately, no issues with the pellets. So my advice is seal your lid and hopper and don’t worry about anything else. If it gets rained on, even for over a year, it won’t be a big deal. Carry on.

View attachment 21473

I used 1/2" door- window insulating foam stuck to the underside of the lid after an afternoon gully washer. One clogged auger is enough for any one man to deal with. Nada, zilch, none, 2 yrs and clog free.

 

[RedT]

Sorry to be off topic.

 

[Greg Jones]

Sorry to be off topic.

No need to apologize! I was just suggesting that your question may get more responses in its own thread.

 

[Pacman]

Following. I did my first RT-1250 all-night brisket cook yesterday and this morning while cleaning it was surprised concerning the amount of smoke residue on the smoker. Two questions:
1. Does LaveLock work? Is it applied to the lid or to the barrel?
2. Is there a handy cleaning solution to remove the brown smoke stain?
(I think that must be 3 questions)

0. Unsealed, yes you will see external smoke stains.
1. Lavalock works great. Apply it to the lid and use the leftover to seal your hopper lid as well for a nice "soft close" and added protection from water getting into the hopper.
2. The liquid Bar Keepers Friend works well for me to clean up stains. For general tidying up of the exterior I use Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner and paper towel. My grill looks "almost" new from the outside.

 

[RedT]

Thank you Pacman! Will follow your advice.

 

[RedT]

An update:

I asked Recteq if it could be cleaned with barkeepers friend, and if installation of LavaRock gasket would prevent the leak?
My initial answer was: “Thank you for getting in touch! Just a heads up, stainless steel will develop a patina when it's exposed to heat. It's completely normal for an outdoor cooking appliance to show signs of use.
I'll share some useful cleaning suggestions with you.
Please note that we advise against using gaskets as they can restrict airflow and impact the grill's performance.”

After telling them that I didn’t expect a canned response on periodic maintenance and cleaning, and that the smoke stack uses a gasket, so in my opinion the leak around the door is not an airflow design feature. I asked if installation of a door gasket impacted the warranty?
Their last response was “I'm speaking of years of experience, gaskets DEFINETLY have an adverse affect on airflow. I have no reason to mislead you. We would have included gaskets if we thought they were necessary.
It is your grill and you are more than welcome to install a gasket. If and when it causes backburn and other problems, feel free to call us at 706-922-0890 for assistance.

 

[Pacman]

It is your grill...

I'm not sure why Recteq has held so tightly to this party line. This forum has many folks that have all reported benefits from sealing the lid and hopper. This is somewhat similar to their adamant statement to always start the grill with the lid closed. I took what I learned here and followed suit. I have no regrets (and a clean grill with dry pellets).

At the end of the day, adding gaskets adds to cost. Sure these things work fine without sealing, but they work better with sealing. I consider this a "performance upgrade".

 

[Beach Bum]

For any new owners, the post above is worth reading.

I am one of the folks who sealed the lid with good results. I would never have thought about start up with the lid open until hearing from others about their experiences.

 

[larry4406]

For any new owners, the post above is worth reading.

I am one of the folks who sealed the lid with good results. I would never have thought about start up with the lid open until hearing from others about their experiences.

Enlighten me on start up with lid open or direct me to appropriate thread please.

 

[Threadcutter]

Enlighten me on start up with lid open or direct me to appropriate thread please.

Here's a quick video of what's known as "lid pop". This one is pretty mild. Some can be quite destructive. Essentially, when the grill is first starting, the smoke is so thick that it risks being explosive. Sometimes (not always), an explosion will occur. I always start my 700 with the lid open, once the fan comes on, then I close the lid.

 

[larry4406]

Here's a quick video of what's known as "lid pop". This one is pretty mild. Some can be quite destructive. Essentially, when the grill is first starting, the smoke is so thick that it risks being explosive. Sometimes (not always), an explosion will occur. I always start my 700 with the lid open, once the fan comes on, then I close the lid.

I had similar happen on my RT1250. Intense smoke just like that and then BOOM! Lid flew up and it blew the door open on the smoke box and failed the top hinge weld. Recteq had me send them pictures of my igniter and they had me readjust it. Also they sent me a replacement smoke box. I have Lava Lock seal on the lid and smoke box (but not the hopper).

I will consider door open starts.

 

[Threadcutter]

I had similar happen on my RT1250. Intense smoke just like that and then BOOM! Lid flew up and it blew the door open on the smoke box and failed the top hinge weld. Recteq had me send them pictures of my igniter and they had me readjust it. Also they sent me a replacement smoke box. I have Lava Lock seal on the lid and smoke box (but not the hopper).

I will consider door open starts.

I am not of the belief that Lavalock has anything to do with Lid Pops.

When I start my 700, the lid is always open, until the fan kicks into high gear and the smoke decreases (225 degree setpoint). Easy peasy, no issues ever.