Ironwood XL slow warmup.

[Pattington2s]

Can you see my pics?

They are sending me a new thermocouple wire, which I feel is not going to help. I personally think the scaling is off, my meter and the grill read the same temp when at ambient, but the grill temp rises quicker than my meter the difference in the readings gets worse as the temp increases.
I asked for a supervisor after I got frustrated with the person I was talking to, when they said there was nothing wrong with my grill.

I also asked the supervisor to put a note on my file to stop repeating the same troubleshooting steps everytime I call and wasting time, these grills definitely have a issue, and I expressed my desire to return it because I am tired of wasting my time with it.

I had no lid warnings on either of my tests today with CS.

Good call. I have to call CS again for some thermocouple troubleshooting when the machine is cold as that is apparently the next step. For escalation, did you just simply request a supervisor and they patched you through? Like you, getting frustrated with being told the same things and that these machines “just have to learn based on my cook history”. Like, what? It doesn’t get to temp - so what the heck am I cooking? Lol

 

[caper11]

I've noticed the same thing. I seem to spend more time cleaning the new one vs the old one.

It might be a stretch, but I've also thought about whether the placement of the grease bucket beneath the grill could impact the food. Specifically, when the grease heats up, could its aroma seep back into the food that's being cooked?

Interesting, I wonder what your pit temps are compared to the setpoint.
I am hoping the cold grill pit temp will be cured with the new thermocouple they want to send. It being 100f off setpoint is unacceptable, and IMO is causing the grease buildup. As fa as the grease pot, I actually do not have much in there, looks like moe ash than anything, but My grease tray is scraped on a regular basis, cause I want blue smoke, not white from grease or bbq sauce.

 

[caper11]

Good call. I have to call CS again for some thermocouple troubleshooting when the machine is cold as that is apparently the next step. For escalation, did you just simply request a supervisor and they patched you through? Like you, getting frustrated with being told the same things and that these machines “just have to learn based on my cook history”. Like, what? It doesn’t get to temp - so what the heck am I cooking? Lol

Yep I just asked to speak to the supervisor. The supervisor was very curious on my finding, they refuse to use 3rd party temp device, but I documented enough that he realized my meter was valid, and way more sensitive than the grill.

 

[Bumpa]

I'm thinking that the electronic control unit - the most expensive component in the appliance - may be the problem. (I have the Ironwood 650 and have had it - a gift - for 15 months. Problem began about six weeks ago.) I wonder if Traeger received a faulty batch from their supplier and the problem didn't rear itself for several months. I'm going to attempt to do two chicken-on-thrones today but am not confident that I'll either get up to temperature or not go way over temperature. I'm hoping we don't come up with another failure because I'm on the verge of calling customer service to either send a replacement control module or arrange for a return of the product.

 

[Pattington2s]

I'm thinking that the electronic control unit - the most expensive component in the appliance - may be the problem. (I have the Ironwood 650 and have had it - a gift - for 15 months. Problem began about six weeks ago.) I wonder if Traeger received a faulty batch from their supplier and the problem didn't rear itself for several months. I'm going to attempt to do two chicken-on-thrones today but am not confident that I'll either get up to temperature or not go way over temperature. I'm hoping we don't come up with another failure because I'm on the verge of calling customer service to either send a replacement control module or arrange for a return of the product.

please keep us posted. I am planning to call CS this week and if it doesn‘t get resolved, figure out options.

 

[caper11]

Waited for a replacement thermocouple for a week and a controller showed up for a 575.

 

[Pattington2s]

I am clearly inept, according to Traeger CS. I just spent the last two hours with them doing all the same troubleshooting I have done the previous six times I have called. Machine has been running for three hours and has not reached 350. But I am clearly not using fresh pellets (I am), and not removing them after each cook and storing them in a climate controlled space (I am), or I am just an impatient boob.

No resolution and next step is speaking to a supervisor where I am just going to request a new machine or return. It‘s sad, actually because my Pro 780 was bombproof - used old pellets all the time that were stored in my humid garage in five gallon pails. But these “upgraded” machine needs to be babied like a newborn. Maybe Traeger thinks I gave the machine side-eye and hurt it’s feelings, making this my fault.

 

[caper11]

I am clearly inept, according to Traeger CS. I just spent the last two hours with them doing all the same troubleshooting I have done the previous six times I have called. Machine has been running for three hours and has not reached 350. But I am clearly not using fresh pellets (I am), and not removing them after each cook and storing them in a climate controlled space (I am), or I am just an impatient boob.

No resolution and next step is speaking to a supervisor where I am just going to request a new machine or return. It‘s sad, actually because my Pro 780 was bombproof - used old pellets all the time that were stored in my humid garage in five gallon pails. But these “upgraded” machine needs to be babied like a newborn. Maybe Traeger thinks I gave the machine side-eye and hurt it’s feelings, making this my fault.

I refuse to repeat the same steps again. The supervisor put that in the notes.
I told him I am tired of wasting my time and pellets doing these troubleshooting steps over and over.

 

[caper11]

Well I finally got the new RTD probe, I checked the ohms and compared it to the RTD probe thats installed in the grill. Thats guaranteed the problem they say.
Same reading, 4.9ohms on both RTD’s. Now CS wants to send a flame sensor, WTF does that have to do with firebox temp when the flame sensor is not throwing a code. I told them to send a truck it pick it up and deliver a TL1300, Im tired of being one of the test guys and wasting my time working on this grill.

CS was also mentioning that I open the lid to much, really? I cannot flip my meat and check on things like my 885? Getting frustrated.

Does the grill work, yes. Does it perform like the old models no. If the firebox was warmer than the cook times would be better. I know of a person with a TL XL and his firebox is to hot.

 

[Pattington2s]

Well I finally got the new RTD probe, I checked the ohms and compared it to the RTD probe thats installed in the grill. Thats guaranteed the problem they say.
Same reading, 4.9ohms on both RTD’s. Now CS wants to send a flame sensor, WTF does that have to do with firebox temp when the flame sensor is not throwing a code. I told them to send a truck it pick it up and deliver a TL1300, Im tired of being one of the test guys and wasting my time working on this grill.

CS was also mentioning that I open the lid to much, really? I cannot flip my meat and check on things like my 885? Getting frustrated.

Does the grill work, yes. Does it perform like the old models no. If the firebox was warmer than the cook times would be better. I know of a person with a TL XL and his firebox is to hot.

Lordie, what a show. I had the same response RE: lid openings and, like you, was like wtf? I had no issue with this with my Pro780, and if you are telling me opening the lid on a higher model causes this many problems and that much temperature fluctuation….I mean, come on. It’s gotten to the point where I am browsing the yoder site out of sheer frustration with this machine and Traeger CS.

 

[JPD]

I have been dealing with the exact same issue, I have jumped through all the hoops and as of last night I was speaking with somebody from customer support that is in Greece apparently, and they are replacing the grill.
They were going to have me replace the lid sensor like everybody else has spoken about, the screws inside the hopper were stripped, and I was unable to use the impact screwdriver. So this was their solution.

 

[Pattington2s]

I have been dealing with the exact same issue, I have jumped through all the hoops and as of last night I was speaking with somebody from customer support that is in Greece apparently, and they are replacing the grill.
They were going to have me replace the lid sensor like everybody else has spoken about, the screws inside the hopper were stripped, and I was unable to use the impact screwdriver. So this was their solution.

Hey - congrats. From what I’ve read, you are the first to get Traeger CS to recognize total fault in this machine and to actually do something to remedy the issue rather than conducting the same tests multiple times. Tip of the cap to you!

 

[JPD]

Let’s hope this remedies the issue, I will keep you guys updated with how the new one works out

 

[Bumpa]

Having repeatedly dealt with improper temperatures for several months and after multiple contacts with customer service, I received a replacement Ironwood 650 yesterday by LTL freight. Traeger will be picking up my old unit.

I will be donating the new 650 to the local high school music boosters for inclusion in their annual fund-raising auction and return to my practice of smoking (and grilling) on my wood-fired New Braunfels pit barbecue. Details?

IN PRAISE OF SMOKING (FOOD)

About 16 years ago , I purchased something for around 200 bucks that I still use today. Think about that. What have you pur...

thechurchoftheopenroad.blogspot.com

That conclusion drawn for me, I do wish Traeger Corp well as they deal with this on-going temperature control issue. I hope they find a workable solution that will satisfy their customer base.

 

[JPD]

So update since receiving the replacement grill….once I received it I called support to verify the firmware before seasoning. It was the correct firmware so I initiated the seasoning process automatically and the “grill” got to 180 before it decided to cool down so the automatic seasoning failed. I proceeded to do a manual seasoning 450 for 45 minutes. It took about an hour to get to temp so just short of 2 hours to season. Then on Friday I tried to reverse sear 2 porterhouse steaks. I set the grill to 235 and it heated it heated up in under 20 minutes, reasonable. Ran it for 34 minutes to desired temperature then removed covered and turned the “grill “ up to 500. Over 30 minutes later and 2 cold steaks it reached temperature . I called support the next day and dealt with an agent from Toronto for over 3.5 hours including a video recording in which the “grill” was heated up to 180 which it didn’t reach in the prerequisite time then 350 which it also didn’t reach in the prerequisite time. The first agent was great and strongly advocated for me. The one thing we learned was that when Traeger senses a”lid opening “ it can be the grill or hopper lid, the sensor does not differentiate so when I was told I had multiple lid openings on cooks it was the hopper lid not the main lid. The reason I opened the hopper lid was because pellets were funneling and I was getting a low pellet warning with plenty there. Finally she was able to get a “supervisor “ to speak with me who said all of the above times were “normal “ and he puts his steaks in a warmer when waiting for “the grill” to heat up for the sear portion. I couldn’t stay on the phone after 3.5 hours as I had a wedding to go to so know I have to figure out what next as I do not want this “grill”, and the owners manual in no way talks about these new ironwoods taking longer for normal heat up!!!