Thermostat

[RayClem]

I've got an 885 and it's off by around 50 degrees at the lower temps and 100 degrees at the high end. Since the max setting on the grill is 500 I can't get anything above 400 actual. It's annoying. I think I read something by Traeger that said a 25 degree difference is normal. I've got a friend with a Camp Chef and his is within 5 degrees at all temps.

I doubt your friend with the Camp Chef has measured internal temps all across the grill from back to front, from left to right, from top to bottom. Since the fire pot is in a single location, you would have to have highly turbulent air flow to keep the temperature within 5 degrees throughout the entire grill box. Air flow that high would tend to dry out the protein during the cook. Normally, the hottest area will be closest to the fire pot and other areas will be less.

I am not sure that the location of the RTD thermocouple on the Traeger is in the best spot, but it is what we have to work with.

BTW- the original Traeger thermocouples come with a ceramic cap that is quite fragile. I bumped mine when removing the drip tray and shattered the ceramic cap. Rather than getting a new thermocouple, I purchased a tube of red high temp silicone sealant and covered the thermocouple with a very thin layer of sealant. The silicone is flexible and it is easy to wipe off grease. The accident with the thermocouple happened early in my Traeger experience, so I cannot tell you whether the thermocouple calibration is better or worse since I applied the silicone, but it works well enough to make some good food.

 

[Ray Reiter]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue. I have the 620 and have noticed, unfortunately while trying to smoke, that the grill is not heating to the desired temp. I have used two different oven thermometers, one of them being brand new, the grill is 50 degrees off, lower, than what I have it set for. I have to set the grill to 400 just to get 350 and the thermostat is right next to the one in the grill. I spoke with tech support and they were only happy that the grill stopped feeding the hopper when it “thinks” it hit its set temperature. I said several times that the grill slowing and stopping the auger is different than reading the temperature correctly but I think they were just trying to get Me off the phone. Anyone else have this experience? I will have to try again with tech support but quite honestly, this is really annoying and if not fixed, I will be getting rid of it. Traeger is disappointing me …

Thanks

He Ave you performed the thermostat Calibration?

There is also a parameter to adjust the thermostat up or down... By a given value. If you are sure to reading is off by 50 deg, then set the parameter to add 50 deg
It's Like magic

 

[Timmy]

Thread 'Temp issues Pro 780'
https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/temp-issues-pro-780.1766/

Post in thread 'Help with Beef ribs please'
https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/help-with-beef-ribs-please.2304/post-19536

 

[CTWsr50]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue. I have the 620 and have noticed, unfortunately while trying to smoke, that the grill is not heating to the desired temp. I have used two different oven thermometers, one of them being brand new, the grill is 50 degrees off, lower, than what I have it set for. I have to set the grill to 400 just to get 350 and the thermostat is right next to the one in the grill. I spoke with tech support and they were only happy that the grill stopped feeding the hopper when it “thinks” it hit its set temperature. I said several times that the grill slowing and stopping the auger is different than reading the temperature correctly but I think they were just trying to get Me off the phone. Anyone else have this experience? I will have to try again with tech support but quite honestly, this is really annoying and if not fixed, I will be getting rid of it. Traeger is disappointing me …

Thanks

I've had a Timberline 1300 for almost 3 years. At the time, it was the "The Top of The Line" Traeger. I won't reiterate the disappointments I've had. But the number is too many for a premium product. Temperature control is one of them, both ambient temp in the grill and the in using the meat probe provided. A month ago the meat probe finally crapped out, but the temperature readings were so different than when probed with my Thermapen that loss of the probe was no big deal. I purchased a Fireboard. The difference between the temperature in the grill and the fireboard's temp reading in the grill is constantly different by as much as 20 to 25 degrees. That type of variance, along with defective probe makes positive cook outcomes (almost) an impossibility. I monitor grill temp from the fireboard and rejigger the the desired temp on the Traeger until the grill temp stabilizes (to about) where I want it. The meat temp from the Fireboard probe is dead on. I wish I had more promising results to report.

 

[RayClem]

I've had a Timberline 1300 for almost 3 years. At the time, it was the "The Top of The Line" Traeger. I won't reiterate the disappointments I've had. But the number is too many for a premium product. Temperature control is one of them, both ambient temp in the grill and the in using the meat probe provided. A month ago the meat probe finally crapped out, but the temperature readings were so different than when probed with my Thermapen that loss of the probe was no big deal. I purchased a Fireboard. The difference between the temperature in the grill and the fireboard's temp reading in the grill is constantly different by as much as 20 to 25 degrees. That type of variance, along with defective probe makes positive cook outcomes (almost) an impossibility. I monitor grill temp from the fireboard and rejigger the the desired temp on the Traeger until the grill temp stabilizes (to about) where I want it. The meat temp from the Fireboard probe is dead on. I wish I had more promising results to report.

I consider your report to be quite promising. It says that with a little ingenuity on your part you were able to overcome obstacles that hindered you ability to cook the way you wanted. You decided to purchase expensive Fireboard and Thermapen thermometers, but you can accomplish the same objective with far less expensive devices.