# Pit Boss 340 Temp Swings



## kev2809 (Jun 30, 2019)

hey guys..new to the forum!  and new to pellet smokers.  i picked up a pit boss 340 a few weeks ago and its been a nightmare for brisket so far.  ive made 3 and every time this thing jumps like crazy.  even on 200 and 225 it shoots to 400 multiple times.  even had a very small fat fire and had to pull the brisket off.  the briskets came out ok 2 out of 3 times..but i really wonder how truly good it could be if i can get this damn thing working right.

has anyone had these problems?  and also..would a smokedaddy pid controller help it?  ive heard they are +/-5 degrees the entire cook...would be nice.  what u guys think?


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## radio (Jun 30, 2019)

I would be contacting customer service pronto!  Sounds like it might be a control board issue


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## SlowmotionQue (Jun 30, 2019)

kev2809 said:


> hey guys..new to the forum!  and new to pellet smokers.  *i picked up a pit boss 340 a few weeks ago and its been a nightmare for brisket so far.  I've made 3 and every time this thing jumps like crazy.  even on 200 and 225 it shoots to 400 multiple times.*



Wow.

Just wow.



kev2809 said:


> .....even had a very small fat fire and had to pull the brisket off.  the briskets came out ok 2 out of 3 times..but i really wonder how truly good it could be if i can get this damn thing working right.



Wow.  ......Just wow.



kev2809 said:


> ...has anyone had these problems?  and also..would a smokedaddy pid controller help it?  ive heard they are +/-5 degrees the entire cook...would be nice.  what u guys think?



Wow.

.......Just wow.

Just me but I wouldn't throw good money after bad trying to fix it.  You do that and you're just waiting for the next thing that will need "fixing".

So while it might "help", and again, just IMO,  it would be  hard to justify putting a  $207.00 controller, which is what it sells for on Amazon shipped,  into a $280.00 grill.

You'd end up spending  $487.00, or near $500.00,  on what  at the end of the day, arguably wouldn't be a $500.00 grill.

There's reasons why that grill only sold for it's price point of less than $300.00.

And the controller might not have been the only reason.  Just the reason that is rearing it's head at this time. 



radio said:


> I would be contacting customer service pronto!  Sounds like it might be a control board issue



Contacting customer service??????

About the only people I'd be contacting would be those who sold it to me in the first place.  I 'd take it right back and demand a full refund of my money and purchase something else.


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## kev2809 (Jul 1, 2019)

ya..first time pellet grill so i wasnt sure what to expect...but i didnt think it would be off this bad.  problem is the box is tore up and i cant find the receipt  lol.

but what i was thinking of doing..was trying the pid controller and see what it does.  if i still had problems i would put the old board back in and just sell it and use the pid board on another pit.  i was just curious if these non stable temps are a fluke or is that how these 340s are.  i heard a lot of good things about pit boss before buying this.  hell id be happy with +/-20 degrees at this point  lol


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## Lucas Bruursema (Jul 1, 2019)

I have a pro series 1100 and it has worked perfectly with no issues such as your temp fluctuations your talking about, so sounds like you might have a control board issue?   Not sure if you registered your product before losing your receipt but Pit Boss customer service were helpful and friendly when I talked to them about a question I had.  Not sure if you could go to your bank records or the point of purchase and see if you could get a new receipt to register your product and get your board replaced?  They have a 5 year warranty so, for me, it was worth registering it so if the same thing happens to me y down the road, I would be covered.   I'd say stick with it and get a replacement part or see what Pit Boss can do for you.  Good Luck!


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## kev2809 (Jul 1, 2019)

got lucky and found the serial number on it..and the box was still in the trash area of my yard...so i got it registered and sent an email to pit boss.  i just hope i dont get the run around with this thing..in cases like this they usually try and say operater error many times before actually admitting their product malfunctions.  i could care less if it was sent out with a broken part...sh*t happens.  i just hope it gets fixed.   buddy of mine just got his 700 in today and said it "spiked" from 400 to 410 when he opened.  i couldnt do anything but laugh  lol.  said it worked great...im almost certain this board is the problem...unless this 340 is made that terrible?


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## Lucas Bruursema (Jul 1, 2019)

Hope it's not an issue to get a new board but like I said the customer service rep I talked with was really friendly and was willing to help me out with my issue which turned out to be....me
 The grill was fine and even as we speak I just ate another delicious meal off of it so I'd say see if you can get the board replaced (easily without hassle) before you throw in the towel on it.   Hope it all works out for you!


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## kev2809 (Jul 1, 2019)

well..ive decided to return it and get the austin xl.  the one thing i hated right off the bat was the size of this one.  im not that great of a cook/bbqer but i love to do it.  so going big will be a good thing.  already got the return filled out on the walmart email and the store is just waiting for it to be dropped off.  already dissambled it.  going to clean it up a bit and box it up for the return tomorrow.  and the good thing...they already have the austin xl in stock!


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 1, 2019)

Good luck man I hate hearing stories like that. Hopefully customer service takes care of you well. I’m not a pellet smoker but have heard great things about pit boss


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## SlowmotionQue (Jul 1, 2019)

kev2809 said:


> well..ive decided to return it and get the austin xl.  the one thing i hated right off the bat was the size of this one.  im not that great of a cook/bbqer but i love to do it.  so going big will be a good thing.  already got the return filled out on the walmart email and the store is just waiting for it to be dropped off.  already dissambled it.  going to clean it up a bit and box it up for the return tomorrow.  and the good thing...they already have the austin xl in stock!





radio said:


> I would be contacting customer service pronto!  Sounds like it might be a control board issue



Taking it back sounds like it was your best move.

Wishing you the best of luck with your next grill.


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## Lucas Bruursema (Jul 2, 2019)

I convinced two of my friends to get a pit boss and both went with the Austin XL from wal mart.  They've had no problems and enjoy it immensely.  you'll enjoy the upgrade from your current one (control board aside)

Hope things turn out for the best


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## kev2809 (Jul 2, 2019)

yup  hope so.  im already getting heat from some of my friends.  thought this was funny tho  lol


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## JWFokker (Jul 4, 2019)

Probably got a bad unit. And to be fair, pellet smokers are just ovens that run on pellets. A better first smoker would be a Weber Smokey Mountain 18" for the same price as you paid for the Pit Boss. The learning curve is just playing around with the charcoal and vents for a few hours to get a handle on how to adjust temps.


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## kev2809 (Jul 4, 2019)

true   but im sure being on recomended p4 setting on 220 it should never run 450 plus...

but i do have the austin xl now and picked up a brisket today...ill cook it Saturday.   ill post up the details


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## Lucas Bruursema (Jul 4, 2019)

Good luck!  Low and slow!  Hope the Austin gives you better results!


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## SlowmotionQue (Jul 4, 2019)

JWFokker said:


> Probably got a bad unit. And to be fair, pellet smokers are just ovens that run on pellets. A better first smoker would be a Weber Smokey Mountain 18" for the same price as you paid for the Pit Boss. The learning curve is just playing around with the charcoal and vents for a few hours to get a handle on how to adjust temps.



I agree 100%. 

The only thing he would have “given up”  would have been “set it and forget it” capabilities. 

But then, he never had that in the first place. 

The WSM would have introduce an owner to smoking meat and would be a great introductory cooker, versatile  for around the same price point.

Personally, you got me thinking, I’d buy a WSM, 18 or even 22 inch before I’d buy  one of these less expensive pellet grills being sold these days.


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## kev2809 (Jul 6, 2019)

well  first smoke and this thing did a hell of a lot better than the 340.  temps were super stable..got about plus minus 25 a few times but didnt stay long.  it was nice!

although i still cant figure why this brisket came out a little dry.. :(


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## kev2809 (Jul 6, 2019)

9lb choice i trimmed up myself.  set it on 220 for about 4 hrs (at that point my thermo SAID 178) so i panned it.   when i put it back in thermo read 160  lol.  anyways, after panning i went up to 250....after about an hour and a halft both sides were about 205-210..

pulled off..wrapped in double foil..towel...placed in cooler.  went swimming and came back about 3 hours later.  internal temp was 158 when i sliced it.   any thoughts?

in the pan i had carrots and potatos sitting in beef broth (brisket was not touching the broth).  also spritzed it every hour with beef broth when it was unwrapped/panned.


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## kev2809 (Jul 6, 2019)

also to the posts above...this is not my first smoker.  i have a stick burner ive had for a few years.  just wanted to try these "set it and forget it" pellet smokers for a change.


JWFokker said:


> Probably got a bad unit. And to be fair, pellet smokers are just ovens that run on pellets. A better first smoker would be a Weber Smokey Mountain 18" for the same price as you paid for the Pit Boss. The learning curve is just playing around with the charcoal and vents for a few hours to get a handle on how to adjust temps.





SlowmotionQue said:


> I agree 100%.
> 
> The only thing he would have “given up”  would have been “set it and forget it” capabilities.
> 
> ...


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