# P setting controller problem with a new Pit Boss 820



## waterluvr

Brought home a new Pit Boss 820 last week and noticed an issue with it after a few cooks with regard to the P settings while in the smoke mode the grill would go out on the default P4 after varied lengths of time anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour later. 

I am following a full ten minute start up procedure in smoke mode with the lid open so there's no initial problems getting it up and running as is required to start properly. 

So on further inspection I removed the cooking grids and sear pans so I can see the burner pot and auger cycles and make use of the stopwatch on my smart phone and that is where things got interesting. 

For example, when timing the P4 setting it runs the 18 second auger feed properly then goes into off mode for 155 seconds (the factory specification for P4 in both the printed manual, online PDF, and verified by the factory rep. shows 115 seconds off time on the chart). 

I timed it several more times, shut the grill down and restarted did a few more tests and nothing changes the P4 setting is adding an additional 40 seconds off time each cycle. 

So I switched to the P3 setting and find the same 40 second discrepancy, it times on the stopwatch at 140 seconds of instead of the 100 seconds listed in the manufacturers chart. 

So a call to Dansons and they agree the controller is defective and send a new one out right away and it showed up today. I installed it, ran the same tests and it's doing exactly what the first one did adding 40 seconds to the off time of each P setting but this one is slightly worse with regard to the fact it short cycles the auger setting at 16.2 seconds repeatedly versus the factory specified 18 seconds the original one did.  

Anyone else run into this problem, or own one of these and willing to time their P setting cycles? I have another call into Dansons and haven't heard back from them with a fix for this yet but this isn't encouraging the first controller would run in smoke mode and stay lit on P3 and the replacement has to be set to P2 to stay running and it doesn't leave enough adjustment for off season cold weather use.


----------



## bregent

I'm not sure how the Pit Boss controller works, but with the CampChef, the duty cycle (auger on/off) timing varies depending on whether it is above or below set point. Is the discrepancy you are seeing related to that?


----------



## waterluvr

bregent said:


> I'm not sure how the Pit Boss controller works, but with the CampChef, the duty cycle (auger on/off) timing varies depending on whether it is above or below set point. Is the discrepancy you are seeing related to that?


The Pit Boss controller P settings are fixed quantities. As an example, the factory specified default setting is P4 with a fixed setting of 115 seconds of auger off time, P3 is 100 seconds, P2 is 85 seconds all with 18 seconds of auger on time that is a fixed fueling cycle time without regard to P number selected. 

The issue I am having is the controller is adding an additional 40 seconds to every off cycle setting thus extending the fuel load in the burner pot far past the design parameters and the grill will not stay lit in smoke mode.

The P settings remain functional above the smoke mode at 200* or more and there is additional input and fueling cycles based on feedback from the temp probe but this problem is strictly in smoke mode. 

While it can be overcome by dialing down the P settings to the lowest numbers to force it to work, it's high 70's to low 80's *F here these past weeks and when colder temps arrive the smoke mode would be useless not to mention it won't stay lit on the default setting and that little momentary poke / prod switch on the P setting adjuster isn't going to hold up to being used every time you have to start the grill. 

If anything this time of year the P setting should be increased slightly to control temps by adding time to fuel cycles, not the opposite. 

Worth noting the original controller did a reasonable job of maintaining cook temp settings at 200* or more, the replacement is running 50-75* hotter than the cook setting. 

I did hear back from Dansons, they pulled the old shine on routine and claim they have never had issues like this before. They were supposed to call back again before they closed, that didn't happen and now they are gone for the weekend.


----------



## bregent

Sorry, I missed the part that you were in 'smoke' mode.


----------



## waterluvr

bregent said:


> Sorry, I missed the part that you were in 'smoke' mode.


No worries, I put the old controller back in it this morning and loaded it up to take to the shop for the guys to grill lunch on lol, this thing needs to not be at my house any longer I got exactly what I paid for and should have known better. 

Lesson learned the hard way once again and I surely know better when it comes to buying quality you get what you pay for. 

Believe I need to find the best source for a Cookshack / Fast Eddy's PG500 and get it ordered!


----------

