New Member and a Problem on Start Up

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

Hi, Mike here in Iowa and new to the Smokefire family, but longtime Weber kettle guy. Been eying the SF for a while. Almost got a Stealth but thought it too expensive. This will replace my pit boss vertical smoker and my kettle and my Holland….but not my Blackstone lol. My EX6 was delivered today - a floor model. Blaine’s had a sale - $999 for an EX6 so my beautiful wife let me get it for Fathers Day. Only two left were floor models. Thought I inspected it well….

Took off stupid finger guard, downloaded software update and paired. No issues there. I have a Weber Connect and iGrill for my Performer and my Holland gasser. So I’m used to updates. But as it downloaded I got two auger jam warnings and then they disappeared. After pairing I started trying to go to 600 degrees to burn off. It fired up - glow plug orange. Yes! Pellets fall, and fall, and fall. No ignition. Mikey consults assembly manual. Pellets continue to fall, and fall, and fall.

Glow plug is under the Fire box and not through the hole, so curses Blaine’s assembly. Began shutdown. Auger keeps spitting out pellets - a lot of them. So I shut it off. Turned back on and as expected it says improper shutdown. so I waited, and waited. 35 minutes later it still says improper shutdown.
so Mikey turns the on/off switch to Off and back to On. Nothing but a blank screen now. Zip, zero, zilch, nada.

Tried a forced reset i read about. Yeah, no. So I call Weber. Perpetual hold. Some forum said motherboard so I filed a warranty claim online. We will see what the tech support gurus say. Wife asks did you get it to work? I say, well, kinda but no.

So my inaugural day with my Smokefire comes to a close. More to follow once Weber CS comes on.

 

[Goneincognito]

That sucks man..
So the screen is actually lighting up but not displaying anything?
While you are waiting for a resolution, I would recommend downloading the BLIT app and going through the assembly instructions to ensure that nothing else was done incorrectly by the store.

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

Correct, it is not displaying anything. Just lighting up. Gave some weird indications with an auger jam - controller said it would try to fix and no noise at all.

Great advice about BILT app as I have that for another project. Will look this up.

 

[JpsBBQ]

The glow plug has adjustment and must protrude trough the hole provided into the pot.

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

I got the glow plug adjusted so I’m good in that area now. . I’m putting new casters on tonight after work since I can’t use it so I’ll have that mod done.

Weber customer service has “escalated” my issue so we’ll see what they say. Never let me down with any other product I’ve had that was Weber.

 

[primeone]

Welcome to the forum Keep us in the loop on how the repair goes, hopefully Weber will get you fixed up soon!

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

Still no word from Weber….so I both called yesterday and then emailed today. Hopefully they come through soon….

I’m frustrated that I get the 24-48 hours from one person and 24-72 hours from another. You would think this would be an easy fix….

Maybe Weber is viewing these and will see I am frustrated….I haven’t even gotten to do my burn in yet. I know I didn’t make a mistake on getting this unit as I see what it produces. But my wife will start questioning why I bought it, spending what I did.

Thanks all for reading my frustrating rant.

 

[Goneincognito]

Could you just go back to where you got it from?
They may be able to offer some assistance or even replace the unit?
At the end of the day, it was them that screwed up the assembly.

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

Was their only one as it was the floor model. Just sent Weber a snarky reply. I usually am respectful of customer service (I’m in HR and know how tough and thankless that job is). But WTH, no response at all to what I feel is a straightforward issue. My damn controller had a brain freeze and is now brain dead.
I may have to invoke the 100 day return policy and get a new in box Stealth instead.

 

[Goneincognito]

I would just do that.
Taking the colour out of it, the updates in the stealth makes it worth the extra $.

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

Actually spoke to someone today who was able to speak to the Smokefire team. I'm "in the queue" whatever that means (she intimated they are very busy and yes, I know what a queue is LOL) or it could be they operate lean. I wouldn't imagine it taking long to work someone's issue however. I even got the "secret" number for the team, which in actuality is in the warranty book lol.

In any event, I have a ticket number and hopefully they call soon. In the meantime, I'm going to have a look at the microprocessor for gits and shizzels just to see if anything obvious is there. Maybe blow it off with some compressed air for my 'puter. Can't hurt, may help.

 

[TimA]

Guy. Relax. I understand you’re frustrated but being all up in a tizzy and sending snarky emails accomplishes nothing. Let them work, you know the state of EVERYTHING the last two years (valid or not...) so give them time.

I will add I’ve never filed a claim with Weber but have a chain of emails from asking about the then-hopeful second run of Glen Blue 26’s and they’ve always been fairly prompt. That was also 2 years ago.

My god, we can’t give a couple of days?

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

You are correct. Thank you for the course correction. It is an exercise in patience which I need more of as it is a virtue.

They’ve diagnosed a controller issue and grabbed my shipping info so I expect it will be coming soon.

I did apologize for any rants I did to the Weber staff and humbly thanked them for their help.

Enough of this post. I’ll do a new one when the burn in happens. On to the casters finally after I clean the basement on this rainy day.

 

[TimA]

I’m confident they will get you taken care of and when she’s up and running, you’ll love it as much as most of us do. Truly is a great cooker and don’t regret it at all.

Trouble free? Nope. But most of not all were end-user caused (myself or my daughter).

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

My new controller arrived and I installed it when I got home from work. Fired up and did my burn in. I’m amazed at how fast it gets to temp. Lumberjack oak ran through it. Used a quarter of the bag for a 40 min burn off at 600.

Tomorrow will be front and side shelf install. Casters went on Sunday and look very good.

I’m very happy with it. Software downloaded twice - latest is .5xxx (don’t remember actual version number). No issues at all with it. Need to get some Royal Oak pellets for our stadium food cookout (dogs and brats).

Cleaned and put away till Friday. Covered in my garage with my $27 Smokefire cover found at Lowes…steal of the week for me. Clearance. Why? I don’t know and I don’t care lol.

Weber CS came through for me and I told them so just now. Was a jack wagon for stressing about it.

Next post will be a first cook…