Camp Chef Troubleshooting & Quick Fixes (2024)

No matter how technologically advanced the Camp Chef pellet grill is, it only goes with technical issues at some point. So does it mean my pellet grill is not up to the promise of long-time service the Camp Chef gave me?

Never! Any cooking material nowadays offers tons of features, but cooking materials only support us for a short time with any service.

That’s what happens for Camp Chef, it shows issues that are likely to be solved by professionals, but in reality, I can do my Camp Chef Troubleshooting.

So here I am, using my Camp chef for more than five years and I know almost everything about the non-professional troubleshooting needed for the Camp Chef. So let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Camp Chef Troubleshooting (4 Issues with fixes)

Camp Chef pellet grill has different models like woodwind, woodwind pro, apex, smoke pro etc. But all of them have the issues that we normally see in other pellet grills, which are common for Camp Chef. So, let’s see the issues and solutions.

1. Jammed Auger Pipe

It happened to me, when I tried to grill pork one day and turned on the Camp chef pellet grill. The temperature reached 350-380 degrees Celsius, and smoke started to get out from the pellet hopper where I had just put pellets.

So definitely, there is something wrong because smoke shouldn’t come out from the pellet hopper. So I turned off the unit. Then opened the hopper and let all the pellets out of the hopper. Let the tube only to get all the stuff out of the tube. The auger tube was full of pellet dust.

So I cleaned the auger tube, and it looked like the pellets were clogged into the auger tube and started to burn there, and smoke came out backwards in the pellet hopper.

Fixing Auger Tube

Bring out the pellets from the hopper and clean it.
After cooking, don’t forget to remove the pellets.
Keeping the pellet hopper dry and clean.
Reset all the settings again.

2. Greasy Temperature Sensor

Temperature sensors in the cooking or grilling area detect the exact temperature of the Camp Chef grill. So if the temperature sensor is covered with dirt or Grease or like solid dust, then the temperature won’t give an accurate reading. That’s why keeping the grilling interior clean is important.

Fixing the Temperature Sensor

Take off the grill grates. Under the grill grates, the temperature sensor is screwed up.
Unscrew the temperature sensor and pull it out.
But the wiring is long and connected to the main controller.
That’s why first unplug the wire from the controller, then slowly pull the wire out.
Now, if you have been using the Camp Chef for a couple of years already, then replace the old temperature sensor with a new one.
If it is a new one, used only for several months, just clean the sensor with soapy water.
Dry it well, keep it in position again, and connect to the circuit board.

3. Low Quality Pellets

Low-quality wood pellets can cause Camp Chef not heating up problems, and sometimes it’s tough to understand where the issue is going for lower-quality pellets. Because most of the time, I never thought even pellets can be an issue.

I suggest you go to the forums of your local area’s pellet grill community and ask what type of pellets will be the best for the Camp chef pellet grill. Otherwise, the Camp chef won’t provide the expected heat and smoke and it will look like the problem is in the unit.

Besides these kinds of troubleshooting, there are a few common issues like the Camp Chef is not igniting , or the Camp Chef hot rod is not working. But they have very plain solutions like other pellet grills.

Fixing the Low Quality Pellet Issue

Low quality pellets definitely have a low price. So saving money doesn’t always work for pellets.
Try to learn about the best quality pellets and best pellets for pellet grills from different forums.
Camp chef competition blend, Camp Chef Premium Applewood, Pit Boss BBQ Competition blend are the best ones for Camp Chef.

4. Malfunction of Blower Fan

The malfunction of the blower fan happens due to not cleaning the pellet grill frequently after cooking. We use oil and other greases to make the grill soft and fried. But the oil and Grease stuck on the fan and made it jam. As a result, the ignition can’t have enough oxygen to burn into the fire. Ultimately the grill won’t heat up.

Fixing the Fan

I think if the unit is several years older, then we should change both the auger motor and fan.
If replacing a brand new fan sounds too much, then just clean it.
Make sure the fan is rotating smoothly after cleaning by checking manually.
But you shouldn’t use any broken fan.

You can also check this video:

Camp Chef Error Code

Error code is the digital language I get to see during Camp Chef pellet grill troubleshooting. Here I’ll let you know about the few common error codes we normally see in Camp Chef.

1. Flame or Flame Error

The FLAME is shown in older versions of Camp Chef and in the latest versions, it’ll show FLAME Error. It could mean the hopper ran out of pellets. But Flame Error can happen for several reasons. You need to find it because the unit won’t get any heat without flame.

2. Flame Out Error

Flame out error happens basically in lower below 220 degree Celsius and the flame is very small. When the controller senses your pellet has a small fire and injects more fuel there. And when finally the fire is out, the controller doesn’t know it and keeps pumping fuel on pellets, but flame out basically happens for dirty burn pot, low fuel quality and broken or damaged ignitor.

3. RTD Error/ Sensor Error

This error code comes basically when the temperature probe is not getting the perfect temperature sense. The RTD probe is very much sensitive and can get damaged easily while moving the whole pellet grill. So if you get an RTD Error code, it means the RTD probe needs replacement.

4. PRERR Code

This means the meat probe is broken. But usually, you must check the controller first and see if the probe is fully inserted. Because often, it gets a loose connection with the controller.

5. OVER TEMP Error Code

If the grill exceeds the normal operating temperature, then it shows this error code. But Error codes can happen for some reasons which are not described in the manual.

FAQs

1. Why does the flame keep going out on my Camp chef smoker?

Flame out happens when the fire is at its weakest state. And the controller keeps ordering pumping more fuel to lighten up the fire. Empty pallet hoppers, Windy weather, and power supply interception can cause it.

2. Why isn’t my pellet smoker getting up to temp?

There can be several reasons, but dirty fire pots and broken or bad hot rods can cause this kind of heating issue. Also, low quality pellets are one of the important reasons for the low temperature of the pellet grill.

3. Why my pellet grill is not igniting?

The dirty firepot full of ashes can be a vital reason for not igniting the pellet grill. Also, electrical issues and low quality pellets or damped pellets can be the main reason for not igniting the pellet grill.

Final Verdict

Camp chef smoker troubleshooting is the most common asking for the new Camp Chef users. I appreciate their reasons for getting tense after investing so much money in pellet grills. One thing is for sure, if I don’t keep cleaning my Camp Chef frequently, the problems will never stop showing up.

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