Grill50 — Practical Grilling & BBQ Guides

Pellet Grill Basics: Startup, Temperature Control, and Common Faults

This guide covers starting, running, and shutting down a pellet grill, using the owner’s manuals of two manufacturers: the Pit Boss PB440D2 and the Pitts & Spitts Maverick Pellet Grill.

Placement and clearance

The Pit Boss owner’s manual requires a minimum clearance of 305mm (12 inches) from combustible constructions to the sides of the grill. The Pitts & Spitts manual sets a larger distance: a minimum of 36 inches from the exterior of the grill to combustibles. Under overhead combustibles, that manual asks for at least 40 inches of clearance from the top of the smoke stack. The Pitts & Spitts manual says the grill is “intended for OUTDOOR USE ONLY.” The Pit Boss owner’s manual says not to use the appliance “indoors or in an enclosed, unventilated area.” The Pitts & Spitts manual tells owners to contact local building or fire officials about restrictions and inspection requirements. Practical advice: choose a level spot with nothing overhead, keep fuel and flammable liquids away, and check the clearance figure in your own model’s manual before you set up.

Pellet storage

The Pit Boss owner’s manual says wood pellets are highly susceptible to moisture and should be kept in an airtight container. The Pitts & Spitts manual says to store pellets in a dry location, away from heat-producing appliances and other fuel containers. The Pitts & Spitts manual says that if the grill will not be used for 48 hours, the hopper should be emptied at the end of the cook. It says to store those pellets in a moisture tight, re-sealable plastic bucket.

Startup

The Pit Boss owner’s manual says the auger must be primed so that pellets reach the burn pot. Without priming, the manual says the igniter can time out before pellets reach the burn pot. The Pit Boss owner’s manual also gives a first-use burn-off: at any temperature over 350°F (176°C) with the lid down, for 30 to 40 minutes. The Pitts & Spitts manual says to place a handful of pellets in the burn pot until the hot rod is almost covered. It then says to turn the power on with the ON/OFF button. In the Pit Boss owner’s manual, the barrel lid must stay open during the automatic start-up cycle.

Temperature control

On the Pitts & Spitts, the PID controller cycles the auger and fan to hold the target temperature. In the Pit Boss owner’s manual, the Temperature Control Dial sets the smoking temperature. The Pit Boss owner’s manual says outdoor weather, pellet quality and flavor, and the amount of food all affect the temperature. The Pitts & Spitts manual says cold weather makes the grill take longer to heat up. If the temperature falls more than 25°F below the setpoint on the Pitts & Spitts, the ignitor turns on.

Shutdown

In the Pit Boss owner’s manual, you press the Power Button and turn the dial to OFF to start the cool-down. On the Pitts & Spitts, powering off starts a 15 minute Shutdown Cycle that burns out the pellets in the burn pot. During that cycle only the fan runs, to make sure the remaining pellets are extinguished. The manual warns that if the Shutdown Cycle does not run in its entirety, the next start can be harder. The Pitts & Spitts manual says not to cover the grill while it is hot.

Common faults

The Pit Boss owner’s manual says a flashing temperature display is not an error, but it signals some risk that the fire could go out. Its first checks are fuel in the hopper and any obstruction in the feed system. On the Pitts & Spitts, error code ER-2 appears when the temperature does not rise above 160°F within a 30 minute window. If power is restored while the grill reads below 160°F, the manual treats the fire as having gone out. The same Pit Boss owner’s manual warns that wet pellets can expand, decompose, and jam the feed system. Practical advice: if a fault continues after these checks, write down the code and the steps you tried, then contact the manufacturer named in your manual.

For a grill that will not reach temperature, see why your grill won’t get hot enough and how to fix it. For storing the grill between seasons, see how to store and winterize gas and charcoal grills. For fire control on other grill types, see flare-up prevention and when a flare-up is a real fire.

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