{"id":14538,"date":"2023-05-17T12:12:47","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T12:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=14538"},"modified":"2023-09-15T10:38:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T10:38:32","slug":"traeger-not-heating-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/traeger-not-heating-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Traeger Not Heating Up: 7 Causes and Fixes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One common cause of Traeger grills not heating up is a bad hot rod<\/strong>. Other culprits include windy weather, poor-quality wood pellets, and a malfunctioning fan. Your grill might just simply be out of pellets, too! <\/strong>If you\u2019re handy, none of these fixes are very tricky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Traeger grill has been my go-to smoker<\/a> for years. It\u2019s failed to heat up on me a few times. I pride myself on being handy, and I fixed the grill every time. I know the owner\u2019s manual like a priest knows the Bible. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, I’ll pass down my valuable knowledge. I\u2019ll cover every possible reason your Traeger isn\u2019t heating up and explain how to fix it!<\/p>\n\n\n

\"traeger<\/figure>\n\n\n

Common Reasons Traeger Not Heating Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are seven common reasons your Traeger pellet grill is not heating properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: I\u2019ve got the Traeger Pro 575. <\/strong>These instructions should work for all Traeger pellet grills, but consult your owner\u2019s manual if you\u2019re running stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Defective Hot Rod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One main reason a Traeger grill doesn’t heat is because of a faulty hot rod. The hot rod acts as the lighting mechanism for the pellets in the fire pot. It creates a fire that makes the pellets burn. The burning pellets are the fuel source in a pellet grill. They\u2019re responsible for raising the smoker\u2019s temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, hot rods can wear out after a few years…<\/strong> Good news! It\u2019s easy to check your Traeger\u2019s rod.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, make sure your hopper has pellets. Remove the cooking grate, drip pan, and heat deflector so you can see the firebox. Start the smoker and set it to high heat. Then, open the lid and check if the rod is glowing red. You may need to give it a few minutes. If the rod isn’t glowing red or the pellets haven\u2019t ignited, then you need to replace your grill’s rod. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other common symptoms of a faulty hot rod include uneven heat distribution and slow ignition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Fix?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You can either buy a replacement hot rod and replace your old rod yourself or get an expert to do it. If you’re a DIYer, roll up your sleeves! There\u2019s not much to it.<\/strong> Here’s how to replace your rod:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Disconnect the Traeger from the power supply. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Empty all the pellets from the pellet hopper.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Unscrew the control panel screw using a screwdriver.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Unscrew the pellet hopper body.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Carefully<\/strong> cut the cable zip ties<\/strong> holding the wiring together. Disconnect the wiring by pulling apart the plastic Molex connector.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Remove the grill trays, drip pan, and heat deflector. Now, unscrew the nuts attaching the firepot. You’ll find the screw for the rod there. Loosen the rod screw (don\u2019t remove it) <\/strong>and slide out the hot rod through the burn pot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Get your new hot rod from Traeger and insert it through the hopper side of the grill. Slide it into the burn pot. Tighten the hot rod screw, but do not overtighten.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Now, reverse the steps to reassemble the parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Plug in the grill, fill it with pellets, and test if the fix works.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s a video from Traeger. It\u2019s handy if you\u2019re a visual learner. The video is a step-by-step walk-through of replacing a hot rod. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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