Pit Boss Grill Temperature Fluctuations? Here’s Why (and How to Fix)

Pit Boss sells affordable premium griddles, barbecues, and smokers for your cooking needs.  Pit Boss is one of the most popular brands. But it does have some problems with temperature fluctuation issues which can cause the meat to over-cook or under-cook.
If you own a Pit Boss and want to know how to fix these issues, read on! We'll tell you why these temperature fluctuations occur and how you can get them under control.

According to Pit Boss, As the Pit Boss Grill controls temperature by turning off and on the auger at specific intervals, which will cause a swing in temperatures of +/- 25 degrees and is completely normal. But if the temperature goes beyond that standard deviation, then you should be aware of the seriousness of the problem.

There are different reasons for such temperature fluctuation in the pellet grill. This includes a dirty or broken temp probe, cold weather, poor air circulation, wood pellets quality, and frequent lid opening.  

Let's discuss the specific causes of temperature fluctuations in the Pit Boss pellet grill.

1.  Ambient Temperature
   Deviations from the set temperature of a pellet grill may be due to the ambient temperature. The burning process of wood pellets depends on the temperature of the surrounding air.
   The higher the ambient temperature, the more intense the combustion process will be. If it's summer and your pellet fuel grill is directly in front of the sun, this can also cause the temperature to spike from the set temperature.
   It is common to experience mild temperature fluctuations on cold, rainy or windy days.
2. Pellet Grill Is Not Clean
   Even the perfect grill will experience fluctuations if it’s dirty.  If the grill is covered in food stains, soot and ash, uneven airflow will not transfer heat from the fire bowl to the cooking surface, affecting the even flow of convective air within the grill and may lead to grease fires, clogged propellers and even flame out.
3. Dirty RTD Temperature Probe Sensor
   Every Pit Boss Smoker has an RTD temp probe sensor that reads the internal temperature of the meat and sends it to the control board. Ensure to clean the temp probe,if you do not regularly clean the temperature probe, it will start malfunctioning and showing incorrect temperature.
4. Improper Startup of Pellet Grill
   It is very important to read the initial start-up procedure of the pellet fuel grill as per the instructions. The pellet grill needs to be optimally preheated before you can set the desired temperature. Do not place food inside the grill immediately either, as this can also cause temperature fluctuations in the pellet grill.
5. Low-Quality Pellets 
   Make sure always to use quality wood pellets or wood chips. High-quality wood pellets burn cleaner, without producing too much ash. Conversely, low-quality pellets will generate excessive ash that disrupts the temperature sensors,causes temperature fluctuations.
6. Chimney Cap Is Not Adjusted
   The purpose of the chimney cap on the pellet grill is not only to prevent water from entering the grill, but also to control the temperature by adjusting the airflow. When the chimney cap will not be adjusted to a specific height, it will cause the temperature to rise.

How to Avoid Pit Boss Pellet Grill Temperature Fluctuations?

If you experience temperature swings, following the following can help manage the problem.

1. Clean your Pit Boss Grill

The first step to avoiding temperature fluctuations in a Pit Boss pellet grill is that it should be properly cleaned. We recommend cleaning your grill after running 40-60 lbs of pellets through your Pit Boss Grill. 

    Follow these steps to clean your Pit Boss Grill. 

• Disconnect your power, emptying the grill of the pellets. 
•  Use a vacuum to remove the ash from the fire pot and bottom of the grill.
•  Scrape any grease from your flame broiler.
•  Wipe down the grill with a light degreaser.
•  Unplug the probes so they aren’t connected to any electrical components.
•  Wash the temp probe using warm soap and water. 
•  If the Internal Temperature Probe does not work, replace it.

2. Use High-Quality Hardwood Wood Pellets
You should first ensure that your Pit Boss Pellet grill uses high-quality wood pellets and that you store them in a cool and dry place. Ensure that wood pellets are dry before use.

3.  Preheat Pellet Grill By Following Instruction Manual
The initial burning process of a Pit Boss pellet grill is really important to ensure optimized preheating. First, set the pellet grill to the smoke option until all the white smoke is done blowing out the grill. This takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Preheat your pellet grill for 30 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit to stabilize the internal temperature. This preheating procedure also depends on the model of a Pit Boss grill. So, always read its solution manual before proceeding.

4. Proper Adjustment of P-Setting
You can also make some adjustments in P-settings if your Pit Boss pellet grill has a time-based controller. Pit Boss grill with PID controller does not have P-setting. You can change P-setting from P-4 to P-5 if the temperature goes way above the set temperature.
When you are barbecuing in direct summer sunlight, it is recommended to increase the setting of P-4 to P-5. However the P-setting does not solve the problem of temperature fluctuations. This is because the P-setting only applies to the "Smoke Setting" of the Pit Boss grill.

5. Adjust the Chimney Cap
Control temperature fluctuations in the Pit Boss Pellet Grill by raising the chimney cap. When the outside temperature is so low that the grill struggles to maintain temperature, the chimney cap can be lowered by an inch or so.

Wrapping Up

We have listed the causes and solutions regarding temperature fluctuations in Pit Boss pellet grills. I hope this will help you to reduce the temperature fluctuations of your pellet grill. If you have any other questions you can also contact us.