FireBoard customer service, good and bad

[mgood777]

Nothing more than a fun story here about how it pays to be an Amazing Ribs member. I have a Fireboard 2 Pro. I’ve had it for about two years I guess so it’s old enough to be out of warranty, but it’s very lightly used. I’ve only used it maybe a dozen times. For most of the past year it has not worked correctly. When in use, the probes are erratic and inaccurate. The ambient probe usually reads 70-100 degrees even when in a hot smoker. The meat probe readings can bounce around all over the place even when in a steadily smoking piece of meat. (FWIW… I use it exclusively to smoke in a Yoder YS640 with a probe hole so the probes have never been overheated nor cords pinched.) I began contacting Fireboard about this last year. I have been on the phone with Fireboard on multiple occasions and duplicated the problem for them in real time in a cooking session so they have witnessed it. I have contacted them a total of 4 different times to try and resolve. First time they told me to tighten the screws on the probe ends (known quality issue with the probe manufacturer, BTW), second time they sent me a new probe, third time they had me send the unit back to them for recalibration, fourth time (few weeks ago) they had me send it back to them AGAIN for more calibration and testing. After this most recent return to them, they said that there’s nothing wrong with it and it tests fine in their office (implying of course that the problem is user error). I’m fine with it if they think that it’s user error (despite my probably having been smoking and grilling for longer than the person helping me has been alive), but I told them how disappointed and pissed off it made me that they were just dumping the problem back in my lap with no offer to help whatsoever. The email exchange went something like, "If you think it’s user error that’s fine, but how about you offer to help me solve the problem? What should I do different? Have you seen this before? How have you resolved it for other customers? It’s amateurish that you are throwing this back at me when you have seen the issue for yourselves and yet you’re not offering to at least help me diagnose what is happening or what I am doing wrong." It was at about this time that I said I have multiple friends who have purchased Fireboard on my recommendation (truth) and also that I will be sure to use my platform in the Amazing Ribs forums to tell others what I think of Fireboard customer service. Shortly after making clear to them that I can be vocal about things like this, I got the following email from Fireboard… "Upon further review, we think that this is a rare occurrence of A/C line noise. This occurs sometimes when using near a power source. My apologies for not catching this sooner. I have attached a label so just put it on the box and send it back to us and I will send you a replacement FireBoard today." So even though it was not my intent to weasel a new unit out of them, that’s a perfectly acceptable solution to the problem. Anybody know whether A/C line noise is a real thing? Or is that customer service language for "We just want you to shut up and go away." I think it’s the latter, but I’m good with that!

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Sucks they held out hard on a replacement, which would have been the right thing to do after multiple failed attempts. I wonder if it's just luck of the draw for who you get? I had a failed probe, just out of warranty and they still overnighted me a replacement probe no problem.

[RonB]

It does seem odd that mentioning publicizing your problems get the proper response, but if that's what it takes...

[WillTravelForFood]

recall having heard of issues surrounding A/C line noise having an impact on things. Can't tell you details, will have to look them up to verify if memory is accurate.

[glitchy]

You are at least the third person that I recall has mentioned issues with Fireboard support recently. As a huge fan of Fireboard and someone that was a kickstarter backer and talked directly to Ted Conrad for some support issues on my original FB, I’m disappointed that their treatment of customers seems to be slipping.

Hopefully Ted will catch wind of this and right the ship before more damage is done.

I had noise issues with the Heatermeter system I built before getting my Fireboard. It’s often a power supply issue though versus the unit itself. Kinda odd they didn’t at least send you a new power adapter early in the process.

[rlozinak]

Sorry to hear you had issues with them. Makes me wonder weather I bought the right product

[Sdell]

Glad you finally got things resolved. I have had no issues except one of four probes went bad after 18 months of pretty hard use.

[ILMsmoke]

I just sent back my Smoke x4 that's 4 years old. They replaced it under warranty. No questions asked...

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

FB warranty is one of the few things I was disappointed with (so far). For the price, 1 year warranty is pretty sad.

[realdocBBQ]

4y old and replaced under warranty??? Wow, that's incredible.

[ILMsmoke]

I did send a well written letter on the thousands I’ve spent on their product and how good my experience has been with them with one exception. If I were buying today it would be a Fireboard just because I like it, but Thermoworks has never done me wrong!

[leol2]

I had a problem with my Fireboard 2 and Spark. They sent me replacements both times without any issues. Hannah was great in support

[Polarbear777]

Early on fireboard was awesome and very responsive. My two pro units are now buggy and despite sending them logs and detailed descriptions they have no idea why my units randomly just stop controlling multiple times per cook. I also had one of their power adapters up and die on me. Very difficult to get help now. I guess they’ve grown to the point where they can’t keep up.

[fzxdoc]

Say it ain't so, Joe !

I heart my Fireboards and probes which (fingers crossed) have always been reliable. Ditto with FB Customer Service, which has been great the few times I needed help. Once they replaced a probe for free even though its damage was my fault. That was impressive to me.

Kathryn

[Alan Brice]

I own a Signals. I have purchased another Signals for BIL. He owns a Deli n makes multiple roast beast a lot! I have always had connectivity issues. Usually in the middle of a cook, 1 or 2 am. I have not pressed ThermoWorks on this. I manage to complete my cooks, but become very aggravated.
I bought a meater plus and have been surprisingly pleased. I have a smoke, so btw all the equipt I own, I manage.

[Alan Brice]

Not too long ago it was suggested to me to make sure I was not on the 5G because these units work better on 2.4. Seems to have solved any issues.

[Histrix]

The Fireboard only uses 2.4ghz so you can't actually connect via 5ghz.

[steve weston]

I'm just starting the customer service oddessy w/ Fireboard. Plugged it in to charge until light was green last night. This morning NO charge. I'm smoking a chuck roast with my loyal thermapen. I'll start w/ the Fireboard people on Monday.

[tdimond]

AC line noise is a real thing in measurement. It shows up at line frequency of 60 Hz in the US or 50 Hz in other countries, and can interfere with your measurements. If they designed their electrical filters correctly or shielded it correctly, it shouldn't be an issue. They most likely went with shielding, and if the shielding is loose then you can see measurement errors.

Does the problem occur when you're running on the battery? That would help isolate it.