My Copperhead's likely death throes...

[DaveD]

This morning I had another boneless turkey breast roast ready to go to cook for lunchmeat, as I've been doing lately. As before, planned to run it in the Copperhead 5 - but as it was coming up to temp, the augur system failed, won't respond at all to the "Prime" button that actuates it manually. It had been acting up lately, with spotty delivery of pellets requiring restarts, but I thought those were behind me-- but guess not. So not surprisingly, once the last pellets burned down, that was that. I hastily got the SnS kettle set up with B&B and some small apple chunks, so I'm only about half an hour behind schedule. But very bummed about the pellet rig! I suppose the augur system might be replaceable, but I don't think I have the tools, workspace, or know-how to make that happen. Sigh.

Here's the snapshot... Pit Boss temp in purple on the left, the last gasp...

[jfmorris]

Major bummer. How old is the Copperhead 5? Even if not under warranty, I would think Pit Boss may be able to help you out.

Replacing the auger motor likely just involves unscrewing a panel on the back, bottom, or maybe down in the hopper, to pull it out and replace it. I am sure Pitboss would give instructions with the replacement part, if that is what has failed. I am just saying you ought to be able to to the work right there were it sits on your patio.

The eventual failure of mechanical and electrical components on pellet grills is the main reason I chose a pure charcoal grill (kamado) when I won the AR giveaway 4 years ago. I had a pellet cooker on my short list, but decided something on it would die within 5 years or so, versus a ceramic and stainless kamado lasting the rest of my life...

You were lucky to catch it quickly and have a backup cooker...

[Johnny Booth]

Don’t let know-how stop you. Looks like it’s very doable with inexpensive tools. 👍

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W7rl_HP-i7U

[DaveD]

Hey, thanks for that, but it's not the same unit. That's a Copper line pellet *grill*, whereas mine is the Copperhead vertical pellet smoker. The guts are likely similar but located someplace very different, because the hopper is integrated to the back of the cabinet, not on the side. Not confusing at all for Pit Boss to have cookers called both Copper and Copperhead!

[Johnny Booth]

DaveD - I’m finding these from PitBoss, on YouTube. This shows one on the bottom. If you search on your model, I’m sure PitBoss has one out there. 🍻

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu5wixqGlA4

[Oak Smoke]

There’s someone on YouTube that can guide you through fixing it. This is a great time to get an incredible case of MCS and let us help you spend some of your money!

[DaveD]

So thoughtful and considerate

[klflowers]

My Chimp is acting up too. The temp control is out of whack. I need to take the temp probe out and clean it or maybe replace it. The controls on these pellet grills are pretty simple to work on as far as i can tell. I replaced the control board on the Chimp pretty easily. Or if you can move yours, see about taking it to a local hardware store. Ace Hardware fixed my Traeger Tailgater when I stripped a screw head and couldn't get the auger motor on it out. The hardware people might even come to you and fix it. Never know until you ask.

[Sweaty Paul]

I have noticed the importance on my YS-640 of keeping the thermocouple clean. A clean thermocouple makes the Yoder more accurate. I didn't clean after a couple of longer cooks and could tell the difference. I now clean the thermocouple after every cook. Seems to help. Good luck on your troubleshooting.

[DaveD]

Followed some other links starting with what Johnny B posted above, and I did find this short vid showing how it's done on the model I have:

I can probably do this, but it does require flipping the unit over and standing it on its head because everything is mounted under the cabinet. The Copperhead 5 manual says it weighs 127lb/58kg, so there is no way I can flip that over without at least one helper and probably two, I no longer have what it takes to heft stuff like that around. I really don't know anyone locally who isn't old and decrepit like me, though, so we'll have to see.

EDIT: Johnny Booth I had this all written like two hours ago but never hit Post! I think this is the same clip you posted later.

[jfmorris]

If you are laying it down on its side, then standing it back up on its top, you are never lifting 127 pounds, but half of that, as the ground is supporting the other end. That is how my son, 2 son in laws and me moved a 850 pound steel beam into the house during a remodel - by lifting one end at a time, onto furniture dollies, then lifting the other end, and moving it that way.

[DaveD]

jfmorris Yep Jim, I get all that, I've worked with moving incredibly heavy hydraulic presses in my lab years, and know that drill. What I'm saying is even that is beyond my abilities anymore. I got "issues."

[Grillin Dad]

Hey, what's with everyone encouraging DaveD to fix his cooker? This isn't the AR that I know!! Has everyone here been replaced to some type of fiscally-and-maritally responsible AI bot??!!

You're absolutely right DaveD, that thing is shot beyond repair. I think the only reasonable course of action here is a LSG pellet rig, or maybe a Yoder. With the competition cart, SS grill racks, and all the fixings!!

[Sid P]

New Year’s resolution. It will be gone by next Friday.

[DaveD]

Grillin Dad I lol'd!!

[DaveD]

Well, the good news is that I got the turkey roast cooked on the kettle no problem (not that I was expecting any). It had been dry-brined overnight, and I hit it with my house poultry rub ("Fowl Play" ) before putting it on. Tossed a few small apple wood fragments on the B&B coals and had no trouble keeping the indirect side right around 325/165. Took just under two hours to reach target of 155/68, and it carried over a few degrees but no biggy.





To make for better slicing, this time around I vac sealed it immediately and dropped it in an ice bath to crash cool, then into the fridge til tomorrow when I'll slice it all up for sealing into two-sandwich portions. Used the handy paper towel in the bag trick to wick up juice to keep it from reaching the seal zone.




At least I know what we're having for lunch tomorrow

[Draznnl]

A couple of questions for you DaveD following up on Oak Smoke ’spost this morning. #1 How much of your money do you want us to spend for you selecting a replacement? #2 Don’t you know your answer to Question 1 is not nearly enough and that you’ll need to spend at least $1,000.00 more than that to get anything close to what you need?

[DaveD]

"What if there were no more rhetorical questions?"

[Oak Smoke]

Here again you have the chance to live the American dream, explore your options! Just think of all the pellet smokers there are out there.

[DaveD]

Hey, thanks for the support folks. Some may recall that we are going to have to move come summer, and that will figure into how I go about dealing with this. I do plan to contact the Pit Boss folks and get their input, particularly if there's a way to diagnose the problem before I start tearing things apart. For example, the motor might be fine, it could be some physical blockage (but I understand that such a thing could easily burn out a low-power motor like these as it tries to push against the obstruction). Would be nice to know clearly what I'm fixing before I start disassembly! I also don't want to pay to move something that may no longer work, so there will be a Go/No-Go point at some stage.

[DaveD]

Andrrr Looking like Delaware, couple hours east of us, exact locale TBD. Not our idea, external factors are driving the decision.

[Andrrr]

Sorry to hear that. I know you've talked highly of where you're at now, especially after adding the extra grilling space.

[DaveD]

@andrr Yeah, I'm really not happy to have to walk away from the improvements I did out back!

[texastweeter]

My masterbuilt Digital vertical took some percussive maintenance to get the fan to come on new years day for the ham. I feel your pain

[Oak Smoke]

In the old oil field days we were admonished to “don't force it get a bigger hammer”. Percussive maintenance is an effective technique.

[texastweeter]

If my last twack hadn't done it, I was gonna get the deadbolt hammer. Oak Smoke

[DaveD]

"Percussive maintenance" ... Love it!