ErH code is just telling you that your Pit Boss smoker has been over 600 °F for a certain amount of time. And there’s a handful of things that can cause it to do that.
They are- ash buildup, grease fire, faulty temperature probe, bad control board, low pellet quality, P-setting too low, and improper connection.
Keep reading our Pit Boss error code troubleshooting guide and fix your smoker ASAP.
Table of Contents
- How To Fix Pit Boss ErH Code [Reasons + Solutions]
- 1. Ash Buildup
- 2. Grease Fire
- 3. Faulty Temperature Probe
- 4. Bad Control Board
- 5. Low Pellet Quality
- 6. P-Setting Too Low
- 7. Improper Connection
- FAQ:
- What does the ER1 code mean for a Pit Boss smoker?
- How do you reset the code on the Pit Boss smoker?
- Why is the temperature flashing on my Pit Boss?
- How long does it take for Pit Boss to heat up?
- Why is smoke coming out of my pellet hopper?
- Conclusion
How To Fix Pit Boss ErH Code [Reasons + Solutions]
In this section, we’ll take an in-depth look at the causes of ErH error code and their simple solution to help you fix your Pit Boss smoker.
1. Ash Buildup
Having a firepot full of ash and wood dust is one of the most common causes of your Pit Boss’s temperature rising.
If you start the grill after the buildup has been left for a long time, it can trigger a flare-up, which can ruin the entire meal.
Solution:
Here’s what you should do in case you have this issue-
Step 1: Check to see if your pellet grill has totally cooled. Remove the grill grates, grease tray, and heat baffle from the grill.
Step 2: Examine the amount of ash and wood pellet dust present in the firepot.
Step 3: Thoroughly sweep off the excess wood dust with a vacuum. Gently lower the ash vacuum head into the fire pot, taking care not to make touch any machinery to avoid accidentally hurting anything.
The vacuum’s suction will remove all of the old wood dust and ash that could be giving you temperature problems.
2. Grease Fire
The most common cause of grease fires is grease buildup in the firebox, on the burners, and in other sections of the grill when it isn’t cleaned properly. A grease fire can start when the grease vaporizes and ignites.
Solution:
To prevent grease fire, you’ll need to clean the grates before use, check the drip pan frequently during a cook, and perform a deep cleaning on your Pit Boss on a regular basis. The following instructions should help you put out grease fires.
- Don’t put water on the fire. Using water to put out a grease fire can help it spread. Water will displace the grease, and if the water turns to steam, the grease (and fire) will be carried away with it.
- Stop the hopper from feeding pellets to the auger by turning off your pellet grill.
- To cut off the oxygen supply to the flames, close the damper vents.
- To put out tiny fires, use salt or baking soda. Depending on the extent of the fire, you may need several handfuls of baking soda.
- Use a Class B fire extinguisher if shutting off the pellet grill and letting the grease burn off doesn’t put out the fire and you don’t have enough baking soda. The class B fire extinguisher is designed for use on flammable liquids. This one is best for kitchen and garage safety.
Note: Don’t forget to clean your grill after the grease fire before the next cooking. Here you can read our ultimate guide on how to clean a grill after a grease fire.
3. Faulty Temperature Probe
The temperature probe is likely located inside the cabinet, on the back wall along the bottom of the unit. It’s a small, vertical stainless steel component. The temperature probe determines the unit’s interior temperature.
The temperature probe will read the actual temperature within the unit and adapt to the desired temperature when the temperature on the Control Board is changed.
A faulty temperature probe can provide the wrong reading and cause the Pit Boss vertical smoker error code ErH to show up.
Solution:
Contact Pit Boss at 1-480-923-9630 about your defective temperature probe. They will get it fixed for you in case your unit is still under warranty.
Even if your warranty has expired, contacting the manufacturer first to see what they are willing to do is better. So, we recommend doing that.
4. Bad Control Board
A bad control board can also cause ErH error code. This is the worst case possible. Control boards can fail for a variety of causes.
A short circuit in the board will frequently cause it to fry. Occasionally, an electrical component will fail and cause odd behavior.
Solution:
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about a bad control board other than replace it. While it’s true that you can solder a replacement component on, it’s usually not worth it.
Because there are so many cables attached to a control board, replacing it can be a difficult operation.
You’ll also want to make sure you purchase the correct replacement control board. Contact the manufacturers or a professional to help you with the replacement.
5. Low Pellet Quality
Bad pellets can cause your smoker to overheat and cause an ErH error. Grab a handful of wood pellets from your hopper. It is not a good batch of pellets if there is a lot of sawdust or if the pellets break easily.
Pellets are made by compacting sawdust and wood chips to a specific density, and they must stay together in order to pass through the stove mechanism and burn effectively.
Solution:
Clean up your firepot, hopper, and auger. Buy good quality pellets that are consistent in shape and texture that don’t have a lot of loose sawdust. Weber, Lumber Jack, Bear Mountain, and CookinPellets are all good ones to try.
6. P-Setting Too Low
The “P” refers to Pause. This internal feature controls the rate at which the hopper feeds wood pellets to the auger.
The P-setting control will appear on the main digital display as a little black hole and will be referenced with “P” on the Pit Boss.
Solution:
To modify the setting, simply jab it with a pin or paper clip into the hole. Since you’re having trouble with high temperatures, change the P-setting till the screen reads “P-3.” If necessary, you can modify it to “P-4” or even “P-5”.
7. Improper Connection
An incorrect connection between the probe wire and the temperature control system can cause the ErH code to appear on the LCD panel.
Solution:
Check the wiring diagram of your unit. You can find it in your Pit Boss’s manual. With the power turned off, double-check all the wire connections on your unit with the diagram.
Examine the wires for damage and make sure they’re all properly connected to the control panel.
FAQ:
What does the ER1 code mean for a Pit Boss smoker?
The Pit Boss ER1 code on your control board indicates a problem with the Pellet Grill’s temperature sensor.
How do you reset the code on the Pit Boss smoker?
To reset your Pit Boss, turn the unit off, unplug it, and leave it like that for a good 30 minutes. Come back and start your smoker up again. In case the error persists, you have a more serious issue.
Why is the temperature flashing on my Pit Boss?
When the Pit Boss blinks the temperature, it means that the ambient temperature has dipped too low. The temperature of your pit boss pellet grill flashes on two settings: SMOKE and COOK.
How long does it take for Pit Boss to heat up?
The Pit Boss grill heats up in a flash. Things take around three minutes to heat up. However, based on the model the heat-up time may vary.
Why is smoke coming out of my pellet hopper?
This usually happens during Shutdown Mode and is caused by the pellets in the auger reaching a smoking temperature. Turn your grill to SMOKE to get rid of this issue. This will start feeding the pellets into the firepot through the auger.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our troubleshooting guide could help you get rid of the Pit Boss ErH code from your display. In case you have any questions, leave us a comment below. You’ll hear from us soon.
