Why My Pit Boss Smoker Keeps Shutting Off + How To Fix [Solved]

You surely don’t want any interruption while smoking your meat on a perfect day. But a few issues can cause the whole smoker to shut off. Such inconvenience will ruin your food as well.

You can easily tackle this issue if you know the reasons why Pit Boss smoker keeps shutting off and what you can do about it. In this article, you will get to know just that. 

However, your smoker can have a flame out as well. In that case, you can apply the solutions we will be discussing in this article. But before getting into the main discussion, let’s find out what flame out really is.

What Is Flame Out?

In a word, flame out is the complete shut down of the smoker. Usually, there is no apparent reason, so you don’t know what actually caused it.

Moreover, it is impossible to know the moment your smoker has a flame out because it takes time to show effects. Firstly, it will take your smoker’s temperature to 100℉, and your fire will die out slowly.

This can ruin your meat too, so keep an eye out. Constant monitoring will help you realize whether if your smoker has turned off. But what can you do if this happens? We have covered the solution below.

Why My Pit Boss Smoker Keeps Shutting Off + How To Fix

Despite being an excellent smoking appliance, Pit Boss smokers can have many problems, such as the smoker keep shutting off.

The main reasons behind this issue are bad pellets, dirty interior, faulty P-setting, old system, problematic cooking condition, faulty electricity connection, blown fuse, faulty hopper design, and damaged meat probes. 

Here we have elaborated on all these issues and discussed their solutions as well. Check it out.

1. Bad Pellet Quality:

Bad pellet quality can be the only reason why your Pit Boss keeps shutting off. Too big or too small pellet size or damp pellets is a big reason for flame out as well. Plus, such bad pellets cause of too much smoke in your pit boss and thus ruin the taste of your cooked food.

Solution:

As you have probably guessed already, properly using the perfect type of pellets is the solution to this problem. Here are the details,

What Type of Pellets Should I Use in My Pit Boss Grill?

Try to use 100% hardwood pellets for your Pit Boss grill. The all-natural fuel will keep the fire crisp and burning for a good duration. 

You have to make sure that the pellets are properly dry as well. Leaving the pellets in the sun for about 1 hour will be enough to get the best fire. Don’t forget to store the pellets in a room with <10% humidity.

What’s The Right Amount of Pellets to Use?

The right amount of pellets to use in your Pit Boss smoker totally depends on your requirement. Around 1.67 pounds of pellets can burn for an hour. So adjust the amount as per your need.

2. Clogged Dirt:

Dirt slowly accumulates inside your pellet smoker with time. Clogged dirt can cause your pellet stove to shut off. In addition, it results in Pit Boss too much smoke. 

Solution:

Cleaning your pellet stove regularly can prevent this issue.

How Often Should You Clean Your Pit Boss Grill?

Technically, you should clean your Pit Boss grill after every session of cooking. But this cleaning only involves clearing off the grease, emptying the fire pot, and wiping the surface of the smoker.

In addition to this, you should deep clean the whole smoker at least twice every season. 

How To Clean Pit Boss Grill?

Cleaning the Pit Boss smoker grill is easy. You can effectively do it with a smoker cleaner/de-greaser such as this one. Here’s how to use it,

• Wipe the surface of your Pit Boss smoker with a dry cloth before starting the process
• Spray the formula on the surface
• Wait for 5 minutes to let the chemicals set in
• Wipe the surface clean and rinse it with fresh water
• Leave it to dry naturally

You must re-season your smoker after each session of thorough cleaning. 

3. Faulty P-Settings:

The P-setting is a significant part of a Pit Boss smoker. This feature helps to deal with Pit Boss grill temperature problems as well. Any miss adjustment of its setting can cause your smoker to shut off while working.

What Is P Setting on A Pit Boss Pellet Grill?

The “P” in P-settings means “pause”. It determines the duration of each pellet cycle. Turning on this setting basically increases the duration between pellet cycles. 

Simply put, it means that the P-Setting ensures the amount of pellet supply you want. As a result, you get control over your grill temperature.

When Should I Use The P Setting Button?

This P-Setting is there to control your temperature. So you should use it under certain conditions related to your smoker’s heat generation, such as cold weather, humid atmosphere, or windy climate. Increase the auger speed with this P-setting, and you can get the temperature you need.

How Should You Adjust The Pit Boss P-settings?

To adjust the P-setting in your Pit Boss smoker, you have to set the smoker to “Smoke” mode first. Just rotate the dial to this point. Then locate the P Set button near the power button. 

Pressing the P Set button will show the setting you have on (e.g. P4). Keep pressing the button till you reach the duration you need. Here is a chart of the duration and the settings:

P-Settings	Auger On	Auger Off
P-0	18 Seconds On	55 Seconds Off
P-1	18 Seconds On	70 Seconds Off
P-2	18 Seconds On	85 Seconds Off
P-3	18 Seconds On	100 Seconds Off
P-4	18 Seconds On	115 Seconds Off
P-5	18 Seconds On	130 Seconds Off
P-6	18 Seconds On	140 Seconds Off
P-7	18 Seconds On	150 Seconds Off

4. System Too Old:

Your Pit Boss smoker parts can get damaged due to old age. And as a result of such worn-out components, your Pit Boss smoker can shut off in the middle of working.

Solution:

On average, a Pit Boss smoker functions properly for up to 10 years. After that, it’s time to get a new one, or you will face different issues such as continuous shut off of the system. 

Can You Refurbish A Pit Boss Stove?

The answer is “yes”. Moreover, it is not as costly as you think. Just take the whole smoker apart and clean each component individually. You may even need to replace a few parts if they are broken. Overall, it will be cheaper than replacing the whole smoker.

5. Cooking At A Low Temperature for A Long Duration:

Cooking in a low-temperature environment will definitely cause your Pit Boss smoker to shut off. When you use your smoker at a low temperature, the fire needs a lot of fuel to generate enough heat.

As a result, if you cook long enough, your pellets quickly burn out, shutting off the whole system.

Solution:

The best thing for you to do in this situation would be to cook at the perfect temperature for a certain duration.  

What Temperature Is The Smoke Setting on A Pit Boss?

The perfect temperature for your Pit Boss smoker is 80 to 100℃. You can cook your food perfectly at this temperature. 

What Temperature Do You Cook on Pit Boss?

It actually depends on the food you are cooking. Check your recipe for the instructions on this.

How Long Do You Cook on A Pit Boss?

Depending on the type of food you are cooking, this duration is 8 to 12 minutes. You have to consult your recipes for this setting as well.

6. Electricity Loss:

Your Pit Boss smoker runs on electricity. So if there is an issue with the electricity connection, then your smoker will continuously shut off and on again on its own. If the electricity connection is totally lost, the smoker will remain off.

This can be an issue of just the outlet you are using for your smoker, or the whole house can have a bad electricity supply.

Solution:

In this type of situation, you have to make sure that the electricity supply is secured in your house. Try out the following points-

Is The Smoker’s Connection Okay?

Firstly, check the smoker’s connection to its designated outlet. If the power of your smoker keeps coming and going out, then it’s a problem with the wire. 

Faulty wiring causes flicked electricity. If the smoker remains off, modify the whole outlet. Calling an electrician is the best option in this case.

Is The Main-fuse Connection Okay?

If the smoker’s outlet is okay, then the problem is probably with the main fuse. Call your electrician to look into this issue. They will fix the fuse if needed.

7. Blown Fuse:

A blown fuse is a reason why Pit Boss Shut off and won’t turn on. Your Pit Boss smoker uses a 5 AMP, 120V fuse. This fuse can blow up mainly due to inconsistent electricity supply.

Solution:

You just have to replace the fuse, and your Pit Boss smoker can get back to work. Get a smoker fuse and follow these steps-

• Open the fuse cover of the Pit Boss smoker
• Locate the blown fuse
• Pull out the fuse from its place
• Clean the area a bit with a thin bristled brush
• Install the new fuse back in its position

And now your Pit Bull smoker will keep on working.

8. Faulty Hopper Design:

Pit Boss smoker’s hopper design is one of its cons. The hopper is designed in such a way that it leaves a void after a certain amount of pellet is fed into the auger. 

It means that after a certain amount of time, the auger doesn’t convey any pellets to feed the fire. As a result, the fire burns out, leading to the shut off of the system.

Solution:

This is not as big of an issue as it sounds. Just spread out the pellets using your hands to help your pellets reach the auger. And now your problem is solved.

9. Meat Probes:

Surprisingly, your pellet stove can shut off the moment you plug in the meat probes. The electrical discharge of the probes causes the whole system to go out. 

Does your Pit Boss smoker continue working the moment you remove the probes? If your answer is yes, then meat probes are surely the culprit.

Solution:

There is not much to fix. If you face this situation, just replace the probes. This happens due to the probe’s fault. Your smoker is fine.

If you can keep all these causes and their simple solutions in mind, you won’t have any difficulty fixing your Pit Boss smoker shut-off problem.

FAQ:

Why is my Pit Boss smoking so much?

Your Pit Boss is smoking so much because the P-Setting is probably too high. Give it a few pushes to reach a lower option.

How do I get more smoke from my Pit Boss?

Push the P-Setting a few times to get it high. This way, you will get more smoke from your Pit Boss smoker.

Why is my Pit Boss smoker not heating up?

The most common reason why Pit Boss smokers don’t heat up is obstructed burn pot. Clean the burn pot properly to allow sufficient air circulation in the system. This will heat up your smoker.

How long does it take a Pit Boss to shut down?

It takes around 10 minutes for a Pit Boss smoker to shut down.

What temperature does meat stop taking in smoke?

The meat stops taking in smoke when it reaches 76°C.

Conclusion:

Still, your Pit Boss smoker keeps shutting off? It shouldn’t anymore now that you know how to solve the issue. Just follow everything we have discussed in this article, and you should be ready to keep your Pit Boss smoker on. 

Comment below if you have any questions.