Question 1

the grease drain keeps clogging, i’ll do a cleanout but halfway through a long cook it starts dripping from the bottom of the cabinet.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The issue is in the angled grease chute and the cup. Grease cools and solidifies in the chute, creating a blockage that causes backup and leakage at the cabinet joint. FIX Empty the grease cup. Remove the entire chute assembly from the grill body. Soak it in hot, soapy water to liquefy the grease. Use a long, flexible bottle brush to scrub the inside of the chute. Ensure the hole from the grill basin into the chute is completely clear. Reinstall. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The cabinet leakage indicates the silicone gasket between the cook chamber and the grease chute flange has failed or displaced. Inspect this orange or black gasket. Reseat it or replace it if torn. HEADS UP For long cooks, pre-warm the grease chute and cup. Before starting, place a cup of hot water in the grease cup. The heat helps keep the initial grease flow liquid, establishing a clear path.

Question 2

temperature swings are crazy, it’ll be at 225 then spike to 350 for no reason, is my controller bad?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is often caused by a dirty or faulty RTD temperature probe, not the controller itself. Grease insulates the probe, causing delayed and inaccurate readings that make the controller over-correct. FIX Let the grill cool. Locate the RTD probe at the rear of the cook chamber. Remove it by unscrewing the single mounting nut. Clean the probe shaft thoroughly with a soft brass brush and mild detergent to remove all grease and carbon. Rinse and dry completely before reinstalling. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Check for excessive ash in the firepot. A deep ash bed insulates the burn and causes erratic flame output. Before your next cook, vacuum the firepot completely. Ensure the grease management system is clear so heat can convect properly. HEADS UP Do not rely on the lid thermometer. It can read differently than the digital controller probe. For critical cooks, always use a trusted third-party ambient thermometer on the grill grate for verification.

Question 3

after cleaning, my grill won’t prime, it just dumps a huge pile of pellets into the firepot when i try to start it.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The vacuum switch hose was disconnected or damaged during cleaning. The controller uses this hose to detect fan pressure. Without it, the controller thinks the fan isn't running and dumps pellets in a failed attempt to establish a vacuum. FIX Power off and unplug the grill. Locate the vacuum switch, a small black plastic box mounted near the control panel. Find the clear plastic hose running from it to the fan housing. Ensure both ends are pushed on securely. Inspect the entire length of the hose for cracks, kinks, or melting. Replace if damaged. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The vacuum switch itself may be faulty. You can test it. With the hose connected and the grill on SMOKE, listen for a faint click from the switch about 30 seconds after startup. No click indicates a failed switch. HEADS UP Always note hose and wire routing before a deep clean. This hose is critical for the safety feed system. A disconnected hose will cause an overfeed and potentially a dangerous amount of smoke on ignition.

Question 4

the app won’t find my grill during bluetooth setup, the light just keeps blinking blue.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The grill's Bluetooth module is in pairing mode, but the phone cannot discover it due to distance, interference, or a software state issue. FIX Follow this sequence precisely. On the grill controller, press the Menu button. Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth. Ensure it is set to ON. On your phone, go to Bluetooth settings and forget any previous "Camp Chef" device. Force close the Camp Chef Connect app. Reopen the app and start the "Add Grill" process. Hold your phone within 3 feet of the grill controller. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Perform a controller reset. Power the grill off. Unplug it from the wall. Wait 60 seconds. Plug it back in and power on. The Bluetooth module will reinitialize. Repeat the pairing steps. HEADS UP The grill's Bluetooth has a very short range, typically less than 30 feet in ideal conditions. Walls or other electronics can reduce this significantly. Use the app primarily for monitoring, not long-range control.

Question 5

the slide and grill feature isn’t sliding easily, it feels gritty and sticks halfway.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Grease and carbonized debris have built up in the slide mechanism tracks and on the underside of the grill grates. FIX Allow the grill to cool completely. Remove the grill grates and the flavorizer bars. Lift out the sliding tray assembly. Scrape all carbonized material from the four metal tracks on the grill body using a putty knife. Clean the corresponding wheels on the tray with a degreaser. Apply a thin coat of high-temperature food-safe lubricant (like Camp Chef Slide and Grill Grease) to the tracks. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Inspect the wheels on the sliding tray. They can warp or develop flat spots from heat. Manually spin each wheel. Replace any that do not spin freely. HEADS UP Clean the slide mechanism every 2-3 uses as part of routine maintenance. Letting grease solidify is the main cause of sticking. Never force the slide when it's stuck.

Question 6

my sgx makes a loud repetitive clicking noise from the auger motor area, it’s not a smooth turn anymore.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is typically a jammed auger. A hard pellet or foreign object is stuck in the auger flighting, causing the motor to strain and the internal shear pin to slip repeatedly. FIX Turn the grill off and unplug it. Empty the pellet hopper completely. Remove the hopper grate and rear access panel to expose the auger motor. Use the long, flexible cleaning rod. Insert it into the auger tube from the hopper end and gently work it back and forth to dislodge the jam. Rotate the auger manually via the motor coupling to help. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The shear pin on the auger motor shaft may have sheared. You must remove the motor to inspect. If the pin is broken, the motor spins but the auger does not. Replace with the correct Camp Chef shear pin. Do not use a standard bolt. HEADS UP Always use high-quality, food-grade hardwood pellets. Cheap pellets with excessive sawdust or inconsistent sizing are the primary cause of auger jams.

Question 7

keep getting an erl error code on my smoke pro controller, what does that mean and how do i clear it?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS ERL is a RTD (temperature probe) error. The controller detects an open or short circuit in the RTD probe wiring, meaning it cannot read the grill temperature. FIX Power the grill completely off. Unplug it. Locate the RTD probe at the back of the cooking chamber. Disconnect its wire plug from the controller board. Inspect the probe and wire for physical damage or grease buildup. Clean the probe tip gently with a soft brush. Reconnect firmly. Power on. The error should clear if the connection was loose. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The RTD probe itself may have failed. You will need to test it with a multimeter for continuity. A reading of approximately 1100 ohms at room temperature is normal. No reading or a very different reading confirms a bad probe requiring replacement. HEADS UP Do not bend the RTD probe or clean it with abrasive tools. The thin wire inside is fragile. A kink or scrape can break the internal circuit, triggering ERL.

Question 8

my new camp chef sgx won’t get past 150 degrees, it just sits there and the auger sounds like it’s turning but no pellets are feeding.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The grill is failing to ignite during the startup cycle. The auger runs but the firepot never lights, so the controller sees low temperature and stops the feed. FIX First, confirm the startup sequence. Power on. Set to SMOKE. Listen for the fan and igniter to activate. You should hear the fan and see the igniter glow through the firepot hole within 5 minutes. If no glow, the hot rod igniter is likely faulty or disconnected. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Check for a jam in the very first part of the auger tube. Remove the hopper grate and use the supplied cleaning rod to push any obstructing pellet dust or fragment back into the hopper. A jam here prevents pellets from reaching the firepot. HEADS UP Always start the grill on the SMOKE setting, not a specific temperature. The startup cycle requires the SMOKE mode to properly initiate the ignition sequence.

Camp Chef 24 inch SmokePro SGX Pellet Grill

Other Grills & Smokers