Pit Boss Temp Lower Than Setting: 6 Reasons + Fixes

A Pit Boss grill can help you make many dishes for a party or regular meals. The best thing is that it is easy to use a grill for cooking. All you have to do is cook at the correct heating value and stick to the recipe. It is very important to have precise temperature control to achieve delicious and perfectly cooked meals.

When the temperature on your Pit Boss grill or smoker falls short of the desired setting, it can significantly impact the cooking process. Whether you're slow-smoking a rack of ribs or searing a juicy steak, maintaining the correct temperature is crucial for achieving the flavors and textures you desire. Ignoring the problem may result in undercooked or unevenly cooked food, leading to disappointment and wasted time and ingredients.

In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, we will explore the various factors that can contribute to your Pit Boss temperature being lower than the set temperature.

6 Potential Causes for Lower Temperature

When your Pit Boss temperature is lower than the set temperature, several factors could be contributing to the issue. Identifying the potential causes will allow you to narrow down the problem and apply the appropriate solutions. Let's explore some common reasons:

Cold Weather

It is no secret that the weather can affect your grill's heating value. This is especially true if strong winds are blowing in your cooking area. Rainy weather can also cause your grill to work at a lower heating value than the set one.

The only thing you do to avoid this problem is to change the position of your grill. Keep it away from the windy area so that the value does not change. You should also avoid using your Pit Boss during rainy weather.

Another thing that may help you keep the right value is an insulated blanket. This will keep your grill safe from cold and hot weather. So you can use it for cooking throughout the year without any trouble.

The best thing is that a blanket will also save you from wasting pellets. When your grill's temp is lower than the set value, it will cook slowly and use more chips than needed.

Opening The Cover Often

All Pit Boss grills come with a cover that you can use for keeping the grill closed. This is helpful for cooking various dishes and smoking different meat cuts. The lid will also help you retain heat within your grill.

If you open the cover often, the grill will lose more heat than necessary. This means the temperature will drop from the set value. Avoid checking on the food often, especially when you are cooking slowly.

Every time you open the lid, you will enhance the cooking time by 15 minutes due to heat loss.

Fewer Pellets 

You must fill your Pit Boss hopper with pellets before you use it for cooking. The wooden chips will act as fuel and help your grill burn for the entire cooking process. If you add fewer pellets in the hopper than needed, the grill will not burn efficiently.

This means that it will not be able to reach the desired temperature, despite the setting. The top thing that will help you is checking the amount of chips in the hopper before cooking. Add more if you think the quantity is less.

However, avoid overfilling the pellets. It will cause the heating value to spike more than the setting. A moderate amount will be helpful for cooking at the right value.

Also Read: How To Get More Smoke From a Pit Boss Vertical Pellet Smoker?

The Pellets Are Dirty

Pellets affect your Pit Boss grill in many ways. The heat will not be enough if there are fewer pellets in the hopper. It will also be insufficient if the chip is of poor quality or dirty.

Your wooden chips can become dirty if you don't store them properly. Getting pellets from an unreliable brand will cause you to suffer from low quality. Remember, such chips produce more ash that can affect the heating sensors.

They will also burn less cleanly and may impart a bad taste to your food. This is why you must get high quality pellets for clean combustion and fewer heat changes.

Incorrect P Setting

The P or Pause setting on a Pit Boss can reduce the heating value from the set value. This feature pauses the feeding of pellets into the auger. You can use different P options for cooking with ease.

Many people use the P-4 option to make tasty dishes on mild days. However, if you use the same setting on a cold day, your grill will not produce much heat. This means the value will be lower than the setting.

You should use a P setting with a lower number on cold days to ensure your grill produces enough heat. It will save you from the trouble of undercooked food.

Unclean Grill

It is important to clean your grills and smokers after cooking every time. You will be able to get rid of old residues easily. Such particles can cause grease fire and may jam different parts of your grill.

The main feature of a dirty grill is that it will not reach the set temperature. Your cooking process will be slow, and parts of the food may not cook properly. This is why you must clean your grill thoroughly to maintain its efficiency and lifespan.

You can use warm water and a cleaning solution for rinsing the grill. Remember, you must also season your device to make sure it does not rust easily.

How Can You Know Pit Boss Temp Lower Than Setting?

The main way to know your grill is at a heat value lower than the set one is by using a temperature probe. Most Pit Boss devices come with a built-in thermometer. You can use it to check the temperature of your food.

Sometimes the built-in probe may not work properly. It may also be dirty. In such cases, the reading will not be reliable. You should always have your own probe at home to check the temperature manually.

If the reading on the probe is less than the one you set, it means your grill is not producing heat properly.

Also Read: Why Your Pit Boss Won’t Turn On And What Steps Can You Take

Final Words

These are the top reasons behind your Pit Boss temp being lower than the set value. You can use different methods to identify the root cause behind this. A dirty probe and using foil during cooking are other reasons for low heat value.

If you cannot find out the problem yourself, you may have to call an expert to check your grill. They will tell you the exact issue and may resolve it for you.