I give up
- Thread starter jabe999
- Start date
dedigalihwisnumurti
New member
nice post. I have a MAK 2 star and it has been great, as well as the support. Call MAK. They will make it right. They have been great with me even when it has been user error
MAK replaced the pellet boss panel. New pellets. New short heavy duty extension cord.Top temperature has not changed. Used it tonight and after 45 minutes it got to the 295 and started to drop. At least it starts every time. So over all about the same.
Makes no sense to me. There’s just not that much to anoeelt cooker. Only a small handful of possibilities. MAK doesn’t build junk... your 2 Star should work like the rest of ours....darn near flawlessly. Have you relayed this latest info to MAK? If yes, what did they have to say?
My last conversation with MAK we had it up to 420. No suggestions on how to get it higher. And then a week later it won't go over 290.
Salmonsmoker
New member
These kind of problems with a MAK are very uncommon. In percentage of units in use, reliability has got to be in the high 90's.
I guess I got one of the bad ones then. I cannot get my grill over 325.
Your temperature issue is utterly baffling. I'm on my second 2 Star and they have both had no problem getting to 450 in about 15 minutes when it is freezing outside.
I have no idea what parts you have replaced or how you are measuring your temps, but as others have said, these cookers are actually quite simple. Assuming you have already replaced the few parts that can be replaced and are using good quality pellets, I have a couple questions:
1) How are you measuring your temps? Have you tried a third-party probe?
2) Could your blower fan be mounted backwards, i.e. blowing out instead of in?
I have no idea what parts you have replaced or how you are measuring your temps, but as others have said, these cookers are actually quite simple. Assuming you have already replaced the few parts that can be replaced and are using good quality pellets, I have a couple questions:
1) How are you measuring your temps? Have you tried a third-party probe?
2) Could your blower fan be mounted backwards, i.e. blowing out instead of in?
TentHunter
Moderator
Earlier today, I too was wondering about a possible fan issue. Jabe999, Is your fan kicking into a higher speed when you set the temp to 250° or higher?
That's an even better question than mine, but same concern... I was going to ask if the fan is doing anything at all but figured Bruce probably did a fan sound quiz!
I am using the temperature the pellet boss gives me. I have used an infrared thermometer to measure the temp at the thermocoupler that the pellet boss uses. Similar temperature. Never done a sound test, but I believe my fan has different speeds. The fan is sucking air in and out the through the fire pit. I was sent a new pellet boss circuit board recently. I bought a new flash fire igniter recently. That got my grill going about 15 minutes faster.
My last cooking graph shows it took 28 minutes to get to 300 degrees where it leveled off. It actually started to fall off to 285 at 50 minutes. Outside temperatures are in the 70's and 80's.
The temperatures are lower if I use the covers on the flame zone for indirect cooking
I have tried different brands of pellets.
I am certainly open to any ideas on how to fix this.
Well, Rats! Frustrating indeed.
Did you ever replace your fan during this debacle? I wonder if it's developing an intermittent open or something... FWIW, my fire pit is literally roaring with hot air, sparks and flames when my machine is heading towards 450, and it does not let up until it gets there. Are you saying yours slows down before it hits its target temperature?
One other idea, probably not worth mentioning but I didn't see any reference to it above: Are you keeping the lid closed from Ignition through your target temp? Opening the lid is obviously a temp killer...
Really wish we could help!
Did you ever replace your fan during this debacle? I wonder if it's developing an intermittent open or something... FWIW, my fire pit is literally roaring with hot air, sparks and flames when my machine is heading towards 450, and it does not let up until it gets there. Are you saying yours slows down before it hits its target temperature?
One other idea, probably not worth mentioning but I didn't see any reference to it above: Are you keeping the lid closed from Ignition through your target temp? Opening the lid is obviously a temp killer...
Really wish we could help!
TentHunter
Moderator
I've not heard of anyone having a fan issue on a MAK, and the good folks at MAK may have already had you test for this (if they have, ignore this and I'll go back and sit in my corner), BUT... on the off chance that they haven't, it's something I would definitely check out.
It's easy to test: Turn your MAK on and set your pellet boss to 225° and let it go for about 20 minutes or so and come up to temp. Then, once it's settled in, kick the temp up to 250° or higher, and listen for the fan. Within a short period you SHOULD hear the fan kick up to a higher speed. If it doesn't, then that could be the issue.
Again, just a suggestion, and it's an easy thing to check. We are certainly NOT a replacement for MAK tech support, but like sptucker mentioned, we just wish we could help, so you can love your MAK as much as we do!
Cliff
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I appreciate all of the suggestions. I set the grill on 225 and 20 minutes later it was there. I could definitely hear the fan speed change when I raised the temperature.I've not heard of anyone having a fan issue on a MAK, and the good folks at MAK may have already had you test for this (if they have, ignore this and I'll go back and sit in my corner), BUT... on the off chance that they haven't, it's something I would definitely check out.
It's easy to test: Turn your MAK on and set your pellet boss to 225° and let it go for about 20 minutes or so and come up to temp. Then, once it's settled in, kick the temp up to 250° or higher, and listen for the fan. Within a short period you SHOULD hear the fan kick up to a higher speed. If it doesn't, then that could be the issue.
Again, just a suggestion, and it's an easy thing to check. We are certainly NOT a replacement for MAK tech support, but like sptucker mentioned, we just wish we could help, so you can love your MAK as much as we do!
Cliff
scooter
Moderator
Would you be willing to take some pictures of your cooker and post them? I have a feeling it may be the way it was assembled. I recall a similar problem of getting a MAK 2 to temp on another pellet forum that was doing pellet pit testing and it ended up being the person doing the testing assembled the MAK 2 incorrectly. This was back in 2010 or there abouts. It's worth a shot after all you've been through.
Start with the lid open and fully assembled take a pic
Next remove the grates and take another pic
Next remove the flame zone covers take another pic
Next remove the remaining components of the cooking area one by one taking a pic after each item is removed.
continue until all parts that can be removed without an allen wrench are removed taking a pic after each item is removed.
Post them on IMGUR.com or other free image hosting site in the order the images were taken. If you need help with it I can help you. Let me know if you're willing to participate.
Start with the lid open and fully assembled take a pic
Next remove the grates and take another pic
Next remove the flame zone covers take another pic
Next remove the remaining components of the cooking area one by one taking a pic after each item is removed.
continue until all parts that can be removed without an allen wrench are removed taking a pic after each item is removed.
Post them on IMGUR.com or other free image hosting site in the order the images were taken. If you need help with it I can help you. Let me know if you're willing to participate.
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Scooter,
Thanks. I will do that when I get home after Christmas. Appreciate your offer to help.