Traeger LEr Error Code : What to do if your Grill gets an LEr Error

LEr stands for Low Error Reading. It is an error message specific to non-WiFIRE grills with 3-digit, Digital Controllers. An LEr means that your grill dropped below 125°F for more than 10 minutes. 

COMMON CAUSES

Below are possible causes that could make a grill display an LEr:

Starting your grill incorrectly: Starting your grill incorrectly often causes performance issues during your cook.

Cold or windy weather: Smaller grills may have difficulty getting to and maintaining temp in particularly cold weather. If windy, try moving your grill to an area shielded from the wind.

Poor pellet quality: If your pellets are old or wet, they’ll have difficulty igniting properly.

No pellets in the Firepot: Your pellets may be tunneling in the Hopper or you may have an Auger jam. If your grill is new, you may have forgotten to prime the Auger when seasoning.

Sawdust, ash, or too many pellets in the Firepot: Your Hot Rod will struggle to ignite pellets if the Firepot is overcrowded. This is usually a result of not cleaning your grill enough.

Chimney height and cleanliness: Your grill’s chimney, if it has one, is your grill’s primary source of oxygen. You’ll want to make sure it’s providing enough airflow.

P-Setting needs adjustment: Some grills have a P-Setting, which adjusts the speed pellets enter the Firepot. You might want to adjust this setting if you’re not getting enough pellets to maintain a constant fire.

Bad Induction Fan, RTD or Hot Rod: It’s rare, but sometimes your grill needs a new part.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR GRILL GETS AN LEr ERROR

In most cases, the LEr error will clear once you restart your grill. Let’s walk through a quick, grill health check first to make sure another underlying issue isn’t at hand.

1. Turn off and unplug the grill.

The grill will likely be cool enough to touch since it would be below 125°F/52°C for more than 10 minutes already. If not, allow the grill to cool to the touch.

2. Remove the Grill Grates, Drip Tray, and Heat Baffle and check the pellets in the Firepot.

The pellets should be shiny and snap easily when broken — replace the pellets if not.

Firepot empty: The LEr happened because there weren’t pellets to ignite.

• • • The grill may have run out of pellets during the cook. Look in your Hopper and check for signs of tunneling.
      
    • Check if your grill’s Auger has a jam that needs to be cleared.
    • If your grill is new, you’ll need to prime the Auger before cooking.

Firepot overly full: The LEr happened because there are too many pellets to ignite them. Remove the pellets and vacuum out any remaining sawdust and ash.

Firepot contains ash or sawdust: The LEr occurred because ash and sawdust won’t ignite. Even if good pellets are in there, the excessive sawdust is preventing successful ignition.

Vacuum out the ash and sawdust from the Firepot and the rest of your grill. Also take this time to empty your Hopper and vacuum out any sawdust from the bottom of your Hopper that’s making its way through the Auger and into the Firepot.

3. Check your Chimney height.

You should be able to fit your thumb in the gap between the pipe and the cap. To adjust the height, just twist the cap.

If there is buildup or any blockage in the pipe, clean out the pipe to improve airflow.

4. Plug in your grill and turn it on to check the Controller and the RTD.

When cooled down and out of direct sunlight, your Controller should display the grill’s temp, which should be within 20°F/10°C of the outside temp.

• • If LEr flashes again or the temp is out of the acceptable variance, turn off and unplug your grill, and unscrew your controller. Disconnect and reconnect the RTD to the Controller. 
    • If the LEr message still flashes, you may need a new controller. If the temp still reads off, you may need a new RTD.

5. Set the Controller to SMOKE to check the Induction Fan, Hot Rod and Auger Motor.

You should hear the Induction Fan, feel heat when hovering your hand over the Firepot, and see pellets fall into the Firepot.

• • No fan sound or squeaking sound: If there is no fan sound or if it is making squeaking noises, find the fan inside the Hopper and manually spin the fan with your hand to break up any grime. If the fan doesn’t start spinning, you’ll likely need a new Induction Fan.
  • No heat: If you don’t feel heat when hovering your hand over the Firepot, your Hot Rod isn’t heating up.
    1. Turn off your grill and check the Hot Rod connection to your Controller by unscrewing your Controller making sure all connections are securely in place.
    2. Turn on the grill again, set to SMOKE, and feel for heat. If there’s still no heat, you’ll likely need a new Hot Rod. Feel free to contact Customer Support to verify and get set up with the right part.
  • Pellets not falling or falling too slow: If your grill has a P-Setting feature, adjust it to a lower number to increase the auger speed.
    • If the auger isn’t turning, you likely need a new Auger Motor. Give Customer Support a call to verify and get set up with the right part.

6. If everything looks good, you should be good to resume Traegering. Reassemble your grill’s components and enjoy your next meal!