Pit Boss ErL Error — Fire Out / Low Temp Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

ErL means the grill temperature dropped below the minimum (typically 50°F or below 100°F during cooking) — usually because the fire went out.
Most causes: empty pellet hopper, damp pellets, weak igniter, or auger jam.
Check the hopper, top up with dry pellets, clean the firepot, and re-ignite.
If ErL returns immediately, the igniter or auger has a fault.

Affected Models

Pit Boss Pro Series
Pit Boss Lockhart
Pit Boss Navigator
Pit Boss Sportsman
Pit Boss Austin XL

Common Causes

Pellet hopper empty or near-empty
Pellets damp or stale (poor combustion)
Igniter weakened or failed
Auger jammed or motor failed
Cold ambient temperature dropping grill below setpoint

How to Fix It

Power off and check pellets.

Press power off.
Open the hopper lid.
Check pellet level — if low or empty, that's your ErL cause.
Refill with fresh dry pellets.
Check that pellets feel dry and free-flowing — damp pellets should be replaced.
Clean the firepot.

Once cool, vacuum the firepot.
Old ash insulates the igniter and prevents reliable ignition.
Clean firepot is essential for any restart attempt.
Pit Boss recommends cleaning after every 5-7 cooks; more often if you grill on high heat.
Test the igniter.

Power on briefly with lid open.
Watch the firepot — within 60 seconds the igniter should glow red.
If silent and dark, the igniter has failed.
Replacement Pit Boss igniters: 25–50 USD parts.
30-minute swap with basic tools.
Verify auger feed.

Listen for the auger motor running during startup.
Should hear periodic clicking or low whirring.
If silent, the motor has failed.
Or pellets may be jammed — empty the hopper and check for blockage at the auger inlet.
Re-ignite and watch.

After cleaning and verifying, plug in and power on.
Run startup cycle.
Watch temperature — should rise to setpoint within 15-20 minutes.
If ErL returns repeatedly, deeper investigation needed (probe failure, controller issue).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does ErL happen on cold mornings?

Cold ambient air and damp pellets are a bad combination.
If overnight temperatures dropped, pellets may have absorbed moisture from humidity.
Damp pellets don't ignite well, and cold ambient pulls heat away from the firepot faster.
Keep pellets dry (sealed bins) and the grill warmed up gradually.

Is the fire really out?

If ErL appeared mid-cook, yes — the fire likely went out.
You'll see no smoke, the firepot is dark, and temperature is dropping.
Don't try to restart while still hot from the previous fire — wait for cooldown to clean firepot, then restart fresh.