r/lonestargrillz

I'm having issues with my 20x42 pellet, curious if anyone else has observed something like this? Contacted Lonestar and they're sending me a new auger motor. Their responsiveness to issues is awesome but I am a little doubtful it will resolve it, hope I'm wrong. This almost seems more like a controller issue? With the help of AI I came up with this…

Lonestar Grillz 20x42 Pellet Smoker - Temperature Control / Auger Feed Issue

Symptoms
Smoker ignites and reaches the configured setpoint temperature.
Shortly after reaching setpoint, pit temperature begins dropping.
The controller frequently displays the AU (Auger) indicator, indicating the auger should be feeding pellets.
Despite the AU indicator being active, the auger rarely turns.
The auger appears to engage only approximately every 8-9 AU cycles.
The amount of pellets fed is insufficient to maintain temperature.
Temperature continues to fall and the smoker cannot recover to the setpoint.

Troubleshooting Performed
Updated firmware currently reported as 4.2.30.
Emptied hopper completely.
Removed all pellets from the smoker system.
Reloaded with fresh pellets.
Cleaned the burn pot thoroughly.
Cleaned ash and debris from the smoker.
Removed the side electronics/fan access panel and inspected for pellet accumulation or debris.
No significant debris found.
Verified combustion fan operation appears normal.
Observed that when the auger does run, it:
Sounds normal.
Rotates normally.
Successfully delivers pellets to the firepot.
No obvious auger jams detected.

Prime Mode Test
Placed the controller in Prime Mode.
Auger did not run continuously as expected.
In some cases it barely ran or did not run at all.
Had to manually place pellets into the firepot to establish ignition.
After ignition, the smoker was able to reach setpoint.
Once normal control resumed, the original problem returned:
AU indicator frequently active.
Auger rarely turning.
Under-feeding pellets.
Temperature falling below setpoint and continuing to drop.

Additional Observations
This issue may have started after a firmware update, although I cannot confirm the exact timing because the smoker had not been used for a period of time before the problem was noticed.
Because the auger motor does function when it engages, I initially suspected a controller/firmware issue; however, the Prime Mode behavior suggests either:
an intermittent controller output issue,
an electrical issue between the controller and auger motor,
or a problem with the auger motor assembly itself.

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