Heat is important

I’m a Traeger fan. I’ve never been a fan of cooking outside with gas. If you’re cooking outside you should be using outside fuel…wood.

The other evening the old (literally) Traeger failed me. It made all the right sounds, but no heat. Heat is important if you are cooking, both inside and outside.

(I bought it when Kilgore Motor Parts was still in business)

Being as my oldest Granddaughter calls me, a “professionally trained technician,” I was able, in a pretty short time, to discern the problem. The igniter was not igniting the wood pellets.

There are two solutions for this. 1. A short term solution. To get the fire going so you can cook burgers for the grandkids. I did a manual start (don’t ask) and then the Traeger took over and we all lived happily ever after. There is aldo a long term fix. 2. Install a new igniter.

The long term solution involved following directions at which I have never been good. It also involved removing parts held by screws that haven’t been off for decades and we all know that can be problematic.

But I followed the directions, mostly. I got the parts all back on, and had no extras left over.

I wanted to try it just make sure before I put it all back together, but I decided to exhibit a bit of confidence in my abilities and I just put everything back where it goes and turned it on.

I know, it looks like I had divine help

In what seemed a longer time than normal, a whisp of smoke appeared. Success!

I went right to cooking some brats and burgers. It was an enjoyable repair.

Success! A brat, a burger, potato salad, watermelon and an afternoon drink.

Maybe I am a professionally trained technician. I’ve never been to any Traeger schools, but for a professional technician a problem is a problem right?