This article reviews how to ignite your Woodridge-Series Traeger grill and how to make sure you're set up for a successful cook.
Igniting a Woodridge series grill can be done in 4 simple steps:
- Tap the selection dial to wake the grill.
- Turn the selection dial to desired temp.
- Press the selection dial to set temp.
- Hit the ignite button.
Need more help? Keep reading to understand the ins and outs of igniting your Woodridge Series Traeger Grill.
Why is Proper Startup Important?
Following the correct startup process is very important as it can have many different effects on a cook, even hours later. For example, grills started incorrectly may experience temperature swings, flameouts, and many other issues.
How to Start/Ignite Your Woodridge Series Grill
Before igniting a Traeger grill, we recommend walking through our pre-grilling checklist to set yourself up for a smooth startup.
Pre-Grilling Checklist
Before igniting your grill, run through this quick checklist to ensure your grill will ignite successfully and get to your desired temperature in a timely manner.
- Is your grill clean?
- Brush any leftover debris or grease down into the EZ-Clean Grease + Ash Keg and empty.
- Regularly inspect the grill for accumulated grease. Most grill fires are caused by improper maintenance.
- Is everything in place?
- Open the lid and ensure the auger box is properly installed with tight screws, your drip tray is properly installed, and your EZ-Clean Grease + Ash Keg is in place.
- Are your racks in the right place?
- Different grill rack levels will produce slightly different results.
- Bottom rack is for high heat cooking: searing, roasting, grilling, etc.
- Top rack is for low and slow cooking: smoking, baking, braising.
- Is your grill lid open or closed?
- Ignite and preheat the grill with a closed lid and no food on the grates. Adding the food too early can result in the grill taking longer to reach to the set temperature.
- Are there pellets in the hopper?
- Pellets are the fuel to your grill. For longer cooks, make sure the hopper starts out full of pellets. Shorter cooks can get away with less pellets in the hopper, however, we always recommend keeping it full just in case.
- Is your grill connected and updated to the latest firmware?
- Having your grill connect to the Traeger app not only allows you to remotely monitor and control your grill but also makes sure your grill is operating on the latest firmware.
- If your grill is connected and powered on, the latest firmware will automatically begin downloading.
While igniting your Woodridge Series Traeger grill can be done in four simple steps, we've outlined how to ignite your grill in depth here:
- With the lid closed, plug in the grill and press the power switch located on the back of the auger box to ON. Press the selection dial to wake the grill. A splash screen will appear after a few seconds as the grill powers on.
- The dot-matrix display will show three dashes and F (Fahrenheit) or C (Celsius). This is the home screen when your grill is idle. You can set a grill temperature directly from this screen.
- To select a temperature, rotate the selection dial to select the grill's set temp.
- The selected temperature will blink on and off. While the temp is blinking, press the center of the selection dial to confirm your selected temperature.
- The temperature on the display will change from white to orange after you confirm the set temp, and the ignite/shutdown button will start blinking.
- Tap the ignite button within 5 seconds to start the ignition process.
- The ignition button needs to be pushed within 5 seconds of setting the grill temp. If you miss the 5-second window, set the temperature and try again.
- Be sure not to press the ignite button longer than 3 seconds or it will trigger the shutdown cycle.
- If the orange light underneath the ignite button is blinking, the grill didn't ignite successfully. Try again, pressing it a bit longer. You can also try wiping off any dust or debris from the button or even adjust the angle you are pressing it from.
- The grill will now ignite and preheat to reach the set temperature.
What to Expect While the Grill Is Preheating
- While the grill is preheating, the controller will display an animated arrow next to the temperature, indicating preheating mode.
- The grill's current temperature will climb in 5-degree increments as the grill heats up.
- Once the grill reaches the set temperature, the controller will no longer display the preheating arrow animation.
- The grill temperature may fluctuate over the course of the cook, but these swings are completely normal for daily wood pellet grill use.
- Your grill can now be loaded with food to start Traegering!