HEr Error Code

This article explains what to do when your AC (non-connected) pellet grill displays an HEr code on the controller.

What Is an HEr Error?

HEr stands for High Error Reading and is an error specific to non-WiFIRE grills with 3-digit, Digital Controllers.

An HEr means that your grill's temperature exceeded 550°F/287°C, usually due to a grill fire/flare up. When your grill reaches over 550°F, the grill will automatically shut off as a safety precaution, and the controller will display "HEr." 

What Causes an HEr Error?

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

• Grease Fire 
• Lack of grill maintenance
• An unresolved LEr error on a previous cook
• Incorrect startup or shut down procedures
• Heat Baffle or Drip Tray installed incorrectly
• A faulty RTD
  
  

How to Resolve an HEr Error

In most cases, the HEr 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 your grill. If the grill is still hot, proceed with caution or wait to proceed until the grill cools off. 
2. Did you get the HEr error after having a grease fire? 
   Because an HEr is triggered when the grill's temperature exceeds 550°F/288°C, grease fires are the most common cause for this error.
   • Give your grill a thorough cleaning to make sure your grill is in good condition to continue grilling.
3. Make sure you're following the correct startup and shutdown procedures.
   
   • Startup: It's important to start your grill correctly. Set to SMOKE and allow a flame to establish before setting the dial to the desired temperature.
     • We often suggest allowing your grill to get to roughly 165°F/74°C while on the SMOKE setting prior to setting temp. 
     • Jumping directly to a higher temp can cause the grill to feed too many pellets into the firepot and have an initial fire that's larger than it should be.
   • Shutdown: If your grill was not shut down correctly on the last cook, there may have been excess pellets in the firepot. Too many pellets in the firepot can cause them to combust all at the same time, spiking the grill's temperature upon ignition.
     • This occurs most often when a grill had an LEr error during the previous cook session.
4. Check if your Drip Tray and Heat Baffle are installed correctly and are undamaged. 
   
   • Drip Tray: Incorrectly installed Drip Trays can cause grease to direct into the barrel and not into the grease drain and bucket as designed. Look for rust holes (not just surface rust) and poorly installed Drip Tray Liners that could cause grease fires.
   • Heat Baffle: Incorrectly installed Heat Baffles can misdirect heat from the Firepot and cause the grill to get much hotter than it's designed to withstand. If incorrect, install correctly. 
5. Plug in your grill and turn it on to check the Controller and the RTD.
   
   1. Is the RTD damaged or touching another part of the grill?
      • If touching another part, gently bend the RTD away from the wall or object it touches and continue troubleshooting.
      • If damaged, let's proceed to check if it's reading temp correctly to see if the damage is causing issue.
   2. Check if the RTD is reading temp correctly. 
      The grill needs to be cooled down and out of direct sunlight to test.
      
      1. Plug in and turn on the grill. The controller should show the grill's current temperature; the HEr should have cleared automatically. 
         • If the HEr still appears, proceed to the to check the RTD/Controller connection.
      2. Compare the temp displayed on the grill's controller and compare it to the local outside temp. A working RTD should read within 20°F/10°C of the ambient temp.
         • Grills in direct sunlight and those operating during the peak of summer months will likely read temperatures beyond our accepted variance. 
      3. If still out of variance, you'll likely need a new RTD. Give Customer Support a call to verify and get set up with the right part.
   3. Check the RTD connection to the controller:
      1. Turn off and unplug the grill.
      2. Unscrew the controller. Disconnect and reconnect the RTD from the controller.
                
      3. Plug in and turn on the grill. If you still get an HEr or if the temp shown is still more than 20°F/10°C off, give Customer Support a call to get set up with the right part.