Discover an easy way to identify faulty AC grill components like the fan, hotrod, and auger motor by using a simple Wire Swap test. This method helps you quickly find out which part isn’t working properly by swapping wires between components and watching for any changes. It lets you pinpoint the problem without having to take the grill apart, making this faster and easier.
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This Wire Swap Test can also be used to determine faulty components in AC WiFIRE Timberline 850 & 1300.
How to Perform a Wire Swap Test
A wire swap test helps determine if the grill controller or a part (fan, hotrod, auger motor) is faulty by switching the part's wires to a different controller port.
Pro Tip: Test parts against the Induction Fan first, as it either works or doesn’t, making connection checks easier.
Follow the sections below for the proper wire swap test steps
Induction Fan Test
Note: Testing Auger Motors that have v-shaped connectors will not be possible as they are not compatible with other Molex connectors.
- Check the Induction Fan's connection.
- With the grill ON and set to Smoke, hold your hand over the firepot (without touching) to feel airflow.
- If you feel airflow, the fan is working.
- If not, continue.
- Turn OFF the grill and disconnect the double-orange Molex connector from the orange and white connector.
- Reconnect the Induction Fan's double-orange Molex connector to the orange and white connector to ensure a secure connection (just unplug and plug it back in).
- Reconnect the Induction Fan's double-orange Molex connector to the orange and white connector to ensure a secure connection (just unplug and plug it back in).
- Turn on the grill and run it for 5 minutes to check if it the fan starts. Airflow should come from the firepot, and you should hear the fan.
- If the induction fan doesn't work, turn off the grill and continue.
- Trace the induction fan's white high-heat wire to its connector to the next component connector, the auger motor's red wires. Disconnect the fan's orange wire connector.
- Reconnect the wires using the other component's connections (see diagram).
- Reconnect the wires using the other component's connections (see diagram).
- With the grill ON and set to Smoke, hold your hand over the firepot (without touching) to feel airflow.
- Plug in the grill and turn it on and run for 5 minutes.
- If the Induction Fan turns on and the Auger Motor does not: Replace the controller. The controller is bad, and the components are fine. The fan connecting to the auger Molex will make it work intermittently, like the auger.
- If the Auger Motor turns on and the Induction Fan does not: Replace the induction fan. The controller is fine; the induction fan is bad.
- If neither component turns on: Replace the controller and the induction fan.
- If each component turns on: No replacement is needed, and the components are working fine. Confirm original wiring/connections are secure.
Hot Rod Test
Note: Testing Auger Motors that have v-shaped connectors will not be possible as they are not compatible with other Molex connectors.
- Check the Hot Rod connection.
- With the grill still ON and set to Smoke, hold your hand over the firepot without touching it and check if you feel the heat radiating.
- If you can feel the heat - the grill is fine.
- If you can not feel the heat - continue troubleshooting.
- Turn OFF the grill and disconnect the fiberglass-wrapped wire's Molex connector from the purple and white Molex connector.
- Reconnect the Hot Rod's fiberglass-wrapped wire's Molex connector (cream and red colored wires in picture) with the purple and white connector to ensure the connection is secure.
- Reconnect the Hot Rod's fiberglass-wrapped wire's Molex connector (cream and red colored wires in picture) with the purple and white connector to ensure the connection is secure.
- Turn ON the grill and let it run for 5 minutes to check if it starts working (pellets in the firepot should start to smoke, and heat should radiate from the firepot).
- If the hot rod does not heat up, shut down the grill and continue troubleshooting.
- Follow the hot rod's high heat fabric wire (this is the white, not cream, wire) until you find its connector to the next component connector, the Induction Fan. Next, disconnect the Induction Fan's orange wire connector.
- Reconnect the wires using the other component's connections (see diagram).
- Reconnect the wires using the other component's connections (see diagram).
- Plug in the grill, turn it on and allow 3 minutes for the hot rod to heat up.
- If the Induction Fan turns on: Replace the hot rod. The controller is fine; the hot rod is bad.
- If the hot rod turns on (3+ minutes) and the induction fan does not: Replace the controller. The controller is bad, and the components are fine.
- If neither component turns on: Replace the controller and the hot rod.
Auger Motor Test
Note: Testing Auger Motors that have v-shaped connectors will not be possible as they are not compatible with other Molex connectors.
- Check the Auger Motor's connection.
- Confirm via Loupe that the correct wire testing is occurring.
- With the grill OFF, disconnect the red wire's connector for the Auger Motor from the red and white connector.
- Reconnect the red wire's connector for the Auger Motor with the same red and white connector to ensure the connection is secure (see diagram below).
- Reconnect the red wire's connector for the Auger Motor with the same red and white connector to ensure the connection is secure (see diagram below).
- Turn ON the grill, set to desired temp, and let it run for 5 minutes. Check if it starts working (the auger should turn slowly, and pellets should start flowing into the firepot).
- If the auger still does not turn, shut down the grill and continue troubleshooting.
- Next, follow the Auger Motor's white cord until you find the orange and white connector (for the induction fan); disconnect the orange wire's connector.
- Then disconnect the red wire's connector from the red and white connector for the Auger Motor.
- NOTE: Both the Induction Fan and Auger Motor should now be disconnected, and we will proceed to the wire swap test below.
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Perform a wire swap test by following the steps below:
- Reconnect the Auger Motor by connecting the Auger Motor's red wire's connector to the orange and white (Induction Fan) connector (see diagram below).
- Then reconnect the Induction Fan by connecting the Induction Fan's orange wire's connector to the red and white (Auger Motor) Molex connector (see the diagram below).
- Plug in the grill and turn it ON and wait for 5 minutes for the Auger to begin rotating.
- If the Induction Fan turns ON: Replace the Auger Motor. The controller is fine; the Auger Motor is bad.
- If the Auger Motor turns ON and the Induction Fan does not: Replace the Controller. The Controller is bad, and the components are fine.
- If neither component turns on: Replace the Controller and the Auger Motor.