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Getting bit by the Pit Viper is no Fun

News2u
News2u Posts: 335
Imagine getting ready to put your pit temperature on automatic pilot when the power leads to your 4 month old, highly addictive, digitally controlled blower break off, rendering your Pit Viper System useless and sending you into a panic.  Try to kick the digital heat control habit once started and you’ll know I’m not blowing smoke. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Here's the problem -- no hot glue reinforcement over the solder joints of the power leads in a recent, big shipment from China.

According to the folk at DiGiQ's customer service, thousands of the motors shipped from overseas did not have the hot glue, which guards against the electrical leads breaking off. Here's where it's suppose to be -- right under the rim of the model number decal. :
 
The 2nd picture is of the brand new blower motor with the proper dab of hot glue DiGiQ sent me within 2 days of notifying it of the problem. The tech I talked to said 20000 motors were shipped without the hot glue. So you might want to check to see if you got one of the bad units. The motor is easily removed from the metal casing:

Like I said, DigiQ could not have been more responsive, so kudos from this control freak..now back to plying a habit I'm not willing to give up, among others. 
Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
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Comments

  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,908
    Thanks for the heads up and excellent documentation.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
    So if they knew that these units had these problems why didn't they fix them or send them back rather then shipping them out to customers?
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    A question best directed to the folk at DiGiQ. Because the system is as great as it is, I was stunned when my blower leads practically fell out of the housing. Then, when I took the motor out and investigated and saw 2 tiny welds, I was furious. Certainly, as I told the tech, "Please tell me DiGiQ didn't stake this product's terrific rep on 2 tiny solder joints?" Anyway, I waited more than 2 weeks before posting this since I never saw anything from DiGiQ explaining the issue to Eggheads on the forum. If DiGiQ has reached out to customers in another way, I have to plead ignorant. Anyone who knows different, please enlighten us.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    So did you figure this out on your own and notify the BBQ Guru people or did they find it out and notify you?
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    I figured it out myself and contacted DiGiQ. I have and old soldering iron I break out, it seems, every 10 years or so when needed. However, my level of dexterity ain't what it used to be. Still, I got my motor up and running. But the average Joe might be left out in the cold. Again, I could not believe why a company that sells a system as seemingly failsafe as the Pit Viper is, could be caught so unaware.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
    Wow .. another China fail .. it is these little attention to details that make "Made in USA" products worth the extra money. I'm glad you were able to figure it out. Hopefully BBQ Guru rectifies the faulty wiring.
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
  • stv8r
    stv8r Posts: 1,127
    Thank you! Checked mine...and no glue!  Contacting them right away!
  • poster
    poster Posts: 1,167
    the blower mount looks to come down at quite an angle from the bottom damper. Would there be clearance issues trying to run one of these in a table vs a nest? 
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    News2u said:
    I figured it out myself and contacted DiGiQ. I have and old soldering iron I break out, it seems, every 10 years or so when needed. However, my level of dexterity ain't what it used to be. Still, I got my motor up and running. But the average Joe might be left out in the cold. Again, I could not believe why a company that sells a system as seemingly failsafe as the Pit Viper is, could be caught so unaware.
    You should be okay. I have my XL in the nest while I'm preparing to put a finish on my table. As long as your cooker is elevated, say, on a metal stand or on stone or marble, you should have proper clearance. 
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    I will not have this issue as my VCR (yes VCR) is still flashing 12:12 - old school watch the pit, drink, mop the meat, drink, watch the pit, drink.....if I had this kinda technology I’d either be passed out or bored.....
    Good catch on your part!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • pescadorzih
    pescadorzih Posts: 926
    This same thing happened to me this past weekend as I was preparing to cook a brisket.
    Had to go old school and check it every 3 hrs overnight. 
    I like my sleep damn it!
    I re soldered it once before. 
    Guess I need to contact BBQ GURU for a swap out.
    SE PA
    XL, Lg, Mini max and OKJ offset
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    I hear you Skiddymarker, but I'm not kidding, I damn near broke out in a cold sweat when the SOB went down.  And maybe that IS a sad comment on what we've come to expect from digital technology.  But here's where you and I probably do agree. I'm tired of products being designed to fail. We can piss and moan all day long about the quality of overseas manufacturing, but they are only putting together products based on plans we supply. Even with the hot glue re-inforced welds...that's a stupid, pathetic connection waiting to fail. The electronics of that board leading to those solder joints should have terminated with a female jack. Then the power cord itself could be plugged into that jack with a simple, male pin connector...in case it pulls out, for crying out loud.  Then, let me think, you stick it back in!!!  In which case, no harm, no foul. That's what I'm talking about.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,908
    All about the benjamins and low cost provider.  Consumers drive this behavior.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • pescadorzih
    pescadorzih Posts: 926
    News2u said:
    I hear you Skiddymarker, but I'm not kidding, I damn near broke out in a cold sweat when the SOB went down.  And maybe that IS a sad comment on what we've come to expect from digital technology.  But here's where you and I probably do agree. I'm tired of products being designed to fail. We can piss and moan all day long about the quality of overseas manufacturing, but they are only putting together products based on plans we supply. Even with the hot glue re-inforced welds...that's a stupid, pathetic connection waiting to fail. The electronics of that board leading to those solder joints should have terminated with a female jack. Then the power cord itself could be plugged into that jack with a simple, male pin connector...in case it pulls out, for crying out loud.  Then, let me think, you stick it back in!!!  In which case, no harm, no foul. That's what I'm talking about.
      Exactly how it should have been made. It's not like we paid $39.99 for these gurus. At that price I would expect chit like this. But, not at what the price of these units are.
    SE PA
    XL, Lg, Mini max and OKJ offset
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    By the way, the tech head who spoke to me said the bad wiring issue turned up in the fall of last year.  Before calling the Gurus, I went to my nearby ACE Hardware where no one had a clue about the problem.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    Well chit.......guess I need to check mine when I get home tonight.

    Thanks for the heads up!!

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    I had the leads pop off. I had sent the entire unit back for inspection and was told there was nuttin wrong. I got the royal run around over a 8 buck computer blower from Amazon. 
  • pescadorzih
    pescadorzih Posts: 926
    Maybe I'll email the manufacturer. They're headquarters is right down the street from my workplace. 
    SE PA
    XL, Lg, Mini max and OKJ offset
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    This same thing happened to me this past weekend as I was preparing to cook a brisket.
    Had to go old school and check it every 3 hrs overnight. 
    I like my sleep damn it!
    I re soldered it once before. 
    Guess I need to contact BBQ GURU for a swap out.
    Be prepared to be told that you violated the warranty by soldering it. Amazon has a replacement blower motor for under 9 bucks or so. 
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    Fugetek HT-07530D12
  • kthacher
    kthacher Posts: 155
    fljoemon said:
    Wow .. another China fail .. it is these little attention to details that make "Made in USA" products worth the extra money. I'm glad you were able to figure it out. Hopefully BBQ Guru rectifies the faulty wiring.
    My company is in the business of designing and developing hardware, and I disagree with this.  This is not a China problem.  Issues like this can happen with any contractor.  We have seen them with North American and Asian manufacturers.  The company with end product responsibility needs to have a quality system in place to deal with these kinds of problems.  Quality coming from China can be just as good as anywhere else in the world.  
    Winnipeg, Canada
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    Here's how fast the Gurus were on it in getting me a replacement:
    Course, I had to provide the lubrication:

    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    DigiQ did not make an issue of me soldering my leads back on. Before I called, I had no way of knowing the hot glue was supposed have been on the original solder joints, not until the tech informed me. Obviously calls had been coming in about the problem, which may explain why the company so quickly offered me a replacement. I mean, without any soliciting on my part, the tech said a new motor was on the way. He knew without the hot glue -- no matter how good someone can solder -- the leads were bound to break off again. A no-brainer and great PR move on the part DigiQ.  That doesn't mean its feet shouldn't be held to the fire if the company is not taking the necessary steps to let its customers know, because of faulty wiring, their units will fail, if they haven't already.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • stv8r
    stv8r Posts: 1,127
    Wish I had had the same experience after calling them :s Spoke to a tech, Mike I think, and explained the issue. Mine had no glue but was still working. Asked for a repair kit(thinking glue kit) and was told there was none. He insisted there was nothing wrong with my unit but that they decided to return to the glued leads in manufacturing  after having some issues. I verified all new units came with glued leads and asked if either they'd replace my fan, send a glue kit, or extend my warranty.  Answer was NO. He said unit is in warranty so it's not an issue. I pointed out that previous models had the glued leads, and after multiple failures they returned to glued leads, so there must be an issue.  He didn't give a f**k.  Ended up hanging up disappointed with their customer service. Seriously, maybe a dollar to send out a glue kit to sure things up? Guess profit is king :|
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    Not even going to get into my close to 2 month night mare in dealing with them...over a 8 buck part. Glad you folks had a satisfactory, quick resolution.  Hope mine continues working, seriously do not ever want to deal with them again. If you find that blower motor on Amazon you may still see the "leads falling off is well documented" comments. 
  • News2u
    News2u Posts: 335
    Can't explain the reversal of fortune you got with DiGiQ, stv8r, verses mine. Could it be the Guru has quite the mutiny on its hands now that word has spread and they've decided to take a different, albeit stupid, stance? Think how costly replacing all those defective units could be. I bet not nearly as costly as losing consumer confidence in their product altogether. Not that this is any consolation, but since your leads do not have the glue, I would definitely get a hot glue gun a lay down a glob of glue over them. Somewhere after the solder connection, you're going to have to immobilize the cord so it doesn't move. Cuz otherwise it is going to break at the joint; history is pretty clear on that.
    Beef...It's what's for dinner tonight.
  • stv8r
    stv8r Posts: 1,127
    edited May 2015
    News2u said:
    Can't explain the reversal of fortune you got with DiGiQ, stv8r, verses mine. Could it be the Guru has quite the mutiny on its hands now that word has spread and they've decided to take a different, albeit stupid, stance? Think how costly replacing all those defective units could be. I bet not nearly as costly as losing consumer confidence in their product altogether. Not that this is any consolation, but since your leads do not have the glue, I would definitely get a hot glue gun a lay down a glob of glue over them. Somewhere after the solder connection, you're going to have to immobilize the cord so it doesn't move. Cuz otherwise it is going to break at the joint; history is pretty clear on that.










    Yes it's on me now lol.  They were not in the least bit helpful.  As a matter of fact, they defended the change as "we used to glue the connections, but then didn't feel the need.  Eventually we changed our mind and now glue the connections"  HELLO Why change back if no problem exists?

  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Thanks for the heads-up on this problem.  I pulled my fan out and found that the wires weren't secured.  So, added a dab of clear RTV as a "strain relief."  Probably screwed up since it'll now last until the 2 year warranty expires.  But with a $10 replacement motor (thanks @dougcrann) available at Amazon, I'm not too concerned.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,908
    Just FYI, if it is anything like Flame Boss pretty much any computer style fan will work.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • r8rs4lf
    r8rs4lf Posts: 317
    Gonna have to check mine I guess. 

    On another note has anyone had a problem with the damper piece coming loose from the fan/fan holder? There's one screw that I can get to to tighten it but haven't been able to get to the other one. With this thread it looks like if I remove those two screws to remove the motor, I'd be able to get to that one infamous loose screw. Anyone know for sure?