Camp Chef Error Codes Explained: FLAME OUT, RTD ERROR, SENSR, PRERR, and JAM

Searching for a Camp Chef E1, E2, or E3 error? Here is the answer up front: those codes do not exist on Camp Chef controllers. Numbered E-codes belong to other pellet grill brands. Camp Chef controllers use plain-word codes instead — FLAME OUT (or FLAME), RTD ERROR, SENSR, PRERR, JAM, and OVER TEMP. If your Camp Chef is showing an error, it is one of those, and every one of them has a specific meaning and a specific fix.

This guide covers both generations of Camp Chef controllers: the older Gen 1 dial controllers with a 3-digit LED readout (SmokePro DLX, SmokePro SG, original Woodwind) and the newer WiFi PID controllers (Woodwind WiFi, DLX WiFi, Woodwind Pro, Apex). Find your controller type below, match the code, and fix the root cause. For problems that do not throw a code at all — temperature swings, a stuck ash lever, WiFi pairing, the Sidekick burner — see our companion Camp Chef troubleshooting guide.

First: Why There Is No Camp Chef E1 Error

This is one of the most-searched Camp Chef questions, and most answers get it wrong. Camp Chef has never used E1, E2, E3, or any numbered error format on its pellet grill controllers. If a forum post or video told you to fix a "Camp Chef E2 error," it was describing a different brand's grill — numbered codes are common elsewhere (see our Traeger error codes guide for how that system works). Before you troubleshoot anything, look at the display and write down the exact word it shows. That word is your diagnosis.

Which Camp Chef Controller Do You Have?

Gen 1 (dial controller): A temperature dial with fixed positions and a small 3-digit LED display. Found on the SmokePro DLX, SmokePro SG, and the original non-WiFi Woodwind. Because the display only has three digits, codes are abbreviated: FLAME, SENSR, PRERR, JAM.

Gen 2/3 (WiFi PID controller): A digital controller with full-word readouts and the Camp Chef Connect app. Found on the Woodwind WiFi, DLX WiFi, Woodwind Pro, and Apex. Codes display as full phrases: FLAME OUT, RTD ERROR, OVER TEMP.

If your grill pairs with the Camp Chef Connect app, you have a WiFi controller. If it has a physical dial you rotate between set temperatures, it is Gen 1.

Gen 1 Dial Controller Codes (SmokePro DLX, SG, Original Woodwind)

FLAME — Fire Went Out

What it means: The fire in the burn cup went out, or the chamber temperature dropped and did not recover. Per Camp Chef's support guidance, this error is most common in winter, when cold air and wind make it hard for the fire to keep the chamber at temperature.

How to fix it:

1. Check the hopper and refill it — running dry is the single most common cause
2. Check your pellets: crumbling, dusty pellets have absorbed moisture and will not hold a flame. Use only dry pellets, and replace any that fall apart in your hand
3. Empty the burn cup — a cup full of ash and unburned pellets smothers new ignitions
4. In cold weather, close the chimney cap most of the way to hold heat inside the chamber

If flameouts keep recurring, work through our pellet grill flame-out guide for the full diagnostic sequence.

SENSR — Internal Temperature Sensor Fault

What it means: The controller cannot get a valid reading from the internal RTD temperature sensor — the metal probe inside the cooking chamber that tells the controller how hot the grill is. Without it, the controller cannot regulate temperature, so it stops the cook.

How to fix it:

1. Power the grill off
2. Check the sensor's connection to the control board under the hopper — a loose or corroded plug is the most common culprit
3. Reseat the connection firmly and restart
4. If SENSR returns, the RTD sensor itself has failed and needs to be replaced

PRERR — Meat Probe Error

What it means: You pressed the Probe Temp button, but the meat probe is not plugged in — or the probe or its jack is faulty. This code is about the food probe, not the grill's internal sensor.

How to fix it: Unplug the meat probe, reseat it firmly in its jack, and try again. If PRERR persists with the probe fully seated, replace the probe.

JAM — Auger Jam

What it means: The auger tube is jammed and pellets cannot feed to the burn cup. The usual cause is pellets that absorbed moisture, swelled, and locked up inside the tube.

How to fix it: Clearing an auger jam means emptying the hopper and working the blockage out of the tube — see our pellet grill auger jam guide for the step-by-step, including how to tell a jam from a failed auger motor.

Dashes (-----) — Dial Between Positions

What it means: Nothing is broken. The temperature dial is resting between two detent positions, so the controller has no valid setting to run. Rotate the dial to an actual setting and the display returns to normal.

Gen 1 Status Codes (Not Errors)

These appear during normal operation and require no action:

• START — the grill is in its 8-minute startup cycle
• SDOWN — the grill is running its shutdown cycle
• FEED — the auger is priming (feeding continuously); it shuts off automatically after 7 minutes
• BPASS — bypass mode for a hot restart; hold the button for 3 seconds to skip the full startup sequence when the grill is already warm

Gen 2/3 WiFi Controller Codes (Woodwind WiFi, DLX WiFi, Woodwind Pro, Apex)

FLAME OUT / FLAME ERROR — Fire Not Established or Died

What it means: The controller either failed to establish a fire during startup or detected that the fire died mid-cook. Same root causes as the Gen 1 FLAME code, and per the DLX 24 WiFi owner's manual the fixes are the same routine maintenance items:

1. Refill the hopper with dry, quality pellets — crumbling pellets mean moisture damage
2. Empty the burn cup before every cook; ash buildup is the top cause of failed ignitions
3. In winter, close the chimney cap down to about 1.5 inches to hold chamber heat
4. Check the auger for jams so pellets actually reach the fire

RTD ERROR / SENSOR ERROR — Chamber Probe Fault

What it means: The chamber temperature probe (RTD) is not reading correctly, so the controller cannot regulate the grill. Tighten the sensor's connection first — at the probe and where it plugs into the controller. If the error persists after reseating the connection, replace the RTD probe.

Dashes on the Meat Probe Readout

What it means: The meat probe is unplugged, poorly seated, or damaged. Reseat it firmly; replace it if the dashes persist.

Important: Never leave meat probes in the grill at chamber temperatures above 350°F — high heat damages the probes and is a common reason a probe that "worked last week" now reads as dashes.

OVER TEMP — Grill Exceeded 600°F

What it means: The chamber went over 600°F, and the controller automatically killed the pellet feed to prevent a large grease fire. This is a safety cutoff doing its job — usually because accumulated grease or debris ignited inside the chamber.

How to fix it:

1. Let the grill cool down completely — do not open things up while it is hot
2. Clean the grease tray and empty the burn cup before you relight
3. Only restart once the chamber is clean; the fuel that caused the spike is otherwise still in there waiting to reignite

LOST COMMUNICATION — App Connection Dropped

What it means: The Camp Chef Connect app lost contact with the grill — you walked out of Bluetooth range or the WiFi connection dropped. It is a connectivity notice, not a grill fault. Move back into range or check your network; for pairing and setup problems, see the WiFi section of our Camp Chef troubleshooting guide.

Safety: Grease Fires, Cleaning Intervals, and Ash

An OVER TEMP or FLAME code is often your first warning that the grill needs cleaning. Take these seriously — the failure mode they are protecting you from is a grease fire.

If you have a grease fire, Camp Chef's official instruction is blunt: "do not use the shutdown mode." Instead:

1. Turn the grill OFF at the main power switch
2. Keep the lid closed and let the fire self-extinguish — starving it of air is what puts it out
3. Never pour water on a grease fire
4. If the fire is not dying down or is spreading, call the fire department

Prevention, per Camp Chef's maintenance guidance:

• Clean the drip tray before every high-temperature cook
• Deep-clean the grill and grease drain every 50 hours of cooking
• Inspect the flue and chimney for creosote every 50 hours — creosote is the tar-like residue smoke leaves behind, and when it ignites it burns extremely hot

Ash disposal: Ash can hold live embers long after the cook. Empty ash into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid, set it on non-combustible ground, and let it sit until fully cold before disposal. And never open the burner clean-out while the grill is hot.

When to Call Camp Chef Support

If a SENSR or RTD ERROR persists after reseating connections, if a JAM will not clear, or if any code returns right after you fix the obvious cause, call Camp Chef support at 1-800-650-2433 with your model and serial number ready. Persistent sensor codes usually mean a part replacement, and support can confirm which part.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does E1 mean on a Camp Chef?

Nothing — Camp Chef controllers do not use E1, E2, E3, or any numbered E-codes. Those codes belong to other pellet grill brands. If you searched for a Camp Chef E1 error, what your grill actually displayed was one of Camp Chef's plain-word codes: FLAME OUT (or FLAME), RTD ERROR, SENSR, PRERR, JAM, or OVER TEMP. Match what is on your screen to those codes and you will find the real fix.

Why does my Camp Chef say FLAME OUT?

FLAME OUT means the fire in the burn cup went out, or the chamber temperature fell and never recovered — most often from an empty hopper, damp pellets, an overflowing burn cup, or cold, windy weather. Refill the hopper with dry pellets, empty the burn cup, and in winter close the chimney cap down to about 1.5 inches to hold heat in the chamber.

What does OVER TEMP mean on a Camp Chef?

OVER TEMP means the grill exceeded 600°F and the controller automatically cut the pellet feed to prevent a large grease fire. Let the grill cool completely, then clean the grease tray and empty the burn cup before you relight. Do not simply restart and keep cooking — the grease that fueled the spike is still in there.

What do the dashes mean on a Camp Chef display?

It depends on your controller. On Gen 1 dial controllers, dashes (-----) mean the temperature dial is sitting between two positions — rotate it to a real setting and the display returns to normal. On WiFi controllers, dashes on the meat probe readout mean the probe is unplugged, poorly seated, or damaged — and note that meat probes are damaged by chamber temperatures above 350°F.

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