The Gravity 980 Fed charcoal grill is an upgraded version of the pellet grill. But you should keep an eye out for troubleshooting your Char Griller Gravity 980 problems with my experience.
Your Gravity 980 is an excellent outdoor grill unit, but it comes with issues. With little knowledge, these problems may seem big, but they can be solved easily.
- Temperature fluctuation
- The controller temperature reading is incorrect
- The grill is heating too slowly
- Smoke coming out of the hopper
- Char-Griller 980 wifi issues
- Char Griller 980 No power
- Char Griller error codes
Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems & Solutions
Since gravity grills are fairly new to the market, it is difficult for you to find a solution to the Char Griller Gravity 980 problems. Don’t worry because I tested it so we are discussing Char-Griller Gravity 980 issues and solutions for you.
Char Griller Gravity 980 Temperature Fluctuation
Like any BBQ grill, the Char Griller Fed Gravity is also complaining about temperature fluctuations, but there could be more than one reason for that.
This can be caused by the external environment, including strong wind, extremely cold weather, and cooking in direct sunlight. Check our guide cold weather grills list.
If the external environment is correct, then of course the temperature problem can be related to the component inside it. Temperature fluctuation occurs due to poor airflow, temperature sensors, improper use, and not cleaning.
Indeed, the Char Griller Gravity 980 temperature issue is a big problem. Because this not only wastes your food but also one wrong step can damage the unit, a solution is necessary.
Solutions – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
It is easy to understand what precautions should be taken if the weather outside is bad.
- If it’s windy and cold outside, you’ll only need to protect it from the wind.
- If you are cooking in direct sunlight, shift the gravity grill to another location.
- Check if the fan is working, if not, find the reason, it may not be clean, clean and test again.
- Check whether the temperature sensor is clean or not, and clean if there is any dust, vapor, or coal ash accumulated.
- Make sure the cooking area and hopper are thoroughly clean and dry
Char Griller Gravity Temperature Reading is Incorrect
Your gravity charcoal grill controller may be giving inaccurate temperature readings that may seem overwhelming.
It’s not really a big deal, the real reason for not getting the correct reading is a bad temperature probe or meat probe.
Solutions – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
- Open the lid and check that your Char-Griller 980 heat sensor is working.
- Make sure no wire to the temperature sensor is broken or loose.
- If there is dust, steam, and coal ash on the char-griller heat sensor, clean it thoroughly and reinstall it.
- Make sure the temperature probe fits snugly for a proper meat probe.
- If all of these solutions don’t work for you, then it’s time to replace the temperature sensor.
Char Griller Gravity Grill is Heating Too Slowly
Every time your char griller grill takes time to heat, you start thinking you invested in the wrong brand and cursing the manufacturer. But it is not a big problem that it may have happened by your fault, secondly, it may be a mechanical fault.
The most common cause of this problem is cooking food with an open lid. Let’s fix it.
Solutions – Char Griller 980 Problems
- The first thing to do is to check that the lid of the cooking compartment has not been opened and closed so that the temperature is consistent.
- The second important is to check whether the fan is running or not, if not running then need to find out the reason why the fan is not running.
- You have to clean the dirt on the fan, and also check that the fan connection is correct, even after that the fan does not work, then the gravity grill fan is bad, replace the fan.
- Make sure the fire shutter side is not removed. If removed install the fire shutter side properly.
- Make sure the fuel i.e. charcoal is not very low if so, refill the charcoal.
This is the step-by-step video on how to super deep clean the Char-Griller Gravity 980.
Char Griller Gravity Fan Not Working
It is a big problem when your Gravity 980 charcoal grill fan not working, it causes many problems like temperature fluctuations, low heat, and slow heating.
This problem needs to be resolved as soon as possible so that everything can start afresh. However, there can be several reasons for a Char-Griller Gravity 980 fan not working, the most common of which is a loose power wire to the fan.
When your gravity grill reaches the set temperature, the system automatically turns off the fan. Let us know in detail about all these measures.
Solutions – Char Griller Gravity 980 Issues
- If the Gravity 980 reaches the set temperature, then the fan will stop, you have to take special care of this.
- Sometimes you leave the hopper and ash box doors open but the Char Griller Gravity 980 is built with safety in mind. As long as both these doors are open or one is open, the fan will be run. Close the doors and the fan will run normally.
- Make sure the hopper and ash box is not disconnected, connect both then all will be well.
- Make sure the fan wiring harness is attached and not damaged.
- Make sure the fan is not disconnected from the Gravity 980 controller, if so please reconnect.
- Clean the fan from dust, debris, charcoal ash, and grease. If even after doing all this your fan is not running then your fan is bad, replace the bad fan.
Why is Char Griller 980 Not Turning On?
Char Griller 980 has no power, what is the reason, actually, it is related to a power source. Sometimes you forget to turn on the grill and sometimes you forget to plug it into the power socket.
All these are actually human errors that you do not pay attention to. And get upset, what is the reason?
Sometimes you use some long power cord which shorted out the power supply and the system doesn’t switch on the grill.
Let’s find out what you need to learn to overcome this problem.
Solutions – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
- The very first thing to check is to make sure that the switch for the gravity grill and the power plugs are on.
- How do you verify that your Gravity 980 does not have power? To do this press the power button on the controller and make sure there is no power to the grill.
- Make sure the grill unit is plugged into the correct port and that the cord is not damaged in any way.
- Verify that the power cord is connected to the GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interpreter), and reset it.
- Check power plug is working condition, if yes definitely the controller has issues. Contact the Char-Griller team.
- Make sure the cord is no longer than 25 feet, and shorten the length if in use.
Smoke Leaking From Gravity Hopper
This is very different from the smoke coming out of the hopper in a pellet grill. The reason pellet grills backfire is that the smoke escapes out of the pellet hopper. But in Gravity Grill the reason is totally different.
The sudden appearance of smoke from the hopper is a warning alarm that, if not addressed, could result in a fire and serious damage to the charcoal grill unit.
Solutions – Char Griller 980 Problems
- In this case, first, turn off the Gravity 980 grills. Open the charcoal hopper lid and check the severity of the hazard.
- Make sure the hopper and ash doors are fully closed and check that the latches are engaged.
- Make sure the fire shutter side is placed in the correct position.
- The hopper and ash doors’ gas kit may be damaged, or the doors may be out of alignment.
Char-Griller 980 WiFi Issues
Char Griller Gravity 980 Grill is getting a lot of complaints like no wifi connectivity or offline shows every time.
Sometimes it is going offline even after being connected, this is not a big problem, then it is a headache. To solve this you should follow some steps.
Solutions – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
- Check if your Gravity 980 Grill is out of your WiFi area. The further away the grill is from WiFi, the more connectivity issues there will be and frequent drops in connection.
- Try turning the 980 Grill’s controller off and on again to see if all is well.
- Delete and reinstall the app, now pair again and the WiFi connectivity error will be gone.
- You must have selected the wrong network, Char-Griller Gravity 980 charcoal grill works only on a 2.4ghz network.
The Gravity 980 is designed to connect on 2.4GHz networks only. Your grill will not work with 5GHz networks, 2.4GHz, and 5hz frequencies at the same time.
If your WiFi network does not support the 2.4GHz wireless frequency, it means that you only have the option of connecting via Bluetooth.
Char Griller Gravity 980 Error Codes
Knowing the meaning of Gravity 980 Grill error codes can help move you toward troubleshooting. Let us know why these errors occur in 980 Gravity Grill and how they can be solved.
Char-Griller Gravity 980 ErR Error Code
Err error code display clearly means that there is a problem with your meat probe. It shows when the temperature exceeds 300 degrees.
Solutions
- Check if the temperature of the meat does not exceed 300 F.
- Make sure your meat probe is fully inserted into the meat or else the error code will be displayed.
- Check the meat probe may need to be cleaned because there is dust or steam on it.
- Make sure the temperature sensor wire is not broken or damaged or loose, then reconnect.
- If all else fails, the char-griller 980 heat sensor is bad, time to replace it.
Char Griller 980 ErH Error Code
Whenever the ErH error code is displayed on the Gravity 980 grills control panel, it means the unit is heating above 750 degrees.
Solutions
- Unplug the grill immediately and allow it to cool.
- There are only two reasons for this happening. The main reasons are fan failure and a build-up of grease in the cooking area, which can lead to a fire inside.
- Clean your fan to make sure it spins freely and if it doesn’t work properly after cleaning, replace the fan.
- Make sure the oil has drained out from the pan and clean the cooking area thoroughly.
- Clean the temperature sensor and confirm that it is working properly.
- Now everything should be fine, if it is not then definitely there is a problem with the controller. You should contact CharGriller Customer Care.
Char Griller 980 ErF Error Code
Your 980 Gravity grill controller board suddenly displays an ErF error code which simply means a problem with the fan needs to be found the cause.
Solutions
- Unplug the Gravity Grill before checking the fan.
- There is likely dust, ash, debris, and grease accumulated on the fan.
- Check the fan wire connections and make sure the wire is not loose or broken.
- Clean thoroughly, check the fan blade is rotating smoothly, and now plug in, everything is fine!
- If still the fan is not running then the fan is bad, replace it immediately.
Char Griller 980 ErU Error Code
The ERU error code simply means that your Gravity 980 grill is having low voltage or is experiencing a power failure. This usually happens when you are using the wrong power adapter and malfunctioning the adaptor.
Solutions
- Make sure you are using the correct power adapter and plug it into the correct socket.
- If the power adapter is fine and plugged into the correct power socket, but the error is occurring, it’s time to replace the fan.
Char-Griller Gravity 980 Open Error
If you are getting a door open error on your Gravity 980 grill, it is a clear indication that you have not closed the hopper or ash door properly.
Solutions
- Confirm that both of your doors are fully closed and latched.
- If open, unplug the grill power supply
- Check the connections and make sure the wires are not damaging the door switch.
- Plug the grill power supply back in.
- If the error persists, replace the door switch.
Watch this important video on how to solve Char-Griller error codes.
FAQs – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
What does it mean when your Gravity 980 grill is cooking hotter than temp?
This means that the temperature in your Char-Griller gravity grill is not stable, which can happen for a number of reasons, the biggest one being poor airflow and too much ash building up in the fire pot, and grease catching fire.
How do I connect my Gravity 980 to the app?
It is very simple,
1. first, install the app as per your phone’s requirements.
2. Open the app and select “Char-Griller gravity 980”
3. A code appears on the control panel screen, enter the code in the phone.
4. When the flashing phone icon on the controller turns solid, pairing is complete.
5. You are now all set to use your Char-Griller app to control the Gravity 980 from your phone.
Can you use the Char-Griller 980 in the rain?
Yes, you can use it in the rain.
The Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980 Charcoal Grill is made from high-quality materials that can withstand harsh weather conditions.
It will work well in the rainy season, just you have to take care that water does not enter it, although its design is completely different from others.
Can you use wood in a Char-Griller 980?
Yes, of course, you can use the wood in the Char Griller 980’s hopper as cooking fuel!
Final Verdict – Char Griller Gravity 980 Problems
After the experiment with the Char-Griller Gravity 980 grill highlights some of the reported problems associated with this model.
To solve these issues, I tried to solve the problem by adjusting various settings, following recommended techniques, and even taking advice from some experienced grillers friends.
After my tireless efforts managed to overcome the difficulties of maintaining precise temperature levels, which affected the overall cooking experience.
Whenever I ran into any problems, I used to note them down, the gist of which is given to you in this guide. I hope you got the tips for troubleshooting the Gravity 980 Grill Smoker problems.
