Traeger TRAILHEAD T11489 User manual
1TRAEGER.COM
OWNER’S
MANUAL
T11489
TRAILHEAD
WELCOME TO THE WOOD-FIRED REVOLUTION.
WE WANT YOU TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRAEGER.
Scan here to access this manual in dierent languages, as well as to learn how to set up, season,
and get the most out of your grill.
2
A MAJOR CAUSE OF FIRES IS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED CLEARANCES (AIR SPACES) BETWEEN
COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS AND YOUR GRILL. IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT THIS PRODUCT BE
INSTALLED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
When properly operated and maintained, cooking with a hardwood re on a Traeger®Grill brings years of
enjoyment – to you and your lucky friends and family. Your new Traeger®Grill is specially designed to make
cooking easier while giving you optimal performance with the most savory-avored food.
Please read this entire manual before installation, and anyone who uses this grill should also read the entire
manual before operating it. Failure to follow these instructions could result in property damage, bodily injury,
or even death. Contact local building or re ofcials about restrictions and installation inspection requirements
in your area. Save these instructions. If you are assembling this unit for someone else, provide this manual
for the owner to read and save for future reference.
wDANGER Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Burning wood pellets produces carbon monoxide
which may lead to illness, serious injury, and/or death.
Follow these guidelines to prevent this colorless,
odorless gas from poisoning you, your family, your pets,
or others:
• Only use your Traeger®Grill outside in a well-
ventilated area. This grill is intended for OUTDOOR
USE ONLY.
• Never use your Traeger®Grill in any enclosed area
or any area without adequate ventilation.
• Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting,
sleepiness, and confusion. Carbon monoxide
reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
Low blood oxygen levels can result in loss
of consciousness and death.
• See a doctor if you or others develop cold- or u-like
symptoms. Carbon monoxide poisoning, which can
easily be mistaken for a cold or u, is often detected
too late.
• Alcohol consumption and drug use increase the
effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Carbon monoxide is especially toxic to mother and
child during pregnancy, infants, the elderly, smokers,
and people with blood or circulatory system
problems, such as anemia or heart disease.
wWARNING Fire Hazard
• When operating your Traeger®Grill, maintain a
MINIMUM distance of 18 inches (45.7 cm) from the
grill to any nearby combustibles, including wooden
railings, home siding, window frames, furniture, trees,
and trash receptacles, etc.
• Do not install or operate this grill indoors or under
a combustible ceiling or overhang.
• Do not install or operate your Traeger®Grill on
combustible oors or surfaces.
• Remove pots and pans while the operating appliance
is unattended, to reduce the risk of re.
wWARNING Fire Hazard
• Keep your Traeger®Grill clean. Grease res are
caused by not properly maintaining your grill and
failing to clean its Traeger®Grease Management
System on a consistent basis (see “Maintaining Your
Grill” on pages 24-25).
• Even if there is ample room in the grill, be cautious
of loading excessive amounts of food or high fat
content foods (e.g., bacon) that can release large
quantities of ammable grease.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE INSTALLING AND USING
YOUR TRAEGER® GRILL
18.00"
(45.7 cm)
18.00"
(45.7 cm)
3TRAEGER.COM
• Do not place food near the edges of the grill where
grease drippings may miss the grease drip tray and
fall to the bottom of the grill, where they could come
into contact with embers from the repot and ignite.
• Always make sure the grease drip tray is properly
seated on its locating brackets. If not installed
correctly, direct heat and ame from the repot could
cause a grease re or damage the Traeger®Grease
Management System.
• Never use gasoline, lantern fuel, kerosene, lighter
uid, or other ammable materials to start or “freshen
up” a re.
• Never use or store ammable liquids or other
combustibles materials near the grill.
• Never attempt to over-re your grill by adding excess
pellets or other combustible materials to the repot
or the hopper.
• Change drip tray liners frequently to reduce the risk of re.
• Do Not use drip tray liners when cooking at
temperatures above 375°F (190°C), to reduce the
risk of re.
wDANGER In the event of a grease re, ensure the
grill lid and hopper lid are closed, and then immediately
unplug the grill if you can do so safely. Move away
from the grill until the re is completely out and grill has
cooled down. Until the re has extinguished and the grill
has cooled off:
• Do Not move the grill;
• Do Not throw water on the grill;
• Do Not use salt or baking soda to put out a grease
re; and
• Do Not try to smother the re.
With the grill lid and hopper closed, the re will be
starved of oxygen and burn itself out. Never keep the
grill lid or hopper lid open during a grease re; if the grill
lid is open, use a non-combustible tool that will allow
you to close the grill lid while keeping a safe distance
from the grill. An all-class (class ABC) approved re
extinguisher should be used if a re is not contained
within the grill. If an uncontrolled re does occur,
immediately call the Fire Department. When the re
is completely out, allow the grill to cool completely.
Remove everything from the inside of your grill,
including all internal components (grill grate, grease
drip tray, and repot), pots and pans, and food. Clean
the entire grill, including any grease accumulation from
the Traeger®Grease Management System (TGMS)
and all ash and pellets from the grill and repot (see
“Maintaining Your Grill” on pages 24-25). Replace the
repot, grease drip tray, and grill grate, restart the grill,
and resume cooking.
wWARNING Fire Hazard
Always allow grill to cool completely before cleaning the auger.
wWARNING Burn Hazard
Ashes should always be completely cool before
handling. Ashes should be placed in a metal container
with a tight-tting lid. The closed container of ashes
should be placed on a noncombustible oor or on
the ground, well away from all combustible materials,
pending nal disposal. Ashes should be retained in the
closed container until they are disposed.
wWARNING Burn Hazard
Many parts of the grill become very hot during
operation. During operation of the grill and afterwards,
care must be taken to avoid burns while the grill is hot.
• Never leave the grill unattended when young children
or pets are present.
• Never move the grill when it is operating or hot.
Let the grill cool thoroughly and close the grill lid
before moving or attempting to transport. If you are
transporting your grill in a vehicle after cooking on it,
make sure the re is completely out and the grill is
cold before placing it in any vehicle. Never put water
into the repot; it will jam the auger.
• Never add pellets by hand to a hot repot. This is
dangerous and you may be seriously burned. If you
run out of pellets and lose your re while cooking,
let the grill cool completely and start again.
• Never move the grill with the lid open. Always close
the grill lid prior to moving.
wWARNING Smoke Hazard
• If there is a delayed start and the smoke from
your grill changes from transparent white smoke to
unusual billowing thick non-transparent white smoke
that turns to a yellow tinted smoke, immediately turn
off your grill using the main power button on the back
of the pellet hopper or unplug the power cord.
Do Not initiate the shutdown cycle.
• wDANGER Do Not open the grill lid to air out the
grill. Stay away from the grill until smoke clears and
the grill completely cools.
• This may be the result of a pellet overow condition,
which is caused by partial ignition of pellets. If
allowed to continue long enough, gases will build
up, which can ignite. If these gases ignite they will
combust all at once, making a loud noise that may
startle and/or injure persons in the immediate vicinity
of the grill, and the grill lid may open and close. This
occurrence is sometimes referred to as a “grill burp”
and should be avoided. If you have not properly
maintained your grill, as described in “Maintaining
Your Grill” on pages 24-25, a hazardous grease re
may also result.
4
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONSCONTINUED
• If a burp occurs, let the grill cool down completely,
remove all internal components (including grill grate,
grease drip tray, and repot), and thoroughly clean
all ash and pellets from the grill and repot (see page
25, “Cleaning the Ash from Inside and Around the
Firepot”) and ensure that grease and other buildup
has been removed (see pages 24-25, “Maintaining
Your Grill”). Remove all pellets from the pellet hopper.
Run the prime auger sequence to push all pellets out
of the auger and dispose of those pellets. Clean all
pellets out of the repot. Fill hopper with new pellets
and prime the auger (see “Seasoning Your Grill” on
page 15 for instructions on priming your auger).
• wDANGER Do Not stick your hand in or near
the auger located at the bottom of your pellet
hopper. Severe injury will occur if the auger is turning
and your hand is caught in the auger. Do not remove
the honeycomb guard in your pellet hopper. No
maintenance should be performed on or around
the auger while the grill is turned on or plugged into
power.
wWARNING Electrical Shock Hazard
Hazardous voltage is present, which can shock, burn,
or cause death.
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection
must be provided on the circuit(s) or outlet(s) to be
used for the operation of this Traeger®Grill.
• Disconnect the power cord before servicing the grill
unless otherwise noted in this Owner’s Manual.
• If using an extension cord, only use an extension
cord suitable for outdoor use to prevent electric
shock in accordance with the instructions and
warnings accompanying that product. This type of
cord is designated with “W-A” or “W” on the cord’s
jacket, such as an extension cord of cord type:
SW-A, SOW-A, STW-A, STOW-A, SJW-A, SJOW-A,
SJTW-A, or SJTOW-A.
• If using an extension cord, be sure to use a
No. 14 AWG grounded extension cord.
• Do not modify the plug on your Traeger®Grill, the
extension cord receptacle, or the extension cord plug
in any way, including by removing the ground (earth)
prong.
• Make sure your extension cord is in good condition.
Inspect extension cords prior to each use for loose or
exposed wires and cut or worn insulation. Replace if
damaged. Never use a damaged extension cord.
• Ensure that the power cord and extension cord are
securely plugged together. Do not plug extension
cords into one another.
• Keep extension cord clear of snow and standing
water.
• Ensure that the power cord and extension cord
do not create a tripping hazard. Do not route an
extension cord through a window or doorway.
• When not in use, the extension cord should be
removed and stored in a location protected from
the sun and out of the reach of children.
wCAUTION
• Never modify this grill or install any parts or
components not authorized by Traeger for use with
this grill. Any modication of this grill or installation
of unauthorized parts or components will void the
warranty and may create a safety hazard including,
without limitation, a re.
• Children should be supervised to ensure they
do not play with the grill.
• Do not put a grill cover or anything ammable in the
storage space area under the grill.
wCAUTION Use Correct Pellets
• This grill is designed and approved only for all-natural
wood cooking pellets designed for wood pellet grills.
Use of any other type of fuel in this grill will void the
warranty, may lead to the auger becoming jammed,
and may create a safety hazard.
• For best results and avor, use genuine
TRAEGER®BRAND HARDWOOD PELLETS.
• Always store wood pellets in a dry location, away
from heat-producing appliances and other fuel
containers.
wWARNING Do not use fuel pellets. Never use
heating fuel pellets in the grill because they may contain
hazardous contaminants and additives and may
damage the grill.
wCAUTION Minimum Ambient Temperature
• When the ambient temperature falls below -20°F
(-29°C), damage to the controller’s display may occur.
wWARNING If the re in the repot goes out while
cooking, it is important to follow these steps. Failure to
do so may cause a hazardous “overring” of your grill
due to an excess of unburned pellets in the repot. This
is often caused by improper start-up procedure and/or
running out of pellets.
• Turn the main power switch at the back of the grill
hopper to OFF (O) and disconnect the power cord.
Allow the grill to cool thoroughly. Open the lid and
remove all food, grill grate, and grease drip tray.
5TRAEGER.COM
• Remove all unburned pellets and ash from inside
and around the repot. (See instructions for proper
handling and disposal of ash on page 25.)
• Before replacing the grease drip tray and grill grate,
plug the power cord into an appropriate grounded/
earthed electrical outlet and turn the main power
switch ON (I). Pellets should fall into the repot and the
hot rod should begin to heat (it will start to turn red).
wWARNING Do not touch the hot rod.
• When ames start to come out of the repot, turn the
main power switch OFF (O). Let the grill cool down.
Now you’re ready to place the grease drip tray, grill
grate, and food back into the grill.
wWARNING
• Turn the main power switch OFF (O) and disconnect
the power cord before initiating any maintenance.
• Accumulated grease is easier to clean off when
the grill is still warm—not hot. Be careful not
to burn yourself. Heat-protective gloves are
recommended.
• A dedicated vacuum cleaner is the best way to
remove ashes from the repot, but this must be done
with extreme care to avoid the risk of re. Again,
cleaning the ash from in and around the repot
should be done only when the grill is COLD.
• Cleaning the grill grate works best while it is
still warm. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Heat-protective gloves are recommended. We
recommend keeping a long-handled cleaning brush
near the grill. After removing your food, give the grill
grate a quick brushing. It takes only a minute and it
will be ready the next time you want to use the grill.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Table of contents
