Dust In Hopper Lesson Learned

[Steve In Pa]

Got family coming over expecting a smoked ham….
So fired up the smoker, and it started right off. But about 10 minutes into the heating cycle it stalled at 150, I’m shooting for 225ish.
Puzzle, puzzle, puzzle.
So doing some creative investigation I find that no pellets are hitting the burn pot, even though it shows the auger working.
After shut down I emptied the pellets in the hopper and got out the shop vac to pull out the rest.
The bottom of the hopper was clogged with pellet dust! And I sift all the time. Not well enough apparently.
I’ll have to be more diligent and occasionally completely empty the hopper and shop vac it as needed.
Anyway..ham underway as shown.

 

[Cowboy1955]

I sift my pellets through a colander
It’ll save you a ton of headaches

 

[Steve In Pa]

I sift my pellets through a colander
It’ll save you a ton of headaches

That’s what I use

 

[Steve In Pa]

Got family coming over expecting a smoked ham….
So fired up the smoker, and it started right off. But about 10 minutes into the heating cycle it stalled at 150, I’m shooting for 225ish.
Puzzle, puzzle, puzzle.
So doing some creative investigation I find that no pellets are hitting the burn pot, even though it shows the auger working.
After shut down I emptied the pellets in the hopper and got out the shop vac to pull out the rest.
The bottom of the hopper was clogged with pellet dust! And I sift all the time. Not well enough apparently.
I’ll have to be more diligent and occasionally completely empty the hopper and shop vac it as needed.
Anyway..ham underway as shown.
View attachment 4381

Final product

 

[Steve In Pa]

As I loaded up my hopper today for a smoke, I came up with this theory on where my dust came from as mentioned previously.
I sifted as usual, watching closely and after the fine particles seemed all sifted out, I dumped the clean batch into the hopper.
Probably about a foot and a half fall from the top to the lower level.
Thinking as the pellets tumble down, that’s where at least some of the dust and chips are coming from. Impact.