Hopper Question

[Freedbyjc]

Getting alot of smoke coming out of hopper during cooking…I clean the fire pot before every cook just about and definitely before any long cooks like the one I did today and still had a ton of smoke coming out of hopper. Any thoughts.

You’re flirting with an
Auger Fire



What to do to fix this?


When it happens, use the prime button to push the burning pellets out of the auger.


If you don’t have a prime button, open the lid so the barrel temperature will drop and that’ll activate the auger to push the burning pellets out of the auger.


Look for any Burned out Holes in the firepot. Call Cs for a replacement firepot.


Why? Sounds like several possibilities… the smoker is not level or your fire pot is full of holes or excessive ash and the pellets are not dropping in like they should but are being held at the auger edge due to excessive ash buildup or an unlevel surface underneath the smoker. It causes the pellets in the auger tube to burn back because they can’t push forward anymore. Always the smoker should be at least level if not canted so the firepot is below the auger.


Even if clean beforehand, pellet choice, ambient temperatures and humidity and dial set temperature could fill it up with ash faster.


Additionally, a full hopper provides sufficient back pressure to keep most of the smoke flowing towards the barrel. Keeping your hopper full and its lid closed and that will prevent the smoke blowback.


Also…. If your hopper is smoking after shutdown, you’ll want to ramp down your dial temperature to 200° for a few minutes before turning it off. If this wasn’t in your manual then it should be.


At higher temperatures you need to ramp down your dial temperature before shutting down. It allows the fire to cool and burn off all the pellets in the firepot and not catch those in the auger.

 

[Kp33]

Appreciate all the info a few answers

I use bear mountain pellets
I always clean fire pot before every cook
The left side is slightly hire than right
Hopper is filled at least half during cooks never gets lore
Hooper lid always closed while cooking
Smoke only comes out of hopper during cooking not cool down unless it was already doing it prior to cool down

 

[Freedbyjc]

Appreciate all the info a few answers

I use bear mountain pellets
I always clean fire pot before every cook
The left side is slightly hire than right
Hopper is filled at least half during cooks never gets lore
Hooper lid always closed while cooking
Smoke only comes out of hopper during cooking not cool down unless it was already doing it prior to cool down

What model PITBOSS do you have?

Try raising the left side more… at least 1” more.
Half full is not full… these are gravity feed smokers… anything but full pressure can cause the issues you’re describing.

 

[Kp33]

What model PITBOSS do you have?

Try raising the left side more… at least 1” more.
Half full is not full… these are gravity feed smokers… anything but full pressure can cause the issues you’re describing.

But it’s impossible to keep the hopper full during the entire cook and when I use it it’s at least half full most tones especially for long cooks I always start full

I have the 1150 I will try to raise it a bit higher

 

[Kp33]

So I just got off the phone with Pit Boss and they did like a video call with me and they did say that my fire pot the holes have gotten bigger than obviously they’re supposed to. She’s not 100% sure that that would cause smoke coming out of the hopper, however, while I was waiting on hold, I was in the process of cleaning out my hopper and when I had her on the video call, there was a crap ton of sawdust in the hopper and lay down in the auger and she goes that sawdust could definitely be causing your fireback or however, you wanna call so she goes. Try to stay up-to-date a little bit more with cleaning that out even if you just stick a blower down there and just blow it out so we’ll see.

 

[Freedbyjc]

So I just got off the phone with Pit Boss and they did like a video call with me and they did say that my fire pot the holes have gotten bigger than obviously they’re supposed to. She’s not 100% sure that that would cause smoke coming out of the hopper, however, while I was waiting on hold, I was in the process of cleaning out my hopper and when I had her on the video call, there was a crap ton of sawdust in the hopper and lay down in the auger and she goes that sawdust could definitely be causing your fireback or however, you wanna call so she goes. Try to stay up-to-date a little bit more with cleaning that out even if you just stick a blower down there and just blow it out so we’ll see.

The rusted out holes are causing the auger fires. See my original comment above..Replace that and it’ll stop.


Saw Dust in the hopper doesn’t cause auger fires…my hoppers not been empty for 8+ years and I’ve not had an auger fire.

 

[Kp33]

They are sending me a new fire pot and yeah that’s what she claimed it could be the dust just saying what she said

 

[Kp33]

Did a cook earlier rlier today and no smoke out of hopper after blowing all the dust out of the auger and lifting the left side higher than I already had it ….new fire pot should be here by end of the week

 

[JerryT]

just a suggestion, if you don’t already do it sifting your pellets will also get rid of a lot of the dust and tiny chunks that sometimes augers don’t like. I’ve been doing it for a long time and never had a problem. Some people may not do this, but I do it as a preventative measure.

 

[Kp33]

So if it is the holes in the fire pot would it make sense to remove it after each cook and keep it inside to minors rust? I have the one the I can get to from underneath so doing that would be easy.

 

[mixed up]

So if it is the holes in the fire pot would it make sense to remove it after each cook and keep it inside to minors rust? I have the one the I can get to from underneath so doing that would be easy.

What smoker you have ?
I have a pb 4 vertical and clean my pot before any smoke it 5 yrs old and still looks good with no rust and will scrape out the bottom once in a few

 

[ANT0407]

They are sending me a new fire pot and yeah that’s what she claimed it could be the dust just saying what she said

I just replaced mine with this stainless one hoping it will last longer.

QuliMetal 304 Stainless Steel Fire Burn Pot for Pit Boss Pro Series 1150/1600 Pellet Grills, Pit Boss PB1150PS2, PB1150PS3, PB1600PS1 Grills, Upgraded Durable FirePot Accessories with Screws https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3LTC46B?tag=pitboss-20

 

[Kp33]

Interesting, I still get mone for free from PB so until that deals y happen anymore they will just have to keep replacing

 

[ANT0407]

Interesting, I still get mone for free from PB so until that deals y happen anymore they will just have to keep replacing

Don't blame you at all. My original lasted 6 years.

 

[JerryT]

Kp33 this is my setup for sifting my pellets. 1 bucket for sifted pellets, the other is for dust and short pellets. I just sifted a new batch of PB Competition Blend 40 lb bag and Royal Oak Hickory Charcoal 20 lb bag enough for 2- 5 gal buckets. The charcoal helps with smoke & beautiful smoke ring. I mix it 2 to 1 with regular to charcoal. After sifting both bags I ended up with about 1” deep of dust and shorts at the bottom.