Pellets in Hopper

[Kp33]

Is it really necessary to take the pellets out of the hopper after cooks. I live in Florida so obviously we get a lot of rain humidity but I do keep my smoker covered at all times and I use it at least 3 to 4 times a week. I’ve never notice a pellets being mushy or anything wrong with them when I leave them in periods at a time.

 

[Upinmygrill]

Do like I did and leave them in there for 6 months to see what happens. I ended up having to take the hopper apart and screw the auger out manually to clean it out.

 

[Kp33]

Haha my pellets would never last 6 months I use it alot.

 

[Upinmygrill]

Haha my pellets would never last 6 months I use it alot.

It’s not the pellets it’s the dust. lol

It’s the pellet dust that causes the issues not the pellets. Compacted dust.

I think that even if you use it everyday eventually it would bind up auger.

 

[Kp33]

When I clean it I use a shop vac and blow the auger out pretty good ....my question wasn't about messing up the smoker it was more the pellets getting ruined or going bad ....as of now 3 years into it I've never noticed the pellets that are in the hopper looking any different then when first out of the bag.

 

[Jug]

I clean mine every time now after having to pull auger apart a few times when we had rainy weather.

 

[Kp33]

How did they get wet?

 

[Upinmygrill]

As the pellets age they slowly turn back to dust. Some pellets depending on the quality will do this faster. The weather also plays a role between the hot and cold and dry and humid. Expansion and contraction. Pellets are like a sponge.

Same thing happens to steel. Eventually all things return to what they came from. That’s how I look at it.

 

[sparkyv]

I leave mine in the hopper. I use my PB an average of twice per month. My PB is kept in a shed. No issues in 11 months.

 

[Kp33]

In a shed I'm sure helps...

 

[Upinmygrill]

I live deep in the heart o Texas where unexplained explosions that shudder the house happen lol.

When I started “the test” to see how long we could go without cleaning the hopper or the auger tube it was winter so it also went through a very wet spring both with rain and condensation outside with a cover on it. It happened after 2 40lb bags of Pitt Boss Competition Blend and one 20lb bag of Lone Star Hickory pellets.

I knew that eventually I was going to take it apart anyway to see if I can make any modifications. I can’t help it’s the R&D in me. lol

Now I’ve just gotten into the habit of scooping most of the pellets out all the way to the auger with my hand. I have big hands so it doesn’t take very long. Then I leave it run at 350 to burn off at the end of the cook.

I thought 6 months with only cleaning the inside of the grill and crucible was good especially with the environment it was in.

 

[Mike From R.I.]

My smoker is in the barn, and I have no issues.

 

[Kp33]

So far I have had no issues and it's been outside with a cover for three years...I use it alot so I don't think the pellets even with the Florida weather have time to go bad on me. I've never noticed them mushy .