Bull Mod for the 40 pound pellet hopper: Split for 2 types of pellets?

[Brian Vallotton]

Just converted to a bucket guy...thanks guys

Hi my friend. Can you tell me how you did it? Is there a vacuum that is made to fit on the top of a bucket?

 

[Buckeye smoker]

One of them is called "Bucket Head"....fairly cheap works good.

 

[wfcook]

Hi my friend. Can you tell me how you did it? Is there a vacuum that is made to fit on the top of a bucket?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-...ible-with-5-Gal-Homer-Bucket-BH0100/202017218

 

[Brian Vallotton]

Thanks! Happy Grilling!

 

[cutplug]

Hopper was running low but had some RT Ultimate Blend leftover. Scooped it all over to the left
and added some apple on the right. As they feed they will mingle.
Dual Feed. Baby Backs coming up!
Horns Out!!

 

[Brian Vallotton]

Hopper was running low but had some RT Ultimate Blend leftover. Scooped it all over to the left
and added some apple on the right. As they feed they will mingle.
Dual Feed. Baby Backs coming up!
Horns Out!!

I love the horns out! Grill on full speed ahead!

 

[Roaniecowpony]

As I used my Bull more, I tended to put less pellets in the hopper. First, I filled to the brim. Then it was obvious I was jumping around on the wood types I was using for various cooks. I've been mixing fruit woods with the RT Ult Blend. Frankly, the RT isn't my favorite flavor and I use it mostly for heat. I'm trying to use it, since 400lbs of it came in the package I got.

One of the mods I'd like is a hopper dump door that worked more easily than my Buckethead vac. Something with a quarter turn thumb fastener and hinged door.

 

[cutplug]

I am not too in to bouncing around with the different wood types. I too was using up the last of
my 200 pound of RT's. I prefer cherry for most but might switch to hickory or pecan for briskett.
I don't run mine hot usually but if I did then hickory, oak or mesquite. The local Smart Food Service (Cash and Carry) carries the Bear Mountain and just started carrying Smokehouse so I grabbed some apple to try it. They look like good pellets but the ultimate test is how much ash they leave behind.
I should go max heat sometime so I can see just how hot she will get.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

I am not too in to bouncing around with the different wood types. I too was using up the last of
my 200 pound of RT's. I prefer cherry for most but might switch to hickory or pecan for briskett.
I don't run mine hot usually but if I did then hickory, oak or mesquite. The local Smart Food Service (Cash and Carry) carries the Bear Mountain and just started carrying Smokehouse so I grabbed some apple to try it. They look like good pellets but the ultimate test is how much ash they leave behind.
I should go max heat sometime so I can see just how hot she will get.

@cutplug ...I've gone to Apple and Cherry on Pork and Hickory or Pecan on Red meats also...seems to work best. I switch it up on chicken...lol
Btw I wonder if Horns out adds unwanted torque on your lid over time?... Or do you grab both too open it?... Sorry brain is bored.

 

[cutplug]

Usually just one horn. I lift close in to the base and it does torque it somewhat but I dont think
it will be a problem.
Nothing about horns out voiding the warranty!!

 

[mooncusser2k]

Hmm, I'm starting to wonder if Horns Out might give a bit more space on the front shelf...

 

[Grilltreats]

The bucket vac is a terrible idea. I wasted money on one of those. There's just not enough power in those, plus you have to hold it up in the air being a short and too small a diameter hose. Get a shop vac with a larger diameter and longer hose. With my shop vac, I can empty a full hopper in under two minutes without holding it up with the its long 2.5" diameter hose.

As far as dividing the hopper for two type pellets, you would have to put the sheet metal up higher than the bottom chute to block the gravity drop of those pellets. With that, you still have a lot of the other pellets loaded in the auger area to get through before the new unleashed pellets ever made it to the fire pot.

 

[surefirewizard]

Hi guys. Just watched a video where the hopper was being opened up and the guy mentioned that he considers it like 2 20 pound hoppers. Which got me to thinking... I wonder if there is a way to mod the Bull to essentially have 2 different types of pellets and be able to slide open one side while closing off the other and vice versa? My Bull just arrived last night and I will assemble today, so I have never had my hands on one yet. Any thoughts on the subject?

Maybe RecTec will steal my idea but here goes. I can only speak to the RT-700 because that is what I have, but it seems that the bin is segmented in to two halves that feed into the same auger. In other words, its not really separate. The shape and design is to ensure that the pellets feed from the middle evenly. But envision a 3 segmented hopper that feeds the auger based on a controller that the user sets up. Want a hickory, cherry, and pecan feed that is a 2-1-1 ratio? Done. Want just the hickory feed? Done. So forth and so on. Simply a matter of computer programming and, while more expensive, certainly doable. You could go with separate augers but that would be cost prohibitive most likely. The better solution is three completely separate bins independently controlled by the computer that feeds one auger. Each bin has 12 to 15 lb capacity. And I would agree with others on this post that an efficient and fast pellet clean out method needs to be implemented on future models. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Mastertech59]

You will never see a pellet clean out on a RecTec grill. Rays thinking is because of the way they allow moisture and water to enter the hopper and cause issues. The plate in side the hopper on the Rt700 Bull is more of a stiffener for the back of the hopper than a divider. To have mupital augers or separate areas would be a added expense that most would not want to pay for, these grills need to fit into a certain price point and do so very nicely. If I want to change pellets I use one of my large sour cream container to scoop out the pellets and have learned to only put in the amount of pellets needed for the cook I'm doing at the time so scooping out pellets is a couple few of cups at best if I want to change wood types.