Trailblazer Smoke coming out of the pellet hopper

[azray007]

Hey awesome fellow ReqTeq owners. I've had my grill for a while and everything has ran perfectly. For the first time ever, I'm cooking some thighs at a low heat and then turn the grill up to 350. I go outside and see smoke coming out of the hopper bin. I was able to turn off the grill and used plastic wrap to seal the hopper and thankfully the smoke stopped coming out of the hopper. I'm using ReqTeq ultimate blend pellets and have never had an issue.

What might be the cause and how might I prevent this from happening again?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

[kstone113]

There could be a little back burn but as long as it isn't excessive smoke, it should pass. If it is excessive, finish your cook and then take out all the pellets and vacuum out the dust in the hopper and firepot after things cool off and you should be fine.

 

[Jim6820]

You said you were “cooking some thighs” and I presume you mean chicken. IME, chicken thighs produce a lot of liquified fat (aka “grease”) and it is easy to get a grease fire going in the cooking chamber. When that happens, a copious amount of smoke is produced and it can easily back up into the pellet hopper, especially if it is not sealed with LavaLock or similar.

Were there any signs of charring on the thighs? That would be a sure sign of a grease fire, though if you caught it quickly enough to snuff the fire out, charring may not have occurred.

If you haven’t sealed the pellet hopper with LavaLock or equivalent, that’s where I would start; along with doing the same to the cooking chamber lid. Preventing extraneous air intrusion will definitely cut down on grease fires and back burn.

 

[azray007]

Thank you. Yes, chicken thighs. No charring or fire in the smoke chamber. I walked out side and noticed smoke coming out of the hopper. Thankfully the cook was done so I turned the heat down and then cut it off. From there the pellet chamber was billowing smoke, but no flames.

Is there a how to on the sealing of the pellet hopper? I will definitely do that.

I went outside to put my cover on, but smelled a strong burnt smell just in the pellet hopper. I left it in a safe place and left the cover off.

Since my pellets must smell burnt now, do I need to vacuum the remainder of the pellets out and start over?

Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

 

[SmokeOCD]

If you do a lot of greasy cooks - check if your vents are getting clogged up. Smoke is going to take the easiest way out of your grill. My two guesses are clogged vents or overstuffed grill grates causing the smoke to go a different route. If none of the above - vacuum out the grill and keep cooking.

 

[Jim6820]

Thank you. Yes, chicken thighs. No charring or fire in the smoke chamber. I walked out side and noticed smoke coming out of the hopper. Thankfully the cook was done so I turned the heat down and then cut it off. From there the pellet chamber was billowing smoke, but no flames.

Is there a how to on the sealing of the pellet hopper? I will definitely do that.

I went outside to put my cover on, but smelled a strong burnt smell just in the pellet hopper. I left it in a safe place and left the cover off.

Since my pellets must smell burnt now, do I need to vacuum the remainder of the pellets out and start over?

Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

There are several threads on installing LavaLock; use the forum search tool for “LavaLock.” It is actually a pretty easy install; the key is making sure the mounting surfaces are clean and degreased. I use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol for that. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NFSFBXQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The LavaLock is peel-and-stick, and easy to cut to length, so pretty simple. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DMFP1TO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As for the pellets, I would just go ahead and use them, but if you are more comfortable removing them, go ahead. The cost of a hopper full of pellets would be small compared to the cost of being worried about it. YMMV

 

[azray007]

If you do a lot of greasy cooks - check if your vents are getting clogged up. Smoke is going to take the easiest way out of your grill. My two guesses are clogged vents or overstuffed grill grates causing the smoke to go a different route. If none of the above - vacuum out the grill and keep cooking.

Will do. That sounds like a good idea. Vents are clear. Still dumbfounded regarding why it happened. Thanks for letting me know what to do next!

 

[azray007]

I took some pictures before I started cleaning. Does anything look out of the normal? (Yes, it needs a good cleaning. )

 

[C. Keeper]

I don't see anything wrong.

 

[azray007]

I guess it must have been a fluke. My lid is greased up from cooks and doesn't has little if any smoke coming out. I don't think too much air coming through the lid is an issue. And my vents are clean too. Weird!

 

[C. Keeper]

I guess it must have been a fluke. My lid is greased up from cooks and doesn't has little if any smoke coming out. I don't think too much air coming through the lid is an issue. And my vents are clean too. Weird!

The burn back isn't anything new, it happens. Do a search and enjoy the read!

 

[SmokeOCD]

I think there was enough ash around the ignitor for pellets to bridge up to the opening of the chute.
I vac about every 4th cook.

 

[charlesrshell]

I vac before every cook.

 

[Beach Bum]

I guess it must have been a fluke. My lid is greased up from cooks and doesn't has little if any smoke coming out. I don't think too much air coming through the lid is an issue. And my vents are clean too. Weird!

I suggest removing the "lawyer" grate, scoping out the rest of the pellets and clearing your auger in test mode. That will get out any residual burned stuff and dust. If you are cleaning out anyway that extra bit of effort could help.

 

[Jim6820]

I suggest removing the "lawyer" grate, scoping out the rest of the pellets and clearing your auger in test mode. That will get out any residual burned stuff and dust. If you are cleaning out anyway that extra bit of effort could help.

I think this Is a good suggestion. The one thing I noticed in the photos was more dust than I usually see in my hopper. Sometimes, we get a bag of pellets with excess dust and that invites burn back.

 

[Gonefishin]

I think there was enough ash around the ignitor for pellets to bridge up to the opening of the chute.
I vac about every 4th cook.

While I agree there is too much ash in the firebox and this could cause pellets in the auger to burn after shutdown, I don’t see the connection to smoke coming out from the hopper during a 350 degree cook, after yes, during no.

it is however the only thing I see of concern from the pics.

 

[azray007]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Motodad1776]

Yeah the fire pot has too much ash build up in it, I keep mine meticulously vacuumed out more than most here I'm sure. Many on the forum focus more on the outside of their grill being shiny and spotless, for me it's all about getting rid of the ash build up and the magic pot.

 

[C. Keeper]

Yeah the fire pot has too much ash build up in it, I keep mine meticulously vacuumed out more than most here I'm sure. Many on the forum focus more on the outside of their grill being shiny and spotless, for me it's all about getting rid of the ash build up and the magic pot.

Is magic pot anything like magic mushrooms

 

[BigDan]