Trailblazer Smoke coming out of the pellet hopper

[RattleR]

Shrooms

 

[kennethk]

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

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I don't see anything wrong.

 

[Drake]

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.

I get a bag of dusty pellets every so often. I have a mesh laundry bag I pour them into when I see that to separate the pellets from the dust then store the pellets in an airtight “Vittle Vault” container. The dust is likely to promote a back burn.
Get yourself a bucket head vac and clean it out. I use the vac as a quick way to empty the hopper too. Just be sure the bucket is empty of any old ash and the grill is cold.

 

[Cape J/80]

How hot and how long was it running? I have noticed that if I run mine very hot for awhile I get small amounts of smoke coming from the hopper. After opening the lid I typically find the lid is covered with accumulated water droplets that was steamed out of the pellets.

Pellets will always hold a bit of moisture and if the hopper is hot enough it will force steam out.

 

[Buckeye1]

If the bag of pellets is real dust also probably means the pellets are starting to break down. When that happens I mix better pellets with the crumbling ones and use them up.

 

[Grumpy]

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

I did the same on the pellet hopper... Problem solved very little smoke coming out around the lid.