I found a pellet smokers Achilles heel

[MeatyOakerSmoker]

One word: Rain

We had some heavy wind and rain. The wind blew the cover off and then another gust opened the hopper. Then the rain did its thing and soaked the remaining pellets. After cleaning up the mess, I was left with the result; an auger that won’t turn.

I’m getting ready to have to disassemble this entire beast to free the auger. With a stick burner or any of my other smokers, the clean up from this kind of thing is no biggie. With the pellet smoker, kill me now...

 

[Joshw]

Is that really the cookers fault? :noidea: You have to know what you have, and treat it accordingly. You are going to definitely have to clean the wet pellets out of the auger. I don't envy you.

 

[MeatyOakerSmoker]

Is that really the cookers fault? :noidea: You have to know what you have, and treat it accordingly. You are going to definitely have to clean the wet pellets out of the auger. I don't envy you.

It’s definitely a problem specific to pellet smokers so... yes

 

[pjtexas1]

I appreciate you testing this for us. Here's what i learned...
1. Use another cooker in the rain
2. Put a weight on the hopper lid

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[MeatyOakerSmoker]

I appreciate you testing this for us. Here's what i learned...
1. Use another cooker in the rain
2. Put a weight on the hopper lid

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I wasn’t cooking with it. It was sitting covered. But weight on top of the hopper is definitely something I intend to do or maybe trying to add a latch.

 

[Woody1911a1]

7 years of New England weather and thats never ever happened to me and my cooker sits uncovered year round !

 

[ewatts2003]

Bungee cords make all of the difference. I hook them to the cover on my traeger to keep it from blowing off. My GMG cover has velcro straps that keep the cover tight.

 

[MeatyOakerSmoker]

Bungee cords make all of the difference. I hook them to the cover on my traeger to keep it from blowing off. My GMG cover has velcro straps that keep the cover tight.

Bungee cords is a great idea. That’s even better than a latch! Great idea. Thanks.

 

[gtsum]

It’s never happened to me with the yoder or Memphis. Although my Memphis got caught in a hurricane uncovered and so much rain came down (10 inches), it went into the cooker and shorted out the hot rod when I plugged it in


Memphis Elite





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[Smoking Piney]

I looked at pellet cookers long and hard and was ready to pull the trigger on a Yoder, but I had reservations. No slam to the pellet cookers here, but rain exposure was one of the big reasons I backed away from buying one....not just with jammed augers.

I'm an electronics tech by trade, and (channeling Captain Marko Ramius from "Red October") - most things electronic do not react too well with water. :-D.

Even with a cover, exposure to high levels of moisture / humidity over long periods is a concern that steered me away.

 

[WilliamKY]

I'm very close to adding a pellet cooker to my collection. Fortunately I have a place to store my cookers out of the weather. Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

 

[rwalters]

In my opinion, some pellet cookers are just better engineered for the weather. I know for me, I can cook wind, rain or shine with my pellet muncher and it doesn’t seem to care one bit. Others, as I have seen posted, freak out when the weather turns nasty... [emoji2957]

 

[BKING!]

In my opinion, some pellet cookers are just better engineered for the weather. I know for me, I can cook wind, rain or shine with my pellet muncher and it doesn’t seem to care one bit. Others, as I have seen posted, freak out when the weather turns nasty... [emoji2957]

Yes my Mak does just fine in the rain. I store it in the basement when not in use and empty the hopper out afterwards if I cook with it in the rain though

 

[KevinJ]

Have a covered back patio, cook and store it with grill cover on the patio, don't gives a damn about rain, well unless it a strong tropical storm or hurricane, then it's all about the wind. :shock:

 

[LYU370]

You have discovered pelletcrete! Hard as a rock. Yes, you'll need to take it apart to get that out of there. I've heard a long screwdriver and a hammer work great. That said, I've never experienced it, even in the extra humid Chicago area summers. The FEC sits out uncovered all summer & winter. If your hopper doesn't have a latch, I'd add one of some sort. The bungee cords sound like a great idea.

 

[mowin]

I cooked for 12hrs last week in a steady rain. No roof or other cover.
I've also forgotten to cover my GMG for a week or so. I had to replace the auger motor, and I didn't reseal the hopper to the cabinet. When it was uncovered, water seeped in and cause the pellets to turn into concrete. Wasn't fun.

 

[WatchManUSA]

I don’t think my Yoder will have a problem with the wind blowing the hopper lid open. If the wind were that strong, I’m thinking there will be other things bowing around that will cause me larger problems. Things like tree branches, whole trees, lawn furniture, shingles, roofs and maybe whole houses.

 

[MeatyOakerSmoker]

Pelletcrete is an apt name. I just fixed it today. Took me nearly 4 hrs to figure out a way through it. In the end it was a hammer and crowbar that did the trick. Not for the faint of heart. It’s really put a bitter taste in my mouth for pellet smokers. I get that those who spent $2k on Maks don’t have this problem but it seems to be commonly known otherwise. I did however now order the custom cover ($60) and added a bungee cord (~$2) over the hopper lid as my latest accessories.

 

[jermoQ]

I am sorry you had to endure that! Hopefully, that wont happen to mine since it sits uncovered, out in the open! It is raining right now, so I know I will have to empty the water out of the grease bucket before I grill tomorrow. Maybe that cover will help you out along with a bungee?

 

[TravelingJ]

My el cheapo Pit Boss sits outside in the rain quite regularly. I do have a cover for it, but there are plenty of times it isn't on there. Today I was using the smoker, and the rain started. By time I turned off the cooker, the rain was picking up. I didn't want to cover an already wet smoker...so it's just sitting there in the rain.

I've been through this several times, and never had an issue. Sorry to hear about your luck. Luckily, I keep the crowbars near the hammers in the tool box..