My pit boss just exploded on video!
- Thread starter Shadowdog500
- Start date
SlowmotionQue
Full Fledged Farker
Good question.
BuffettFan
is Blowin Smoke!
After seeing this as well as several other pellet grills act this way, I've decided I don't need one!
The big attraction was the unattended smoking for ling and overnight cooks.
Not sure I'd trust one of any make.
The big attraction was the unattended smoking for ling and overnight cooks.
Not sure I'd trust one of any make.
Shadowdog500
is One Chatty Farker
I’ll try cleaning everything out next weekend and will report what I find. The chute is empty because I drained the pellets right after shutting it down for fear of a fire backing up through the auger.
By the way, the Kailua pork was a hit. It was incredibly easy to make, and finishing it off in the oven was easy. We plan on making this again. Chris
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Hoss
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Pellet poopers,:tsk:. That's all.....:twitch:.. Glad it wasn't worse.
guero_gordo
is one Smokin' Farker
It's those damned graphite tips on the control rods....
Shadowdog500
is One Chatty Farker
I rolled the pit boss into my shop last night and started to clean and inspect.
The pot had about a half inch of ash in it.
The ash around the bottom of the pit seemed normal.
There was a slight peppering of about a couple dozen pellets or so scattered around the rim of the pot (possibly from the flash)
The pellets in the auger tube were completely charred inside about 4” up the auger tube and the top of the auger tube housing had burnt paint and discoloration that far back as well.
The auger was not jammed and I cleared the pellets by running it in smoke mode and sucking the pellets out with a shop vac as they dropped into the pot.
All of the systems seem to be working fine. Not sure why this happened a couple hours into the cook. Im going to switch back to the pit boss pellets, which are bigger in diameter and seem to be less dense than the lumberjack pellets, and will give it a try again. But I will never trust the smoker to run while sleeping.
Chris
The pot had about a half inch of ash in it.
The ash around the bottom of the pit seemed normal.
There was a slight peppering of about a couple dozen pellets or so scattered around the rim of the pot (possibly from the flash)
The pellets in the auger tube were completely charred inside about 4” up the auger tube and the top of the auger tube housing had burnt paint and discoloration that far back as well.
The auger was not jammed and I cleared the pellets by running it in smoke mode and sucking the pellets out with a shop vac as they dropped into the pot.
All of the systems seem to be working fine. Not sure why this happened a couple hours into the cook. Im going to switch back to the pit boss pellets, which are bigger in diameter and seem to be less dense than the lumberjack pellets, and will give it a try again. But I will never trust the smoker to run while sleeping.
Chris
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Shadowdog500
is One Chatty Farker
RCAlan
Full Fledged Farker
I mostly use Lumberjack Pellets because they are made of 100% of the flavored wood and they produce the best smoke profile of any pellets I have tried... That being said, when my grill suffered its flame out last year, I was using Lumberjack pellets as well. A few things to consider is 1. like You posted is switching back to PB Pellets. They are not that bad and You can find them at any Walmart Store. 2. If You do decide to stick with the Lumberjack pellets and they are very good, is to go through the bag and break in half any extremely long pellets and also check for excessive sawdust... 3. You might want to consider changing your grills Auger Motor to a Heavy Duty 30Watt – 2RPM Auger Motor. They’re only about $40-45.00 dollars and they have the torque to turn and push the pellets through the Auger Tube without having the pellets getting hung up by a weaker Auger motor that’s used in the PB Pellet Grills. 4. There are many grill thermometers on the market that have alarms that You can program and apps that you can add to your Smartphone. If You have to leave your grill for any extended amount of time or you have to grab that nap, it will warn you of any flame outs or wild temp swings. Good Luck.
Shadowdog500
is One Chatty Farker
Do you have a link to that 30w motor? I may give it a try. Last night was the first time I looked up under the hopper and was surprised at how small the auger motor was. I was also thinking of getting a pid controller to help reduce the temp swings. Thanks
travismagee
Knows what a fatty is.
wife - "Hey hun, did you hear a gunshot?"
husband - "That was just another pellet smoker explosion. Go back to sleep my dear."
lol
husband - "That was just another pellet smoker explosion. Go back to sleep my dear."
lol
thunter
is Blowin Smoke!
OMG!! I’m glad no one got hurt! [emoji1488][emoji33]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
RCAlan
Full Fledged Farker
Porcine Aviator
Full Fledged Farker
This phenomenon is essentially the same as a " flash-over" that occurs in building structural fires— usually with tragic results. The trapped gases generated by the smoldering fuel eventually reach ignition temperature within the enclosure with explosive results.
Note to manufacturers:
Never, never, never introduce any product that can cause bodily injury or property damage in normal working conditions. This is a design flaw, and a very dangerous one at that. A redundant fail safe system is required to prevent such an event. A manufacturer cannot rely on the consumer to assume responsibility for safety failures that are inherent in the design of the product. You can see that that the possibility exists whereby a user could start this device, leave their house for a couple hours, and return to a raging inferno. What if a child was standing in front of the unit (as curious as they are) when the flash-over took place? There are sensors that can be designed into the unit to prevent such a catastrophe and should included in every unit. It is hard for me to believe that this unit has a UL listing (or other pertinent required labeling), and if it does not, it is illegal to sell in many states.
Note to manufacturers:
Never, never, never introduce any product that can cause bodily injury or property damage in normal working conditions. This is a design flaw, and a very dangerous one at that. A redundant fail safe system is required to prevent such an event. A manufacturer cannot rely on the consumer to assume responsibility for safety failures that are inherent in the design of the product. You can see that that the possibility exists whereby a user could start this device, leave their house for a couple hours, and return to a raging inferno. What if a child was standing in front of the unit (as curious as they are) when the flash-over took place? There are sensors that can be designed into the unit to prevent such a catastrophe and should included in every unit. It is hard for me to believe that this unit has a UL listing (or other pertinent required labeling), and if it does not, it is illegal to sell in many states.
SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
Porcine Aviator - it’s Relatively Common - some brands more than others......
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259047&page=17
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259047&page=17
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SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
I don't have a dog in this hunt as I do not own a pellet grill but I'm a retired HVAC guy and do know combustion principles.
Taking a step back from all the explosions and vids talking about what's happening, I have to question the condition of the fuel used. The OP states his location as On The Shore. My theory is that humidity could be the culprit slowing the combustion of pellets just as it does with charcoal or wood. Not wet but here in Louisiana once I open a bag of KBB, I keep it indoors. This coupled with the ignition process PG's use could keep them from igniting until flashpoint is reached.
Just my .02 and be safe.
Taking a step back from all the explosions and vids talking about what's happening, I have to question the condition of the fuel used. The OP states his location as On The Shore. My theory is that humidity could be the culprit slowing the combustion of pellets just as it does with charcoal or wood. Not wet but here in Louisiana once I open a bag of KBB, I keep it indoors. This coupled with the ignition process PG's use could keep them from igniting until flashpoint is reached.
Just my .02 and be safe.
luv2smoke
Take a breath!
That's good to know that this is a relatively common problem. It sure puts my mind at ease in regards to the arbitrary explosions these pellet cookers are having. If guess if most of them do it I'm good to go and nothing to worry about?:biggrin1:
SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
Exactly. Smoke On. In a Non-Flammable environment.............
