Pellets Can pellets be left in Hopper?

[Scott_R]

I thought you're supposed to remove the pellets if you're not going to use the grill within the next X days, because the pellets absorb moisture and become unusable?

 

[JPSBBQ]

I thought you're supposed to remove the pellets if you're not going to use the grill within the next X days, because the pellets absorb moisture and become unusable?

I’d say if you weren't going to use the grill for 6 months I’d drain them maybe. I’ve never had issues. I’m sure people in The Deep South have to be slightly more diligent. Slightly

 

[CMTiger]

I’d say if you weren't going to use the grill for 6 months I’d drain them maybe. I’ve never had issues. I’m sure people in The Deep South have to be slightly more diligent. Slightly

I’m in Alabama and I’ve never drained mine. My grill stays covered when not in use, but not under a covered patio. So it gets rained on when it rains (again, with Traeger cover) and I’ve never had the first problem

 

[Murphy's Law]

A quick story about the evolution of a Traeger owner...

When I first got my Traeger I would clean the grill after every cook, empty the hopper, and even purge the auger.

Fast forward and I am not even sure what pellets are in the hopper now. I think hickory. I'll run it until those are gone and just dump something else in there and keep on cooking!

 

[JPSBBQ]

A quick story about the evolution of a Traeger owner...

When I first got my Traeger I would clean the grill after every cook, empty the hopper, and even purge the auger.

Fast forward and I am not even sure what pellets are in the hopper now. I think hickory. I'll run it until those are gone and just dump something else in there and keep on cooking!

Yep. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

 

[BobbyQ]

I went through a stretch from New Year’s Day to Memorial Day (not by choice) with no cooks and pellets in the hopper. The Traeger was out in the open with only the cover. We had some rain and usual morning dew. No issues at all when I fired it up.

 

[Big Man Dan]

A quick story about the evolution of a Traeger owner...

When I first got my Traeger I would clean the grill after every cook, empty the hopper, and even purge the auger.

Fast forward and I am not even sure what pellets are in the hopper now. I think hickory. I'll run it until those are gone and just dump something else in there and keep on cooking!

LOL! I'm on the same trajectory. I used to get so worked up about what to do and how to do it (pellets included) and now I just cook. I made the best pork butt I've ever cooked last weekend and put the least amount of thought into and the bulk of the pellets have spent at least two months in the hopper. It's easy to overthink this stuff, especially when the Traeger instructions have so many steps. When I stopped doing all of that and just smoked the meat, my results sky rocketed.

 

[RayClem]

I think it all depends upon your environmental conditions.

I live near Chicago. Although we have gotten quite a bit of rain lately, when the sun shines, the grill temp gets up to 140-150 degrees in the sun. I cover my grill if I do not plan to use it in a few days. Under those conditions, I have not had a problem leaving pellets in the grill.

Once fall arrives, cooler temperatures become common, and cooks become less frequent, I will probably clear the hopper after each cook. In winter, the humidity levels are so low that it probably would not hurt to leave pellets in the grill.

If I lived in the deep south, I would probably clear the hopper after every cook.

If you live in NM, AZ, NV, UT, or CO, humidity levels are normally so low that you might never have to worry about your pellets getting damp.

 

[tomhooper]

Only through the firepot.

 

[B-Grilla-Watts]

A lot of you attest to being under a covered patio. I have hesitated to use mine under a structure for fear of a fire hazard. I know we are using at low heats but is there virtually no risk to this?

 

[RayClem]

A lot of you attest to being under a covered patio. I have hesitated to use mine under a structure for fear of a fire hazard. I know we are using at low heats but is there virtually no risk to this?

Nothing in life comes without risk. However, by taking precautions, you can minimize the risks. Traeger recommends that the grill be kept a minimum of 20 inches from any structure. I would be more concerned with a cloth patio awning than a normal roof.

You might want to keep a fire extinguisher or pressurized water hose handy, just in case, but as long as you follow procedures, there should be little cause for concern.

If you ever get a flame-out, be sure to dismantle the grill and clean out the fire pot before restarting the grill. There are a few reports of exploding grills when people try re-igniting the fire on a hot grill. Combustible gases can build up. In a confined space, if these gases are ignited, the result can be alarming.

 

[cableguynoe]

A quick story about the evolution of a Traeger owner...

When I first got my Traeger I would clean the grill after every cook, empty the hopper, and even purge the auger.

Fast forward and I am not even sure what pellets are in the hopper now. I think hickory. I'll run it until those are gone and just dump something else in there and keep on cooking!

LOL Yep same here. I can have 2 different pellets in there at any given time.
Pellet fusion