Feed tube keeps plugging

[Bobcat]

My feed tube keeps plugging with swelled up pellets that I believe are from rain and humidity. I have a cover on the grill but it has been rained on as well. This has happened before numerous times and is getting to the point of over 65% of the start attempts. I would to not have to empty the pellet bin and take everything apart for each start. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have considered cleaning each bag of pellets out to get rid of all the extra saw dust and small chips that seem to be most of the problem.
If this has been discussed on a previous thread please let me know which one so I can go to that one, a search didn't find anythinng.

 

[Manannan]

As you infer the pellets act almost as a desiccant and absorb moisture easily, in my experience high humidity can cause more problems than high rainfall although I have never had an issue when using the Traeger. A similar thing has happened with the wooden pucks on my Bradley smoker and I now keep all opened bags / packs in watertight dog food containers in the garage and separate to the grill / smoker.

My Traeger is kept under a gazebo and under a Traeger cover but unless there is very little rain forecast and in particular the humidity is low I take excess pellets out of the hopper every time. Same with the Bradley, it sits in its own smoke shed and is well protected but I always remove any left over pucks.

I also shuck the Traeger pellets before use to remove fragments and dust, it is amazing just how much debris can come out of a single bag!

 

[Slimpicker]

If you didn't seal around your lid, that helps... I also sealed around my hopper lid.
My 575 is on my back covered porch, but still gets wet in a driving rain when I don't put my cover on.
I have never had a problem with pellets.

 

[Bobcat]

Slimpicker, thanks how did you seal around the lid? What did you use for that?