Proper way to re-ignite? Also grease trap issues?

[janetmojo]

Continuing my adventures with my used Timberline 1300 I bought...

So last night I ran out of pellets mid smoke, well actually I didn't technically run out but they weren't feeding down into the hole and were kind of stuck to the sides of the hopper. I had actually already pulled my ribs to just add sauce and put back on for a few minutes. I put more pellets in but the temp didn't go up after a bit so in my mind (and again I'm still a little new to this) if it was out of pellets then the "flame" went out and it needed to be re-ignited? Well it wouldn't let me just push the ignite button and to do a full shut down and restart would take too long so I just shut it off with the button on the back and then turned it back on and re-ignited it. But then it caught on fire (I'm assuming, there was a LOT LOT of smoke.) So...obviously this wasn't proper technique. What would have been the correct thing to do? (Note they were brand new pellets just put into the hopper yesterday)

Also, my grease trap is like permanently clogged. It's been like that since I bought it, the former owner just didn't take very good care of it. I have just been using a pan under my food to catch any grease but in the long run I'd like to have it be operational. I put some water in it yesterday before I lit the smoker, kind of hoping warmed up water might help unclog the drain line? Thoughts?

 

[RayClem]

If the flame ever goes out for any reason, use caution when relighting. There are several YouTube videos of grills exploding due to buildup of hot gases in the chamber. Always reignite the grill with the lid open so pressure cannot build up in the grill. As a precaution, I always ignite my grill with the lid open. I wait until the thick white smoke becomes thin blue smoke and then close the lid. It might take a little longer to bring the grill up to temperature, but I feel it is safer doing it that way.

I do not have a Timberline, so I do not know how the grease trap is configured. If the grill was poorly maintained by the previous owner, it is also possible that the smoke vents on the back might also be partially plugged. A buildup of grease is not good as it can lead to a grease fire that can damage the grill and potentially start a fire at your home.

 

[RustyJake]

To add to what was said about using caution above, you would also check the firepot. If the grill is still hot, you will need to wear heat protection for your hands. Always use extreme caution when working on a warm or hot grill.
You're going to want to ensure that the firepot isn't overfilled with ash or un-burned pellets. If it is, you'll want to deal with that first. Restarting with it full of pellets can lead to more issues after it restarts.