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Traeger grill feeding too many pellets
The beauty of a Traeger grill is how it helps take care of managing the fire for you so you can focus on the meat. However, sometimes problems occur and the Traeger feeds too many pellets into the fire-pot.
Whether the fire has died out, damp pellets are sticking together, or the grill was not started or shut down properly, the potential for a catastrophic fire is there.
You should never see flames inside your Traeger grill during normal operations. Proper maintenance and a watchful eye on your pellets will go a long way to helping prevent pellet feeding problems.
Why is my Traeger feeding too many pellets?
The main culprit with Traeger grills feeding too many pellets into the fire-pot is that the flame in the fire pot went out or is burning too low. The auger will continue to feed pellets as normal as it tries to compensate. The flame can be affected if the grill did not shut down or start up properly.
Another possible reason is that you are having pellet quality problems.
Poor quality pellets can produce more dust that can cause the flame to go out. Damp pellets can also cause the flame to die down, so make sure you are storing your pellets correctly in an airtight container once you open a bag.
If you are going to go longer than a week between using your Traeger, emptying the hopper and storing any unused pellets in an airtight container can prevent moisture problems with your pellets.
What happens when too many pellets are being fed in a Traeger?
If too many pellets are fed into the fire-pot of a Traeger grill, there is the possibility of a grill fire. Whenever you have too much of a fuel source around a flame such as the one in the fire pot, there is the potential for a catastrophic fire.
While most may associate grill fires with grease, too many wood pellets being fed can cause the same result.
Should I be seeing flames in my Traeger?
No, you should not be seeing actual flame in your Traeger grill because of the drip tray and heat baffle. While the hot rod does create a fire in the fire-pot, you should not see flames because the fire pot is not visible during normal usage.
If you do see flames, you have either a grease fire or an issue with too many pellets being fed into the fire pot.
Pellet fires can also be caused by an overflowing fire pot that occurred from a shutdown. If your grill shuts down, you should take the time to make sure the fire pot is cleared of pellets and ash before you start cooking again.
How to stop my Traeger from feeding too many pellets?
Make sure you are keeping the fire pot cleaned out if the grill shuts down by itself, following the manual on how to properly start your grill, and use quality pellets. Problems with too many pellets ending up in the fire pot can usually be traced back to issues either with the fire pot itself or the pellets.
If the fire pot is dirty, the flame can be choked out, causing the grill to compensate and feed more pellets.
Damp pellets can also cause too many pellets to end up in the fire pot because they stick together. Then after they smolder for a while, they can burst into flame and cause a grill fire.
Final Thoughts
While a Traeger grill does take a lot of the guesswork out of managing a fire for barbecue, there are still concerns that can trip up smoking meat. You should always follow the proper procedures for starting your grill and shutting it down.
You should keep up with proper maintenance especially around the fire pot. While you might be able to find what appears to be a good deal on a generic brand of wood pellets, you have to be on your guard when it comes to the quality of the pellets you put into your grill.
Proper storage of open bags of pellets as well as any unused pellets when there is a long gap between cooks is also an important part of keeping your Traeger running smoothly.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.