Bullseye Can you overload the pellet hopper?

[Curtspivey]

New owner here. I filled the pellet hopper to the top before I ran it for the first time. When I started it the auger would run for a couple seconds then stop. The auger wouldn't start again unless I turned it off. I dumped out most of the pellets and Eventually, the auger started to turn without me turning the grill on and off. I'm using "Bear Mountain" pellets and I hear they are pretty decent pellets. So, I don't think that's the problem. Occasionally, the temp will go down and I can't get it to get back up to temp unless I put it in "riot" mode. It's happens when I'm running it at lower temperatures. It doesn't seem to happen at higher temperatures.

 

[Mike]

@Curtspivey sounds like it may have just got jammed up. But no matter if you put 1 pound or 5 pounds of pellets in the hopper, it should handle it just fine.

 

[Curtspivey]

@Curtspivey sounds like it may have just got jammed up. But no matter if you put 1 pound or 5 pounds of pellets in the hopper, it should handle it just fine.

Thanks for the reply. I'll fill it all the way up the next time I need a full hopper. I was only filling it to the grate.

 

[Dean]

Mine, the pellets sometimes gets stuck and leave an "OPEN" space at the intake for the auger...I have a 3/8 inch rod I just stick down in the pellets and move around so 2 free up the void... Works great, Just now I do it out of causation each cook,needed or not....