Slicking up the hopper

[GriLLMaRksRseXy]

Hey Guys......If we have to go the Vibrator route,...........Our SmokeFire's are all 12V systems. It could EASILY be hardwired into the grill at several different places from what I saw as I assembled mine tonight. If my mods do not work then something very similar to this approach will be my next step and I will post a how to. In the meantime if someone wants me to go ahead and mock up a wiring diagram for them just ask.

 

[woodsum]

Hey Guys......If we have to go the Vibrator route,...........Our SmokeFire's are all 12V systems. It could EASILY be hardwired into the grill at several different places from what I saw as I assembled mine tonight. If my mods do not work then something very similar to this approach will be my next step and I will post a how to. In the meantime if someone wants me to go ahead and mock up a wiring diagram for them just ask.

If it's all 12VDC system could we not just connect the vibrator motors in parallel to the fan motor so they run at the same time?

 

[GriLLMaRksRseXy]

If it's all 12VDC system could we not just connect the vibrator motors in parallel to the fan motor so they run at the same time?

Um....Yeah....NO?...... Yes you can do it like that BUT....(And I haven't used or tested mine yet so I may be totally wrong) since it is a 12v DC system by design If I were building it then I would just control my fan speed directly from the controller. IF they did that then you will have variable voltage on those terminals because the fan speed will DEFINITELY be altered constantly by the PID during startup and cooking.

 

[woodsum]

Um....Yeah....NO?...... Yes you can do it like that BUT....(And I haven't used or tested mine yet so I may be totally wrong) since it is a 12v DC system by design If I were building it then I would just control my fan speed directly from the controller. IF they did that then you will have variable voltage on those terminals because the fan speed will DEFINITELY be altered constantly by the PID during startup and cooking.

You're probably right, I didn't think about the variable speed of the fan.

 

[FredSC]

Hey Guys......If we have to go the Vibrator route,...........Our SmokeFire's are all 12V systems. It could EASILY be hardwired into the grill at several different places from what I saw as I assembled mine tonight. If my mods do not work then something very similar to this approach will be my next step and I will post a how to. In the meantime if someone wants me to go ahead and mock up a wiring diagram for them just ask.

I'm sure that would be helpful!

 

[GriLLMaRksRseXy]

I'm sure that would be helpful!

No Problem. I will map it out and post as soon as the rain stops and I can do my first burn on it.

 

[Karen R.]

How did you make out with removing the wire guard?

I didn't remove it. After all the videos about grease fires, I decided this grill is unsafe. I called Weber about returning it. It will be picked up on Monday and returned to Weber.

 

[Karen R.]

Karen, Thanks for the info. While on the cook temp of 600 degrees, how much did the temp drop before you stirred the pellets? I only ask because PID controllers will cycle some between a higher and lower temp than what is set as the cook temp for some short time periods. Though at 600 degrees I highly doubt that was an issue. I have just seen several posts that said during a long cook the temperature dropped so they stirred the pellets and temp went back up. There are too many variables doing this and it could have been the normal cycle of the PID or the fact that opening the pellet hopper and stirring the pellets created a chimney effect through the auger chute and up the pellet hopper opening, etc..

I noticed the temperature dropped to 565 degrees. I stirred up the pellets and the temp dropped to 530 before recovering. I didn't time how long it took to reach 600 again, but seemed like at least 5 -10 minutes. I did not open the grill cover during this issue. I think I caught it in time before the grill shutdown, but the auger was starved of pellets.

 

[JesusQuintana]

I have burned 60 pounds of pellets so far. I took the stupid finger guard off and put the screws back in since there is a gasket under there. I push all the pellets over the top of the hole instead of keeping them even in the shoot and they drop fine. Not one issue.

 

[topkatt4518]

Evening All... I added the UHMW tape to the long & short run in the hopper. Spread out some pellets and started a burn at 400F. 15 min later the the short side was feeding the chute and the long side was just sitting there. Give the hopper a tap and the pellets slide down. So I am really starting to think the only solution besides a "vibrating egg" is a steeper slopped adapter that fits in the hopper. I am going to let Weber figure out the issue, I have better things to do with my time. My cooker starts and runs great for hours, except for the temp diff side to side which I can work around. If they would fix my WiFi and hopper I will be a happy camper.

 

[DanaM]

Evening All... I added the UHMW tape to the long & short run in the hopper. Spread out some pellets and started a burn at 400F. 15 min later the the short side was feeding the chute and the long side was just sitting there. Give the hopper a tap and the pellets slide down. So I am really starting to think the only solution besides a "vibrating egg" is a steeper slopped adapter that fits in the hopper. I am going to let Weber figure out the issue, I have better things to do with my time. My cooker starts and runs great for hours, except for the temp diff side to side which I can work around. If they would fix my WiFi and hopper I will be a happy camper.

 

[DanaM]

Sounds good. How about this? Add more tape to the walls of the long chute. It may be just the added extra slickness needed to prevent the need to. tap the side of the hopper to get them to slide. Just an thought.

 

[FredSC]

Non stick aluminum foil works. Need to get some double sided tape to attach it better.

Let's try this again.

 

[woodsum]

Non stick aluminum foil works. Need to get some double sided tape to attach it better.

Glad to hear. But the picture isn't working.

 

[FredSC]

Glad to hear. But the picture isn't working.

I got a new file uploaded check again when you have a moment.