Continued Bridging with Ex6

[LightlySmoked]

I bought my Smokefire in July. I love the simplicity, and the flavor. It produces great meat.

However, since purchasing I have had continuous issues with pellet bridging causing flameouts. If I want to cook something I pretty much have to stand there and stir the pellets by hand every 5 to 10 minutes to keep them from bridging. That pretty much limits me to cooking burgers or chicken thighs because I won't stand there that long for a brisket

Weber (very quickly) sent me a new auger and chute but it didn't help. The only the the chute seems to have done is make it more difficult to fill the hopper without spilling, and reduce pellet capacity.

I don't see a lot of recent posts on the topic, if this still happening for others? Has anyone solved this on their own?

I replaced my Louisiana with this, and I never had bridging issues, and I don't with my Cookshack that I use for more commercial applications.

Thanks.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Remove the wire guard if you have not done so. The wire guard is 95+% of all issues imo. Use Weber pellets. I can easily do long low and slow cooks without issue.

 

[LightlySmoked]

Remove the wire guard if you have not done so. The wire guard is 95+% of all issues imo. Use Weber pellets. I can easily do long low and slow cooks without issue.

I will try that, thank you.

 

[JpsBBQ]

I will try that, thank you.

Just remove one screw at a time and bend the wire and replace the screw before removing the next one. Also be careful not to drop the screws in the auger. It’s the single best thing you can do to improve your experience. Night and day. Enjoy!

 

[LightlySmoked]

I will try that, thank you.

Took it out and ask bringing it up to temp. Hopefully that does it. I'll let you know. Thanks for your responses and happy Thanksgiving!

 

[abmet]

Yes, removing the wire guard fixed any pellet bridging I had. For others you can stuff a rag into the chute in case you drop a screw.

 

[Stone]

Just remove one screw at a time and bend the wire and replace the screw before removing the next one. Also be careful not to drop the screws in the auger. It’s the single best thing you can do to improve your experience. Night and day. Enjoy!

So, one screw at a time, eh? Thanks for that, I didn't know about doing it that way.

I'll be ordering an EX 4 on Monday, and have decided to enlist my buddy Dave as Construction Boss, as opposed to an unknown entity at the store putting it together. Dave is tough and observant, he single handedly assembled his Masterbuilt 560 during ur hottest summer days (110˚-115˚), out on his uncovered cement patio. No mean feat, after which the smoker works great, although Dave wound up well done!

Now, if someone would be food enough to post a pic of the igniter w/hose clamp attached, so that we get that right on the first attempt. we'd be grateful.

 

[JpsBBQ]

So, one screw at a time, eh? Thanks for that, I didn't know about doing it that way.

I'll be ordering an EX 4 on Monday, and have decided to enlist my buddy Dave as Construction Boss, as opposed to an unknown entity at the store putting it together. Dave is tough and observant, he single handedly assembled his Masterbuilt 560 during ur hottest summer days (110˚-115˚), out on his uncovered cement patio. No mean feat, after which the smoker works great, although Dave wound up well done!

Now, if someone would be food enough to post a pic of the igniter w/hose clamp attached, so that we get that right on the first attempt. we'd be grateful.

Yeah, those screws Serve dual purposes. They hold the wire guard and more importantly they hold the chute assembly. They must be reinstalled as you go along. Enjoy the ride! It’s an awesome cooker.

 

[NoCoEX6]

I haven’t had a problem with any pellet brands after installing the welded auger tube and removing the finger guard I’ve used Weber, Lumberjack, B&B, and Bear Mountain without issue.

 

[LightlySmoked]

Ok so circling back around on this.... After removing the guard (not sure what it is protecting anyway) emerging seems to be working great after two test burns. I will try a longer overnight burn tonight and hopefully can put this to bed. Thanks everyone for your help, I was close to letting this roll down the hill!

 

[AHoneyman]

I haven’t had a problem with any pellet brands after installing the welded auger tube and removing the finger guard I’ve used Weber, Lumberjack, B&B, and Bear Mountain without issue.

I have played all of the pellet games prior to the software updates. While I can run all pellets, the smaller diameter pellets (Weber, Cabelas, and Lumber Jack) seem to flow better. The thinner ends just snake through the pile better.

 

[TexB]

When I first got my grill I removed the wire guard as suggested, but I didn't see the part about putting the screws back, and they hold the auger chute to the hopper. I left the screws out for the first several cooks. Finally I realized my auger was shifting left and right from the torque of the motor spin up, causing some pellets to fall in the cook area where they shouldn't.

Anyways, yeah make sure you put the screws back because it stabilizes the auger, and probably keeps pellets from falling out of the hopper. Also, I've never run mine with the wire guard, and never had any issues ever with pellet bridging.

 

[AHoneyman]

In addition, all of the screws should not be removed at the same time....