Kirkland pellets and unusual start up issue


 
Bradley Mack

Bradley Mack

TVWBB Super Fan
I’ll see if I can explain this in a way that makes sense.

I used the Kirkland brand pellets for my cook 2 days ago. Zero issue. Last night. I went to fire up the Smokefire, topped up the pellets and went to fire it up…

The auger turned and fed some pellets into the fire box…but they wouldn’t ignite at first. Eventually the fan just ran and nothing happened. No problem.

Powered down and emptied out the pellets, vacuumed out the firebox and inside of the grill (which was relatively clean and free of grease or ash.) I vacuumed out the auger from inside the grill and then moved to the auger from the pellet hopper. I noticed what appeared to be a few pellets wedged in the auger at the very back. I ended up using a flat head screw driver to break it up and vacuum it out. Fill the hopper back up, fire up the grill and off I go.

Today, I go to start the smokefire and the same thing happens. I take out the firebox cover and notice pellets bunched up in the auger, and the firebox had pellets as well. Repeat all the steps from above and notice pellets wedged in the exact same spot. Vacuum and break up the pellets, etc.

(I should mention at no time did I ever receive an error code.)

This time I threw in some Jealous Devil pellets after she was cleaned out and she started without a hitch. I know the JD’s are also more uniform in size and smaller in diameter.

I‘ve read of other Smokefire users using the Kirkland pellets with great success. Not to mention, when the grill fires up, these pellets work fine. It only seems to be an issue after a cook / next use start up.

@Lew Newby what am I missing?
 
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I do not have SF but if this was to happen again I would document this with photos and along with photos of you clearing the issue, then contact Weber CS and discuss this problem, as they may not be aware or have already pursued a fit. Give them you full story and photos.
I hope it is something simple. You have to wonder if the other pellet grills have these kind of problems?
 
I don't think you're missing anything. My EX6 has eaten every brand I've fed it but I have switched to Cabela's because they're the same size as Weber pellets. I think the switch might reduce my chances of having a pellet related problem. It's probably a very small percentage improvement but - why not? We, each, have to figure out what brands of pellets are most reliable in our grills because all Smokefires are not the same. My theory on this (not fact) is that Weber uses a center post auger whereas my Camp Chef had an open center design auger. Maybe the center post creates problems with larger pellets in some grills. I don't know. What I do know is you approached the problem in a logical way and probably won't have the problem again.
 
Ed P said:
I'm just guessing here, but could it be moisture related? I think I would be inclined to return that bag of pellets to Costco and possibly try another bag.
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It’s certainly possible. Given we have a lot of snow this season it’s also possible the snow from the privacy screen may trickle into the hopper when I fill it up too. Pellets are stored in our mud room and are off the floor.
 
Kevin L (NKY) said:
I do not have SF but if this was to happen again I would document this with photos and along with photos of you clearing the issue, then contact Weber CS and discuss this problem, as they may not be aware or have already pursued a fit. Give them you full story and photos.
I hope it is something simple. You have to wonder if the other pellet grills have these kind of problems?
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I have to admit, I meant to take a few photos for the forum here as well, but got caught up in trying to rectify the issue to get some pork shoulders going.
 
I dropped a few pellets on the ground and didn't notice them, and maybe a week later they turned to little piles of sawdust. It's hard to imagine them sticking together, although I suppose they could if the conditions are right.

 
The jealous ones are the most competitive ones.

On a serious note--and I possibly missed some detail that speaks to this--but was there any evidence that any of the pellets in the pot were introduced to heat? If not, could there be some intermittent issue where the glow plug is not functioning?
 
BFletcher said:
The jealous ones are the most competitive ones.

On a serious note--and I possibly missed some detail that speaks to this--but was there any evidence that any of the pellets in the pot were introduced to heat? If not, could there be some intermittent issue where the glow plug is not functioning?
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Certainly might be the glow plug. My first observation was that there was smoke coming from the grill. It reaches 40 degrees before it just stops. The fan continues to run. The firebox is cool to the touch and the pellets in the firebox do not appear to have ignited.

Again, no error message or codes, so I can’t say with certainty if it’s the pellets or the glow plug. It just seems odd after I clean it out (2 days in a row) it works without an issue. Previous to yesterday, short of pushing whole logs through, it worked with any type of pellet.

*EDIT:*

Sitting here monitoring the app for my cook and noticed there was a failed software update, as I was using the grill. I‘ll take care of that when this cook is over. Possible solution perhaps?
 
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There's a minimal chance that it's the glow plug. The JD pellets started fine. If pellets get damp and crumbly, or you have a lot of pellet dust in the bag, it can cause that buildup at the motor end of the auger. That's a maybe on the software update. The controller sometimes does strange things.
 
SInce it did fire-up once with Krikland I was just taking a stab wondering if the glow plug wasn't igniting intermittently, whether because of a faulty plug or something else not letting it fire.

I hope you get it sorted out soon!
 
Not had any feed issues with Kirkland in my Member's Mark grill. Though my pellets are in the large plastic containers (or sealed in their original bags) and are kept inside my garage along with the grill. I think you're seeing why I have been "cautious" and leery of moving my pellet popper to the deck
 
Like Larry I haven't had any issues with Kirkland pellets or with any other pellets. My Camp Chef seems happy with any of them.
Hope you find the cause and a solution as I know that would drive me nuts.
 
Kirkland pellets have gone up in price, now $21/40lb online. Sam's pellets are still priced the same, $15/40lb.
 
My Sam’s also has their 40lb bag for 14.99 as Ed noted. I also learned here about Academy, a store I never even noticed. (The name and outside of the store gives no hint to what is inside; Rural King on the other hand looks on the outside exactly like what you get inside🤣!) Academy has a wide selection of Bear Mountain pellets - 20lb for $9.99. That’s three bucks less than the Lowes down the road from them. They have a couple blends but also apple, mesquite and hickory single-type (although I am sure along with a base type of wood). These, and others they have, let you get a specific smoke or can be used to make your own blends.
 
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