Smoker grill pellet conversion help needed

[bc]

Hello guys. I've converted my 3 burner gas grill into an electric smoker grill by putting an electric hot plate under the left side burner. It will heat a smoker box and maintain about 170 degrees.

Now I want to add a pellet burner to one side or the other. Need some engineering help here. A traeger grill basically has a thermostatically controlled auger that turns and drops pellets into the burner. So I need a thermostat and a small motor to do this hopefully with stuff I have laying around or would be cheap to buy. I can make a bin and tube with tin and maybe the auger too. Just took out a bad water heater that has a gas thermostat if that could be converted.

Thanks. Got some ribs on the grill now, just need a way to use pellets and/or drop in wood chips.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

The magic number on smoking meat seems to be around 225F from our experience and that of others. Ours is an electrically
heated smoker bought from Walmart. Cost about $190. We love it. The box is insulated to keep the heat in and pretty
sealed, other than the adjustable vent. Your old grill may be leaking all that heat out.

Wondering if you're putting a lot of time & effort into something that could be better done with a store-bought unit?

 

[Gary Reif]

I know the store bought ones are expensive but I agree with Pete, even the store bought ones can have issues
with over heating if things aren't working just right. So if all the systems aren't synchronized on a home
built one things can go wrong.
Just my thoughts.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

I understand and respect the wish to tinker, but honestly think you would be better off buying one like you want.

 

[cjunrau]

If you already have the control for temp electric I would just use a smoke tube.

I bought one on amazon for 20 bucks. I light the pellets as instructed and then put the
smoke tub in the bottom of my BBQ. I use 1 of 4 burners to cook brisket, loin, and roasts.
tube smokes for about 2 hours. I fill up and do another 2. what I had to do is close the
back long crack on the BBQ to keep the smoke and heat in. I am thinking if you add a smoke
tube it will be enough extra heat that your electric you have will keep it at 220 degrees.
you can also plug up a few other holes on a BBQ and you will be amazed at how much less
heat gets out. I do mine in a building so the wind doesn't blow the heat out. I think you
gave me a great Idea and I will add a electric controlled element and leave my burners in
for doing burgers. That way I have a BBQ and a traeger all in one.

 

[4play]

I can't offer a lot of help but have a little understanding of the basics of a pellet grill. I have a green mountain pellet grill and it works great. The fire box has a glow plug for igniting and a blower fan for fire control with a temp sensor at grill level, there are heat shrouds around the fire box and also drip tray. The fan modulates airflow to the fire box and the shrouds and drip tray both seem to function to disperse the heat evenly. The fan & auger speed varies but it always feed pellets so the firebox will maintain fire Of course at higher temps, the blower fan and auger are more constant but lower temps it's slower or more intermittant.

Pellet grills don't billow smoke but they can add plenty of flavor, and definitely can make smoke rings and most can sear steak etc. Pellets of all wood types and flavors can be found just about anywhere. Their biggest benefit is easily maintaining constant temperatures. I use mine as you would use an oven, or and baking, grilling, smoking etc. Cookies, bread, pizza, pies, cobbler, veggies, sides, or any form of meat cooking. I love my pellet grill, good luck building one.

 

[4play]

There is also a fan that keeps a positive pressure in the pellet hopper, and auger tube. This helps or prevents the fire from creeping back through the auger tube and into the pellet hopper.

 

[cjunrau]

I have never seen a pellet smoker for under $500 here in Manitoba. At $200 I probably would buy one but even the $500 one has poor reviews and a few people who have bought them have had the controls malfunction within 2 years and found it very expensive to replace parts.

 

[Buggyboy]

Great subject,, and my favorite pastimes,,, I have a big Smoke Hollow I won at a BBQ cookoff and I love it! Heat control is many wonderfuls. It has the offset firebox, 30 cooking chamber, and a 30 gas grill, The onlyist thing I had to do is build a 1/4 distribution plate with staggered slots for the smoke from fire box to smoke chamber. It now works many wonderfuls!!!!
As every smoker person knows,,the secret to a good smoker is temperature control and that aint gonna happen unless you got a tight firebox that only allows incoming air thru the air inlet. If it leaks air elsewhere, youre gonna have troubles trying to control your meat cooking. I looked at one of the Big Green Egg once,,, they are NICE,, refractory on the outside and Tight seal on top cap well made,,,, but I didnt think the wife would let me in the house once she seen what they wanted for that thing,,,,,,,,lol