Pulled the trigger, SilverBac AT

[au4stree]

Couple updates:

1). I reached out to their CS regarding lid open/closed when starting. They recommend keeping it closed and even went so far as to recommend certain pellets. That said, the app has totally spoiled me, I start/stop it from inside while prepping meals, etc.

2). Only cooks thus far were pork loin and some chicken thighs. Both came out fine, but intend to run it through its paces this weekend. Pork shoulder tomorrow for about 12 rabid teenage lacrosse players and whole chickens Sunday. I will likely treat this as my smoker first, griller second. Hard to beat taste of charcoal on hot/fast cooks.

[Jfrosty27]

I have a Recteq and they also say to start it with the lid closed. But as mentioned above by MBMorgan it seems like common sense to have it open for safety. At least for initial start up. So I always have it open at first and close it once the fire starts and the preheat process is fully underway. Then I close the lid to allow for preheat to finish.

[au4stree]

I guess I’m missing it, but what’s the safety issue? I remember mbmorgan saying that. I get a gas grill but am obviously not getting the pellet start.

[radiodome21]

Good to know. I did chicken thighs on Tuesday and it was a balmy 9 degrees out and for the first time ever I used the app to start it from my basement. I didn’t know you could do that. Lid was closed too and that’s now going to be how I do it.

[jfmorris]

I can see the sense in having the lid open for safety during startup of a gas grill, but don't see what it would gain on a pellet grill, where you are relying on a hot rod to ignite the pellets down in the burn pot. There's no danger of spontaneous combustion of gas or an explosion with a pellet rig like there is with gas buildup in a gas grill.

That whole starting the grill remotely from inside would spoil me this time of year, when I struggle these days with making myself go deal with the grill when its cold. And heck - I'm in north Alabama. My cold ain't THAT cold!

[rickgregory]

I'm also interested in the alleged safety reason for starting it lid open. One of the uses for a pellet rig in my case would be if it's raining and I want to smoke something but not futz with the charcoal, vents etc in the rain. In that case I ain't leaving the thing open....

[rickgregory]

jfmorris - that's my other consideration with a pellet rig. I don't really need one for the fair weather. I need/want something that can run when it's raining or might rain during the cook. I mean, don't NEED it - I can and have done smokes on my old weber kettle in the raid - but it'd be an advantage.

[glitchy]

People use pellet grills all the time in the rain. Most controllers are waterproof and the electronics are put under/inside the hopper assembly for protection from the elements. Rain coming in sideways might be a factor and making sure you’re not plugged into an extension cord sitting in a puddle would probably be wise. However, each manufacturer might have their own recommendations.

[rickgregory]

Whaddya mean I can't lay the cord in a puddle??

I'll likely go back and forth on this awhile. It's not something I'll get before summer since I have other things I want to do first. Mostly it's the lighting issue. Propping the lid up is a non-starter in hard rain but honestly, we mostly get light rain, sprinkles and such here.

Er, I mean, Seattle is inundated ALL THE TIME. STAY AWAY. *cough*

[glitchy]

I’ve only started pellet grills with the lid open that say to do so in the instructions AND that’s only if I read that part of the instructions. So, I’ve been starting pellet grills for a long time with the lid closed, never had a problem.

[DavidNorcross]

All very interesting. See image and item 6.

[jfmorris]

I wonder if it is so that the fire can breathe more at startup. Of course, you can only easily open the lid "slightly" on the OG. The Silverbac you would have to either have open or closed.

[MBMorgan]

Just Google something along the lines of "pellet grill explosion" and poke around through the many results you’ll get. It’s a real thing and worth taking a very simple precaution or two to prevent.

[rickgregory]

Whoa. And one more strike against pellet grills for me. Oh well. (thanks!)

[glitchy]

Just Google something along the lines of "pellet grill explosion" and poke around through the many results you’ll get. It’s a real thing and worth taking a very simple precaution or two to prevent.

Ive watched some of these before and did another search tonight after your post. Every one I’ve ever clicked on has been after a flameout. As well, most of the grills they show shots of afterwards look like they’re rarely cleaned. Many cooks worth of grease caked on the drip pan, tons of crap dangling from grates, etc. One of the ones I watched tonight was a news story and the guy said it went out and he just pushed pellets back through and fired it back up, then it ‘exploded’. When he called Traeger they rightfully told him it was most likely user error, so in denial of any personal lack of judgment in what he did he called the local news to ask them to do a story.

Flameouts can be dangerous, if you don’t know how long it’s been out, the entire bottom of the grill could be full of pellets. If you don’t clean well or place food past the drip tray, there could be grease down there too. When it reignites all of its going to catch fire quickly and burn as rapidly as the oxygen it can get will allow. Add to that most of the grills shown are Traegers, CampChefs, Pit Boss etc., it doesn’t take much to blow the lid open, They’re about as heavy as a cookie sheet.

If a pellet grill is used properly, shutdown cycles are run completely after a cook and the fire pot is emptied regularly, I don’t see how this could really ever happen at startup. There’s not enough fuel present to create a fireball situation like that. I’m definitely not saying ignore manufacturer’s directions as every pellet grill is different. Some run the fan at max until the grill is going to ensure proper airflow, others may not and having the lid open helps stoke the starting fire. Traeger’s manuals used to say lid open until you see smoke.

I rarely run my pellet grills without the Fireboard babysitting watching for temps too low or too high. to ensure this doesn’t happen. However, don’t similar risks apply to many of the outdoor cookers we use? Aren’t those risks greatly increased if not cleaned regularly or used properly? I recall jfmorris having an ‘explosion’ on his gasser not that long ago pushing out a side of the firebox. Aren’t there tips numerous places about burping kamado style grills, especially after lowering temps because the sudden rush of oxygen can shoot out a fireball at you?

[jfmorris]

Hey the gasser didn’t explode. I had a grease fire that got so hot it warped the side of the firebox at the end where I had previously grilled a ton of kalbi and chicken wings on, and not cleaned. I left it preheating on high for a while and the grease from those prior cooks, down under the grillgrate panels caught fire rather than running down to the grease trap. It got too hot with all the heat trapped under those GrillGrate panels. Lesson learned.

[jfmorris]

rickgregory I’ve cooked a ton on a kamado for the past year, and no fireballs have come out, even opening the lid when I had the thing up to 700+ degrees. Don’t fear the kamado…

I have used the gasser so infrequently I got lax about the greasy firebox. I also decided to not always leave a full replacement set of Grillgrates in there, as the heat buildup is obviously too much on high heat.

[rickgregory]

I dunno, man. It's named after a kind of DRAGON.

[WI Bubba]

I regularly start mine with the lid down, and it's never been an issue. The only serious problem I have ever had was 100% user error following a flame out.

[CandySueQ]

I will ditto this! I have had an explosion in the OG, but it was after running it with no fire for 30 minutes (pile of pellets in and out of the burn pot), then just restarting the cooker. Should have cleaned out the excess pellets! It was a loud boom.