# Help!  I may have ruined my smoker



## pbibler (Sep 28, 2015)

I have a Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3.  Works great, I've smoked lots of things, all with very good results. I left my smoker uncovered, and it rained.  The pellets dissolved and dried, and it's like cement around the auger.  It is frozen in place, and the only solution I can think of is to dismantle it, which means I probably don't get it back together.  I've cleaned out everything I can reach, but there's probably 4-5 inches of auger I can't get to.  I've tried shooting water in there, but it only got a little out.  Any ideas?  Serves me right, but a smoker is a terrible thing to waste.  Thanks for any ideas you might have.


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## crankybuzzard (Sep 28, 2015)

You'll need to saturate the pellets IMO.  

Water, water, water.   At some point, they'll turn to mush and dissolve.


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## floridasteve (Sep 28, 2015)

Makes sense to me.


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## crankybuzzard (Sep 28, 2015)

Just thought of something else, are the electronics ok?


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## pbibler (Sep 28, 2015)

Steve and Buzzard, thanks for replying.  I guess you're right, just keeping it saturated until it dissolves is the best idea.  I believe the electronics are ok, it is definitely trying to turn the auger.  But the auger is so frozen, it sheared the bolt holding the motor to the auger right in two.  I'll just protect the electronics with plastic as best I can, and try to let the water do its work.

I should say also, I am very happy with this smoker.  I've done lots of ribs, wings, and pork butt.  Also whole spatchcocked chicken, salmon, and homemade bacon.  If I weren't happy with the smoker, I'd just put it out for the scrapper and get another one, instead of trying to save this one.  YMMV, but this one has worked great for me.  Of course, I worked for Sears, and got a floor model for half price.  Hard to beat for $260!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Thanks,

Paul













bacon1.jpeg



__ pbibler
__ Sep 28, 2015
__ 1


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## daveomak (Sep 28, 2015)

The sheared bolt is a safety device...  protects stuff from breaking...   get it cleaned out and get a new shear pin...
The auger on my pellet stove has a slip clutch...  it will reset once the blockage is cleared...


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## foamheart (Sep 29, 2015)

Have you tried a deep bristle brush like they sell to wash the stuffer tubes with?

Like these sorta, http://www.capitalcityrestaurantsupply.com/prodDetail.cfm/2553249

Mine are about 2 ft long. Don't know what you need but might help also clean after ya get the rocks out


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## muralboy (Sep 29, 2015)

if you do start to dismantle, just take lots of photos along the way.  If you're like me, that's the only way I remember how it goes back together.


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## westby (Sep 29, 2015)

Once you get it cleared out and back together, there is still a question that needs to be answered.  Why did they get wet?  Is the hopper not sealed well?  My grill and most other pellet grills I've seen have well covered/sealed hoppers and can handle getting rained on.  You should try to figure out the root cause or it is bound to happen again.  Good luck.


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## pbibler (Sep 29, 2015)

Westby, great call.  I got this as a floor model, already assembled, so I should look at that.  I'm sure there will be another time when I have a few, get tired and go to bed, and it rains again.


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## foamheart (Sep 29, 2015)

Just learn approx. how many pellets it uses and hour, and just a little extra and always ways let it burn itself out before putting it away? Find a can about the right size and use it to load the hopper.


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## muralboy (Sep 29, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> Just learn approx. how many pellets it uses and hour, and just a little extra and always ways let it burn itself out before putting it away? Find a can about the right size and use it to load the hopper.


Sometimes its the simplest ideas that fly right by me...I've been filling my hopper to the top (just because) and always thought what a pain it would be to switch out pellets.  Certainly would minimize the collateral damage if something was to go wrong.

 thanks for this tip Kevin


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## foamheart (Sep 29, 2015)




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## pbibler (Sep 29, 2015)

Foamheart, I've thought about that, but it seems like a pain reloading every time.  Or it used to.  I figured I would just go with the same pellets every time.  Now I may have to rethink that.  Also, it was silly in retrospect, but I didn't think about pellets dissolving, I kind of thought if they did get wet, they'd just dry out like regular wood. Duh....


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## foamheart (Sep 30, 2015)

Even the humidity where I live causes the pellets to swell and start coming apart. Its why I never complain too loudly about keeping the pellets lite.


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## phrett (Oct 6, 2015)

The Buckethead vac from Home Depot works great for emptying the hopper and the pellet end up in a nice 5 gal bucket.


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