# Hopper size on pellet grills?



## Wes427 (Nov 6, 2016)

I'm thinking about ditching my Masterbuilt and getting this Pit Boss. https://www.amazon.com/Pit-Boss-71700FB-Pellet-Broiler/dp/B01GFX0104 
Will an 18lb. hopper allow me to put on a brisket at midnight and sleep till 8am without having to refill the hopper?


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

It will on a RecTec. I've never seen how a Pit Boss is constructed. Thicker material will yield longer pellet smoke times. That is why I shied away from the Traeger... plus the RecTec uses a better algorythm program for maitaining constant temps. I think the hopper on mine holds just under 35#'s though.


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## Tuff (Nov 29, 2011)

I've got a cheap Camp Chef. It holds 15-18 pounds of pellets. I cook almost exclusively at 220 (Heavy Smoke setting). The burn rate is about 1/2 pound per hour. I'm not always good at math - but I think that comes out to 30 or so hours before refilling. I have cooked some days from 5 am to midnight (I'm not really cooking the whole time-but the smoker was going the entire time). I have yet to "EMERGENCY FILL" the pellet hopper. I usually make sure it is full before I start and even 20 hr cooks don't require a refill. The best thing I like is I prep the meat, turn the smoker on, put the meat in, remove meat after required time (or reaches desired temp)-in between, I can do whatever I want.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Man, I want to want one of these pellet grills so bad, just can't give up the amount of flavor that my old stick burners give. I guess somebody just needs to invite me to eat and try it out off of a pellet grill!!!!! LOL


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

Wes427 said:


> I'm thinking about ditching my Masterbuilt and getting this Pit Boss. http://www.amazon.com/Pit-Boss-71700FB-Pellet-Broiler/dp/B01GFX0104
> Will an 18lb. hopper allow me to put on a brisket at midnight and sleep till 8am without having to refill the hopper?


I have that unit (or the slightly larger version) and I believe the hopper will do just fine for that time period. I've never cooked overnight, but I have filled it and gone fishing for several hours and always had plenty of pellets. You will love the Pit Boss. I think its built better and heavier gauge than a Traeger.


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## fISHBUD (Oct 16, 2005)

I am also tired of my Masterbuilt. Used it for about 5 years, but ready to move on.

Where have you found the best price?


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## Wes427 (Nov 6, 2016)

fISHBUD said:


> I am also tired of my Masterbuilt. Used it for about 5 years, but ready to move on.
> 
> Where have you found the best price?


Yeah, babysitting that little wood tray has gotten old. Check out Walmart.

Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

On pit boss with safety grating installed..I use set a gallon metal green bean can with both end cut out...Set it on grating and fill can and bin (leave lid open) of course I get over 10h run time at 250deg...could use coffee can/metal pipe/plastic pipe oughta work, cause mine does not get hot...Hint on hamburgers/fish on those copper grill&bake mats...No stick to grill or fall thru...Yoshi brand frm WM ...When finished throw mat on ground and hit with water hose ..its 90% clean finish in sink really easy clean up..and Grillmarks still get on food..

I sure been Happy with my Pit Boss..I BBQ for 60y and wow this makes it easy and controlled..I been paying $16 for 40# pellets...I cooked about 20h total and only used 1/2 bag...Looks to be cheaper than charcoal and starter....Free wood is cheaper but if ya gota cut and haul it and store in this heat it aint...


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## pknight6 (Nov 8, 2014)

fISHBUD said:


> I am also tired of my Masterbuilt. Used it for about 5 years, but ready to move on.
> 
> Where have you found the best price?


About twice a year Academy has the Pit Boss 820 Deluxe at $399. That's a heck of a deal.


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

You'll be fine running it overnight. I have a Pitboss 820D and can run for 12 hours on a full hopper. The controller isn't the best and I will eventually buy a PID controller for it, but even with the additional cost of a new controller I'm still well below the price point of many other brands. I've also tried numerous brands of pellets and my go to is Lumberjack...their competition blend is my favorite. 

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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

*pellet*



cva34 said:


> On pit boss with safety grating installed..I use set a gallon metal green bean can with both end cut out...Set it on grating and fill can and bin (leave lid open) of course I get over 10h run time at 250deg...could use coffee can/metal pipe/plastic pipe oughta work, cause mine does not get hot...Hint on hamburgers/fish on those copper grill&bake mats...No stick to grill or fall thru...Yoshi brand frm WM ...When finished throw mat on ground and hit with water hose ..its 90% clean finish in sink really easy clean up..and Grillmarks still get on food..
> 
> I sure been Happy with my Pit Boss..I BBQ for 60y and wow this makes it easy and controlled..I been paying $16 for 40# pellets...I cooked about 20h total and only used 1/2 bag...Looks to be cheaper than charcoal and starter....Free wood is cheaper but if ya gota cut and haul it and store in this heat it aint...


 O yea mine is the smaller 340 I think.....Thought I would start small ..To see if I liked the Concept...Mucho Happy..as for temp control mine is ok set on 225 it controls on 240 220-260 That P setting has some of that blame ( I aint got it all figgered out yet) I wrap the drip pan with alu foil sure makes clean up a breeze.


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## pknight6 (Nov 8, 2014)

BrandonH said:


> You'll be fine running it overnight. I have a Pitboss 820D and can run for 12 hours on a full hopper. The controller isn't the best and I will eventually buy a PID controller for it, but even with the additional cost of a new controller I'm still well below the price point of many other brands. I've also tried numerous brands of pellets and my go to is Lumberjack...their competition blend is my favorite.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Have you tried changing the P setting? I was unhappy with the temperature swing on mine (it would range from 200 to 250 when set at 225) so I called their customer service. The very nice lady I talked to told me to try a higher P setting, living in Texas with higher than average ambient temperatures. I changed from P5 to P7 and it does a much better job at holding the temperature.


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

pknight6 said:


> Have you tried changing the P setting? I was unhappy with the temperature swing on mine (it would range from 200 to 250 when set at 225) so I called their customer service. The very nice lady I talked to told me to try a higher P setting, living in Texas with higher than average ambient temperatures. I changed from P5 to P7 and it does a much better job at holding the temperature.


It's funny they told you that because according to the user's manual & the guy in business service I spoke to the P setting only affects when in the "smoke" mode. That being said I did play with the P setting when I first bought it, but now a year later the button is froze up and no longer works. I've also had 3 instances where the auger never shut off causing all of the pellets to be dumped and put out the fire. If I can check on it periodically it's ok, but i'd like to be able to step away for a few hours without worrying that I'm going to ruin a Prime brisket. I still think the Pitboss is the best bang for your buck even if you need to spend the money on a new controller.

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## ossnap (Jan 4, 2010)

Wes427 said:


> Yeah, babysitting that little wood tray has gotten old. Check out Walmart.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk


The wood tray on those is garbage. I have a Masterbuilt 40 going on about 5-6 years now and I don't even use that tray anymore. Look up the Amaze-N pellet tray on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/A-MAZE-N-AMNPS5X8-Pellet-Smoker/dp/B007ROPJ1M

I fill one of those up with pellets and put it in the smoker and it'll smoke for about 12 hours. Best investment I made for my Masterbuilt. Before I went with that I was looking at making the mailbox mod.


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## Wes427 (Nov 6, 2016)

ossnap said:


> The wood tray on those is garbage. I have a Masterbuilt 40 going on about 5-6 years now and I don't even use that tray anymore. Look up the Amaze-N pellet tray on Amazon.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/A-MAZE-N-AMNPS5X8-Pellet-Smoker/dp/B007ROPJ1M
> 
> I fill one of those up with pellets and put it in the smoker and it'll smoke for about 12 hours. Best investment I made for my Masterbuilt. Before I went with that I was looking at making the mailbox mod.


I have the electric 40. Where do you put that tray? My tray sits on top of the heating element... I did play with it this weekend and just dumped the tray every 3 hours and refill it, instead of jacking with that little tube slide refill on the side. It put out a cleaner smoke for a longer period doing that.

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## ossnap (Jan 4, 2010)

Wes427 said:


> I have the electric 40. Where do you put that tray? My tray sits on top of the heating element... I did play with it this weekend and just dumped the tray every 3 hours and refill it, instead of jacking with that little tube slide refill on the side. It put out a cleaner smoke for a longer period doing that.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk


There are 2 rods that go across the length of the bottom and connect to the area where the chip tray goes. I place the pellet tray right on top of those rods. Original problem I had was that the brisket or whatever I was smoking would drip onto the pellets and put them out at some point. I don't use my water tray so I line it with foil to catch most the drippings. Pellet tray has been doing good in that spot and the water tray above helps to keep the drippings off of it. I can take a picture or something if you need.


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## Wes427 (Nov 6, 2016)

ossnap said:


> There are 2 rods that go across the length of the bottom and connect to the area where the chip tray goes. I place the pellet tray right on top of those rods. Original problem I had was that the brisket or whatever I was smoking would drip onto the pellets and put them out at some point. I don't use my water tray so I line it with foil to catch most the drippings. Pellet tray has been doing good in that spot and the water tray above helps to keep the drippings off of it. I can take a picture or something if you need.


I'm going to have to take a look at it this weekend. Thanks!


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## Jleinneweber (Aug 11, 2018)

I have found that the higher quality pellets last longer, as well as have less dust to deal with. For long cooks stay away from the cheep brands. Treager seems to have the cleanest most consistent pellets I have found.


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## captMike (Jan 30, 2006)

Cheap pellets will catch up to you sooner than later, dust build up, swelling pellets, etc.
Our Rectec has been great and they are really 1st class with service, had a question on Saturday and office closed, 1st thing Monday get a call from Customer service about missed call. Thanks Rectec


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