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**Pellet cookers** - YS480, YS640
**Competition Pellet cookers** - YS480 Comp, YS640 Comp, YS1500 Comp, Cimarron Comp
**Pellet Cooker Warranty**
February 20th, 2017, 10:21 am
#1
* Abilene ** Abilene *
  • Joined: August 29th, 2016, 5:03 pm
  • Posts: 23

My 2014 Yoder YS640 year-end review…
Ambient conditions varied thought the year (Charlotte NC).
• 17 degrees was the lowest ambient temperatures during a long cook
• 94 degrees was the highest
• Wind and humidity varied but highest sustained winds for a long cook were during hurricane Matthew at over 50 mph with 98% humidity.

620# of pellets used during the year 2016 with an average burn (hopper set at 225- 250) over 2# per hour in cold conditions and less than 2# per hour in hot conditions. Winds over 10mph seemed to increase burn rates more than temperature. Most efficient cooks (1# per hr) were low and slow 225 deg during mid day sun, low/no winds above 90 deg ambient.
• 120# Cooking pellets PM: All flavor-wood(amazon)
o Temps varied with medium ash
o Readily available at under $2/pound delivered
• 120# Lumberjack: Hickory, Cherry (local)
o Good results but seemed to burn a fast
o Readily available at over $2/pound
• 120# BnB: Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, Jack Daniel’s (web)
o Steady cooking temperatures with low ash (similar to BBQ delight)
o Hard to get and over $2/pound delivered
• 260# BBQ delight: Hickory, Cherry (web/firecraft)
o Steady cooking temperatures with low ash
o Readily available at under $2/pound delivered

The most constant cooking temperatures were achieved using BBQ delight. They are 75% oak based with 25% flavor-wood and provided the lowest ash from any of the others sampled because oak provides a high BTU constant. I have settled in on the BBQ delight as my go to pellet but will add a layer of the cooking pellets PM from time to time to dirty up the smoke for shorter cooks (burgers). The difference in burn efficiency is also seen when using an amaz-smoke-tube; the PM puts off more creosote (shiny black on smoker lid) than BBQ delight. BBQ delight is also the go pellet of Yoder during their testing and cooking so you could say the YS640 was calibrated using BBQ delight.

Smoker Modifications
• Door Temperature probe mount modifications
• Larger new style wheels
• New style heat deflector with door
• Added silicone bead to grease deflector
• Added gasket to smoke stack mount
• Ground grease deflector to allow door to close with grill grates installed

Failures
• Failed light offs
o Hopper empty before adding pellets so auger is not fully primed and igniter shut off before enough pellets covered it.
o High humidity contaminated auger pellets so used torch to get it going.
• Burn pot fan bearing making noise then failed.
o Noise gave ample warning before failing so Yoder had the part to me before next cook.
o 30 min to replace and was able to do it without removing fan box using ignition wrench and long fingers.


Cooking style varied with what was going on but we explored all this grill has to offer. Favorite is the long cook…I find my gas burner is better for the quick and easy stuff but the YS640 definitely makes everything special.

Long cooks (10-14 hrs)
• 9 briskets
• 10 pork buts
Medium cooks (2-5hrs)
• 4 turkeys
• chickens
Short cooks (.5-2hrs)
• Burgers
• Hotdogs
• Sausage links and patties
• Steaks
• Chicken breasts, legs, wings (parts)
• Shrimp
• Bacon
• Chili
• Potato wedges
• Roasted brussel sprouts
• Roasted broccoli

Cold smoked
• Asiago cheese
• Chedder cheese
• Gouda cheese
• Mixed nuts

The grill requires maintenance
• Keep the burn pot and area clean
o I would brush all the grates (top, bottom) then course scrape the heat deflector and use the scraper to put all the scrap in a little
box or foil to pitch. Would then open door and dump burn pot into area next to it and use scraper to pick up excess ash in pot
area.

o I found a little ash in the bottom of the unit good as insulation if kept dry. Burned 620# of pellets and vacuumed/deep cleaned it
out 4 times!

• Keep it seasoned
o I started using avocado oil from Costco to season the grates and heat deflector because the smoke/burn point is high and I like
how it smells.
o Would also scrape the inside of lid and walls when buildup looked like it could come off

Happy cooking!

February 20th, 2017, 7:01 pm
#2
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  • Joined: April 18th, 2014, 3:12 pm
  • Posts: 2408

Awesome summary report! Thanks!

Yoder_Herb

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