Discuss, share information, ask questions, and show off your expertise on Yoder Pellet Cookers.

Click the links below to go directly to available resources:
**Pellet cookers** - YS480, YS640
**Competition Pellet cookers** - YS480 Comp, YS640 Comp, YS1500 Comp, Cimarron Comp
**Pellet Cooker Warranty**
February 24th, 2017, 7:50 am
#1
* Abilene ** Abilene *
  • Joined: February 24th, 2017, 7:16 am
  • Posts: 4

I've been trying to put 4 pork butts on my YS640 since 5:00am and the hopper keeps jamming up with pellets. I noticed after an hour of letting it warm up, it was 275 degrees, and still climbing, the smoker was cold, so I shut it down, and the tray was full of pellets. I vacuumed them all up, put everything back, restarted smoker and it instantly filled up with pellets again! Very very frustrating!!!

February 24th, 2017, 8:36 am
#2
* Kingman ** Kingman *
  • Joined: September 3rd, 2014, 11:04 pm
  • Posts: 422

The tray? You mean the burn pot? If the hopper is jamming the trasy would have just burnt pellets in it without any new ones.

What filled up instantly with pellets? The burn pot gets pellets slowly added, not in a rush no matter what your settings are.

More info please?

February 24th, 2017, 8:50 am
#3
* Abilene ** Abilene *
  • Joined: February 24th, 2017, 7:16 am
  • Posts: 4

Yes the burn grate, my apologies, it filled up with unburned pellets. The auger just shot out pellets that never had a chance to burn.

February 24th, 2017, 9:01 am
#4
* Kingman ** Kingman *
  • Joined: September 3rd, 2014, 11:04 pm
  • Posts: 422

This is after it began to heat up to 275 then quit? If so that means the ignighter did it's job and was turned off by then, it comes on for a few minutes. It's possible the pellets stopped and let the fire burn out then added more pellets that wouldn't ignight because the fire was out and the ignighter had already shut off.

If the hopper/auger was jammed you would get NO pellets.

Are the fans working?

Try this now:
Unplug the cooker, empty the pot, leave the diffuser plate out so you can see whats happening, plug it in and try again.

February 24th, 2017, 9:30 am
#5
* Abilene ** Abilene *
  • Joined: February 24th, 2017, 7:16 am
  • Posts: 4

After further review, there were a few pellets that had burned, but it was a very white ash, not how it normally looks. I restarted, with the diffuser plate out, #1, the smoker didn't sound right, #2 it shot pellets out, but the igniter never came on.

February 24th, 2017, 9:35 am
#6
* Kingman ** Kingman *
  • Joined: September 3rd, 2014, 11:04 pm
  • Posts: 422

Aha, your igniter could be bad. It happens. Doesn't sound right meaning fans I suppose.

In the manual is a manual starting method.

Remove grates and diffuser, empty burn pot, and under the burn pot. Leave cooker off. Get a handful of pellets and get them lit using stove, matches, small butane hobby burner etc. Put in Pot and start cooker. They pellets should start falling after pressing start button and they will fall on lit pellets and the cooker should get a hot mini fire going with air blowing flames out of the pot. If it looks like that then watch it for a bit. If it stays lit then put diff plate back and grates. Then cook.

February 24th, 2017, 1:12 pm
#7
Site AdminSite Admin
User avatar
  • Joined: April 18th, 2014, 3:12 pm
  • Posts: 2408

Do you unplug your cooker when not in use? Every cooking session must start with plugging the cooker into power, or if already plugged in, the power cord MUST be unplugged for a minimum of 30 seconds. This is the #1 reason for a failed ignition.

Yoder_Herb
February 24th, 2017, 6:02 pm
#8
* Kingman ** Kingman *
  • Joined: September 3rd, 2014, 11:04 pm
  • Posts: 422

I guess he fixed it or realized his mistake. I'd sure like to know the outcome. But that's typical on any forum.

Return to Pellet