What is Pellet Tunneling?
Pellet tunneling is a common issue that can occur in hoppers. It’s when pellets are pushed out of the feed opening and into the auger, which leads to jams and poor performance.
Here are five tips to help prevent pellet tunneling:
- Make sure your feed opening is large enough for your pellets to pass through easily. If it’s too small, they won’t be able to get past it without getting stuck on their way down into the auger chamber.
Tip #1: Properly Store Pellets
The first tip to solving pellet tunneling in hopper is to properly store your pellets. Pellets should be stored in a dry, cool and dark area.
This will help prevent moisture from getting into the pellets and causing them to deteriorate.
It will also keep them from absorbing any odors that may be present in your storage area such as those caused by other food items or chemicals used for cleaning purposes.
If you notice any signs of deterioration before use (such as discoloration), don’t use those particular pieces of wood because they could cause problems later on down the line when making fires with them!
Tip #2: Reduce the Feed Rate
Reduce the feed rate to the hopper. Monitor the feed rate for any changes, and increase it slowly over time.
Tip #3: Clean the Hopper Regularly
The hopper is where pellets are stored prior to being fed into the auger. It’s important that you keep this area clean and free of blockages so that they can flow freely into the auger.
To do this, we recommend cleaning your pellet stove’s hopper at least once a month (or more if you notice build-up).
To clean out any debris or build-up in your pellet stove’s hopper:
Remove any blockages or build-up by using an old toothbrush, pipe cleaner or similar tool to dislodge them from their hiding places inside of the chute; then remove them with tweezers or pliers.
Inspect for damage such as cracks in plastic parts which could cause problems later on down the road if not repaired now!
Tip #4: Adjust the Hopper Angle
If you’re experiencing pellet tunneling in your hopper, try adjusting the angle of your feeder. This can help reduce or eliminate this issue by allowing pellets to flow freely through the feeder and into your smoker.
Adjusting the hopper angle is simple: just loosen a few screws and adjust as needed!
Monitor this adjustment over time, as it may need to be adjusted again if you notice any changes in how quickly or slowly pellets are falling out of their chute.
Tip #5: Utilize a Vacuum System
The fifth tip is to utilize a vacuum system to remove pellets from the hopper. A simple solution like this can help you avoid many of the problems that come with pellet tunneling, and it’s easy to implement.
To begin, install a hose on the bottom of your hopper and run it out through an access door or window.
You can then connect this hose to an external vacuum cleaner that will suck up any loose pellets in your hopper when they fall down through its opening.
This will prevent them from clogging up other parts of your system (like augers) while also keeping things neat inside your machine!
You should also monitor this new addition closely for any changes in performance over time if something seems off with how well it works now compared with when first installed, make adjustments accordingly until everything feels right again.
FAQs
Pellet tunneling in hopper is a common issue where the pellets in the hopper form a tunnel-like structure, preventing the rest of the pellets from flowing down.
Pellet tunneling in hopper is usually caused by poor pellet quality, improper storage, or incorrect feeding rate.
You can prevent pellet tunneling in hopper by using high-quality pellets, storing them in a dry and cool place, and adjusting the feeding rate to ensure a consistent flow.
Pellet tunneling in hopper can lead to uneven feeding, poor combustion, and reduced efficiency of the heating system.
You can tell if your hopper has pellet tunneling by checking if the pellets are forming a tunnel-like structure instead of flowing freely.
Pellet tunneling can cause damage to your heating system by reducing its efficiency and potentially causing blockages.
If you notice pellet tunneling in your hopper, you should stop the feeding process and try to break up the tunnel using a long stick or rod.
You should check for pellet tunneling in your hopper at least once a week to ensure a consistent flow of pellets.
Pellet tunneling is usually not covered by heating system warranties as it is caused by improper storage or usage.
No, you should use high-quality pellets with low ash content to prevent pellet tunneling in your hopper.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the 5 tips that will help you solve pellet tunneling:
- Store your pellets in a dry place. The best way to do this is by storing them in an airtight container or bag.
- Use a high-quality feeder like the Super Feeder or Hopper Ball that will allow you to dispense food slowly over time instead of all at once. This will ensure that each pellet has its own chance to be eaten before another one replaces it on top of the pile (or below).
- If you’re using a gravity-fed system with no hopper ball or other type of feeder, consider adding some sort of barrier between your pellets and any other objects they may come into contact with while falling through their chute into their container/bin/bowl.