I'VE GONE OVER TO THE DARK SIDE

[muebe]

Don there are several things that limit your high temperature...

Your thermostat- the digital thermostat will only let the cooker go so high for safety. Once it reaches a certain temp it will slow down the auger feed.

The auger motor- this motor only spins so fast so this limits the amount of pellets that can reach the firepot in a certain amount of time. The faster the feed the higher the temps. The trade off is you lose the ability to keep lower temps.

No insulation or double wall design- a insulated or double wall cooker will reach higher temps due to less heat loss. That is why the Memphis line is known for their higher temperatures and grilling ability.

Couple things that you can do....

Install a auger switch- this simple mod allows a switch to change power control from the thermostat to direct line voltage coming into the cooker. By flicking a switch you put the cooker into turbo mode by allowing the auger to constantly feed pellets into the burn pot. This mod will void your warranty and can be dangerous if not used properly. I had one for my junior and could get very high temps for grilling.

Install a Savannah Stoker or custom PID- replacing your thermostat with a PID will allow you to reach higher temps by simply adjusting the maximum temperature allowed on the PID.

Make a flame zone- you can remove the drip pan and install a couple flavorizer bars above the burn pot. Many people do this to create a flame zone on a Traeger.

You can also replace the auger with a high speed one but I do not suggest that unless you have a PID. This will throw off the timings greatly and the digital thermostat would be difficult to correct for this change.

[IR2dum]

muebe, thanks for all the info. It is just for my general knowledge. I don't want to do any mods until I get to know this grill intimately. It will be a great learning experience and thanks for any help and suggestions along the way. This is going to be a great adventure. Sorry, Tommy, but hang on to those mod ideas for future reference.

[Jaxon]

a guy that's flying in a corporate jet doesn't have to worry about such piddling things.

Just sayin '.. .

[IR2dum]

a guy that's flying in a corporate jet doesn't have to worry about such piddling things.

Just sayin '.. .

Jaxon, the piddling thing I'm worried about today is can I afford mayonnaise for my bolonga sammiches next week. It will depend on if I pick a winner at the Derby tommorow. Wish me luck.

[Jaxon]

Maybe Deep can loan you a couple of bucks till payday...

;-)

[IR2dum]

Maybe Deep can loan you a couple of bucks till payday...

;-)

You are talking about Deep Pockets Stafford, right?

[Jaxon]

Maybe Deep can loan you a couple of bucks till payday...

;-)

You are talking about Deep Pockets Stafford, right?

Careful, Don, he doesn't want folks to know his full name...but, yes, he can cover you till payday.
He's been kinda tight with his money lately, though. Seems he loaned some money to an old army buddy for a face lift... Now he doesn't know what the guy looks like - having a hard time collecting.

[TwoPockets]

Maybe Deep can loan you a couple of bucks till payday...

;-)

You are talking about Deep Pockets Stafford, right?

 

Careful, Don, he doesn't want folks to know his full name...but, yes, he can cover you till payday.
He's been kinda tight with his money lately, though. Seems he loaned some money to an old army buddy for a face lift... Now he doesn't know what the guy looks like - having a hard time collecting.