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    Home » Pit Boss Guides

    Published: Jul 15, 2023 · Modified: Apr 2, 2024 by Meghan Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    How to Empty the Hopper and Auger on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Learn how to clean out the pellets from your Pit Boss hopper and auger.

    It's important to empty your Pit Boss hopper to keep your pellets fresh and prevent jamming the auger!

    Pit Boss Hopper lid open and ready to empty

    When you are finished cooking food on your Pit Boss pellet grill, it is likely that you have pellets left in the hopper.

    Because pellets can absorb moisture from the air, we highly recommend you empty the pellets from the Pit Boss hopper after each cook.

    Pellets that have been exposed to humidity do not smoke as well as dry pellets, and they can clog the auger of your pellet grill.

    In order to fully clean out the leftover pellets from your Pit Boss hopper and auger, you will follow a 3-step process:

    1. Remove the bulk of the pellets to an airtight pellet bucket for storage.
    2. Burn up the pellets remaining in the auger.
    3. Empty the ashes.

    We will show you exactly how to do this!

    Jump to:
    • Video
    • Step 1: Empty the Hopper of Unused Pellets
    • Step 2: Burn Through the Pellets Still in the Auger
    • Step 3: Remove the Ashes from the Firepot
    • Additional Pit Boss Resources

    Video

    Rather WATCH than read?

    Check out this video from our YouTube Channel on How to Empty the Pellets from a Pit Boss Hopper!

    Step 1: Empty the Hopper of Unused Pellets

    First make sure that your Pit Boss is off and unplugged.

    On the back of your Pit Boss, locate the trap door that blocks pellets from falling down into the hopper chute, as well as the plug for the hopper.

    pointing to hopper screw

    The trap door is held in place with a screw. Unscrew the screw by rotating it.

    hand on metal to pull out block for hopper

    Then, remove the screw and set it aside.

    removing screw for pit boss hopper

    Slide out the trap door.

    pulling out hopper shelf

    At this point, have your pellet bucket ready and placed underneath the hopper plug because as soon as the plug is removed, the pellets will begin pouring out.

    removing hopper stopper
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    Remove the plug and allow the pellets to fall into the bucket.

    pellets falling out of hopper into bucket

    Use a wooden paint stick to push more pellets down into the chute until the hopper is empty of pellets, except for the pellets that have already fallen down into the auger.

    paint stick pushing pellets toward chute in hopper

    You can use the paint stick to force some pellets out of the auger in order to save as many pellets as possible.

    The pellets left in the auger will be burned up in the next step.

    pellets falling into hopper chute

    Once you have removed as many pellets as possible, replace the plug on the back of the hopper.

    replacing plug on pit boss hopper

    Slide the trap door back into place.

    pushing hopper trap door back into back of pit boss

    Replace the screw in the trap door and tighten.

    replacing trap door screw into pit boss hopper

    Next, proceed to burn the pellets remaining in the auger.

    Step 2: Burn Through the Pellets Still in the Auger

    The pellets that are already in the auger need to be burned up in order to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the air and jamming the auger.

    First, plug in the Pit Boss, open the lid, and set it to the "Smoke" setting (the control panel will display an "S").

    smoke setting on pit boss control panel

    For a step-by-step review on how to start up the Pit Boss, please see our article How to Start a Pit Boss Pellet Grill.

    Hold down the "Prime" button to encourage the auger to keep turning and feeding pellets to the firepot.

    55 degrees on pit boss control panel

    Wait a little bit, then repeat this process of holding down the "prime" button as needed to speed up the burning of the pellets.

    You do want to take breaks in between so as not to overload the firepot with pellets.

    On Pit Boss models with direct heat, like our Pit Boss 1150 Pro, you can open the flame broiler plate and make sure the fire is going in the firepot, indicating that the pellets are being burned up.

    Pit Boss firepot burning up leftover pellets

    You can also watch the auger at the bottom of the hopper turning the pellets.

    pellets moving in the pit boss auger

    Keep an eye on the fire in the firepot. When the Pit Boss has burned through all of the pellets, the fire will go out.

    close up of Pit Boss firepot with no flames remaining

    The control panel will be flashing the error code "ErL" to indicate that there are no more pellets in the auger.

    Pit Boss error code to show all pellets have been burned up

    You can also check the auger by looking down into the hopper to make sure you don't see pellets.

    Empty Pit Boss auger

    This whole process will take about 20-25 minutes, depending on how many pellets were in the auger.

    If you choose not to press "Prime" repeatedly, it will take a little longer.

    Finally, turn off the Pit Boss by pressing the "Power" button, then allow the grill to go through its Shutdown Cycle.

    The fan will run for about 10 more minutes.

    Pit Boss control panel showing shutting down cycle

    Step 3: Remove the Ashes from the Firepot

    Allow the Pit Boss to completely shut down, then unplug it.

    Let it cool down for a while.

    Because the Pit Boss will still be hot, make sure to wear heat proof gloves for this step. We like these gloves that go up 1472°F!

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    Locate the firepot release handle on the outside of the firepot underneath the Pit Boss, if your Pit Boss model has one.

    There is a latch to the left of it.

    view of Pit Boss door to empty firepot ashes

    If your model does not have an easy release, you will need to use a mini shop vac to vacuum out the ashes in the firepot from the top of the grill.

    You will need to remove the grates to access the firepot.

    For models with the easy release handle, have an empty metal bucket ready for dumping the ashes into, especially if they are still hot/warm from the burn.

    If the ashes are cool, you can dump them into a bag for disposal.

    Empty bucket ready for Pit Boss ashes

    To remove the firepot, undo the latch on the left underneath the Pit Boss.

    Using the handle, slide this piece to the RIGHT and then pull straight down.

    Removing the ashpot

    You should see ashes in the firepot.

    view of ashes in the bottom of the firepot

    Dump the ashes into the metal bucket to dispose of later once they have cooled.

    ashes from firepot dumped into bucket

    The firepot is now empty. Use a paper towel to wipe the inside to remove all of the ash residue.

    empty firepot ready to return to Pit Boss

    To replace the firepot, hold the release handle with the firepot pointing up and the latch to the left.

    Lift the firepot straight up into the bottom of the Pit Boss.

    replacing the firepot in the pit boss

    Then slide the firepot to the LEFT and replace the latch to secure it into place.

    replacing firepot in bottom of pit boss

    Now your Pit Boss is free of pellets and ready for longer term storage!

    Make sure to protect your pellet grill from the elements by placing a cover on top once it has completely cooled down.

    This will extend the life of your grill.

    Additional Pit Boss Resources

    Check out all of our Pit Boss How-to Guides, including these articles and the accompanying videos:

    • Ultimate Guide to How Pellet Grills Work
    • How to Start a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • Step by Step: How to Season a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • How to Remove the Pit Boss Safety Grid
    • Pellet Grill Not Making Enough Smoke? 5 Proven Solutions
    • How to Fix Temperature Problems on a Pit Boss
    • How to Deep Clean a Pit Boss
    • How to Easily Clean the Grates of a Pit Boss
    pellets coming out of the hopper of a pit boss into a bucket

    How to Empty the Hopper and Auger on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    Meghan Martigan
    Exposing pellets to heat and humidity by leaving them in your Pit Boss hopper and auger can cause the pellets to perform poorly with smoke production and can jam the auger. This step-by-step guide shows you how to clean out the pellets from your hopper, burn through the pellets in your auger, and empty the ashes from your firepot.
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    Active Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins

    Ingredients
      

    • wooden paint stick
    • airtight pellet bucket
    • metal bucket
    • paper towels

    Instructions
     

    • Before beginning, make sure your Pit Boss is off, unplugged, and cool before attempting to empty the pellets.

    Step 1: Empty Pellets from the Hopper

    • On the back of the Pit Boss, locate the screw that holds the trap door in place. Unscrew the screw and remove it.
      pointing to hopper screw
    • Pull the trap door out to allow pellets to fall down into the chute. Keep the hopper stopper in place at this time.
      pulling out hopper shelf
    • Open the pellet hopper lid. Using a wooden paint stick, brush the pellets down into the chute.
      paint stick moving pellets toward pellet chute
    • Have a pellet storage bucket ready. Place the bucket underneath the stopper on the back of the Pit Boss.
      bucket underneath pit boss hopper chute
    • Remove the stopper and allow the pellets to fall into the bucket.
      pellets falling out of hopper into bucket
    • Use the wooden paint stick to push more pellets from the hopper into the chute so they continue to fall into the bucket. You can use the paint stick to flip pellets out of the auger to maximize the amount of pellets you save. Any pellets left in the hopper and auger will be burned up in the next step.
      wooden paint stick moving pellets in hopper
    • Replace the stopper.
      replacing plug on pit boss hopper
    • Slide the trap door back into the hopper. Replace and tighten the screw.
      replacing trap door screw into pit boss hopper

    Step 2: Burn through Pellets in the Auger

    • Plug in the Pit Boss and turn it on. Set the dial to "Smoke" and hold down the "prime" button to get the auger to start turning. Make sure the "AUGER" light is illuminated. Leave the lid open during this process.
      smoke setting on pit boss control panel
    • Wait a little bit, then hold down the "Prime" button again to get the auger to turn more. Repeat this step as needed to encourage the pellets to churn through the auger faster.
      the prime button on a pit boss pellet grill
    • On Pit Boss models with direct heat, you can open the flame broiler and make sure the fire is going in the firepot. This indicates that the pellets are being burned up.
      Pit Boss firepot burning up leftover pellets
    • Keep an eye on the fire. When the Pit Boss is out of pellets, the fire will go out and the control panel will flash the error code "ErL" to indicate that it is out of pellets.
      Pit Boss error code to show all pellets have been burned up
    • Check to make sure the auger at the bottom of the hopper is empty of pellets. This whole process will take about 20-25 minutes depending on how many pellets were in the auger.
      Empty Pit Boss auger
    • On the control panel, press the "power" button to shut down the Pit Boss. The fan will run for about 10 minutes as the Pit Boss runs through the shutdown cycle.
      Pit Boss control panel showing shutting down cycle

    Step 3: Empty the Ashes from the Firepot

    • Once the Pit Boss has shutdown completely and cooled a bit, put on a pair of heat resistant gloves. The Pit Boss will likely still be hot to the touch.
    • Locate the firepot release handle and latch on the bottom of the Pit Boss, if your model of Pit Boss has one.
      view of Pit Boss door to empty firepot ashes
    • Undo the latch. Using the handle, slide the handle to the right and then pull down to remove it from the Pit Boss.
      Removing the ashpot
    • Dump the ashes into a metal bucket if they are still warm. If they are cool, you can dump them into a bag for disposal.
      ashes from firepot dumped into bucket
    • Use a paper towel to wipe out the firepot of the remaining ash.
      empty firepot ready to return to Pit Boss
    • Replace the firepot by holding it by the handle, firepot pointed up and latch on the left side. Push it straight up into the Pit Boss, then slide it to the left to secure. Replace the latch.
      replacing firepot in bottom of pit boss

    Video

    Keyword empty hopper pit boss, Pit Boss, pit boss hopper clean out
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Pit Boss How-to Guides

    • Starting up a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
      How to Start a Pit Boss Pellet Grill: Step-by-Step
    • Mad's gloved hands installing the top rack into the Pit Boss Pellet Grill Pro Series 1150
      How to Install and Remove the Top Rack of a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • firebox filled with wood in an aluminum foil loaf pan
      How to Get More Smoke Flavor on a Pellet Grill using Real Wood
    • a blow torch lighting pellets in a pellet tube
      How to Light a Pellet Tube for More Smoke Flavor

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

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