installed pellet sensor in Silverton 620

[sbcrockett]

hey guys, just wanted to report back after I installed a pellet sensor in my 620 last night.

installation was a breeze (way to go Traeger, thinking about attaching that connector harness on the grommet!) and I found how easy it is to remove that honeycomb pellet guard. I've decided to leave that screen out not only for convenience of moving those pellets down into the auger well that need a little coaxing but also because it seems to interfere with the sensor accurately reading levels.

because I had a hard time getting the grill to pick up my wifi after cycling power once before, I did not unplug the unit before installing the sensor, despite the instructions saying to do so. that may or may not have contributed to the difficulty of getting the grill controller to recognize the sensor. I got the message "No pellet sensor detected" when I tried to go and calibrate it. a simple cycling of the power solved that problem and as soon as I woke up the grill after that, the display immediately asked if I wanted to calibrate the sensor. all good after that. but that power cycle also required a router restart to kick wifi in the butt so the grill would find the network. oh well, it's a small hoop I have to jump through and I consider myself lucky that my connectivity issues aren't more difficult.

I was surprised at the relative accuracy of the level readout, especially after removing the pellet guard. obviously, if anyone else feels the need to remove that safety feature...it would be wise to steer clear of the auger while the grill is operating! although, visions of the steam roller gag in Austin Powers where the soldier is standing in front of the slow moving roller screaming, "Noooooo" comes to mind. That auger moves SO slowly, you would need to hold a finger in it's path for a few seconds to experience it's power!

all in all, I think it's a great accessory and I'm glad to have it. the onboard controller alarm for low pellets is much louder than the timer alarm notification, which I appreciate. this is just a PSA and I get no compensation from anyone but I thought I'd conclude saying that I got my sensor from Jeff Bezos for just over $70.

let me know if you have any questions

-Steve

 

[NavJD]

Steve -

I wanna get the best deal on my Pellet Sensor, is there a specific model you used?

Very Respectfully,
JD

 

[GrillMeister]

Personally I don't know what the big deal is with the pellet sensor.

I've done loads of overnight cooks on my Century 22 and Ironwood 885. I know how many pellets they will burn through from the time I go to bed and the time I get up and head out to look at my brisket or pork butts. I do top off the hoppers before heading to bed, but sheesh, I don't see the value in the sensor as an add on cause I will lift the lid and check the level before each cook.

 

[Olds442]

i'm wondering if it's just one more thing to mess you up. usually the best part is no part.

by "mess you up" i just mean, if it works and you rely on it, and it fails, now you're fooked. if you just naturally get a feel for when you'd need pellets, that never happens.

 

[GrillMeister]

Most hoppers that can handle a 20# bag, smoking overnight is not a big deal and the pellet sensor is not required to wake you up. I'd be more concerned with Pit temp dropping below 160 degrees due to a power outage (a UPS will take care of this) or a Traeger failing to work on the SMOKE setting (I had 2 that failed that before my current Century 22 and IW885) and shutting down.

Having an external temp monitor can help reduce those "Fooked" moments.

 

[Timmy]

I think the only time I would consider use a sensor, is if it like 10f or really cold out. Cook I did last Friday night went 7 to 8 hrs before I checked pellet level. It was fine, it was low in the hopper but not close to running out.

Edit: Overnight temp was around 45f with little wind.

 

[Olds442]

Most hoppers that can handle a 20# bag, smoking overnight is not a big deal and the pellet sensor is not required to wake you up. I'd be more concerned with Pit temp dropping below 160 degrees due to a power outage (a UPS will take care of this) or a Traeger failing to work on the SMOKE setting (I had 2 that failed that before my current Century 22 and IW885) and shutting down.

Having an external temp monitor can help reduce those "Fooked" moments.

i went a slightly more expensive way to keep from losing a cook to a power outage.

no complaints though, it's saving me almost 50% on my elec bill by charging during the cheap hours and using the battery during the expensive hours. that offsets the cost while the main purpose is never having a power outage. highly recommend a home battery, and it doesn't have to be a tesla. i got it cheap off the tesla forums through a referral program winner.

 

[Timmy]

Steve -

I wanna get the best deal on my Pellet Sensor, is there a specific model you used?

Very Respectfully,
JD

To answer your question, I believe Traeger only offers 1 model of pellet sensor that fits multiple grill models.

 

[traeger860]

i went a slightly more expensive way to keep from losing a cook to a power outage.

no complaints though, it's saving me almost 50% on my elec bill by charging during the cheap hours and using the battery during the expensive hours. that offsets the cost while the main purpose is never having a power outage. highly recommend a home battery, and it doesn't have to be a tesla. i got it cheap off the tesla forums through a referral program winner.

About how long does the battery last if you do lose power? And do you notice the loss of power (do some devices still flicker or power off/reset?)

 

[Olds442]

About how long does the battery last if you do lose power? And do you notice the loss of power (do some devices still flicker or power off/reset?)

If you keep your elec use to the main things you "need" in a blackout, it can go ~2-2.5 days. Obviously the fridge needs to run, minor lighting, hand wash the dishes, don't do laundry, etc. Running the gas furnace really doesn't have a big drain on it like the A/C does.

If you run the A/C and go all out charging your EV, you can drain it in as little as 4 hours.

My house flickers all the time, but it once kicked on while i was in a COD match on PS4, and it didn't even effect the game play. So there's no real "click" so to speak when it goes on.

 

[Stephen111]

I've been getting Guardian harnesses for my employees at the jobsite for over a year now and they always have nice things to say about them. The quality is great, they are comfortable and adjusting the straps is easy and they are very durable. The price has to be one of the most competitive on the market right now given the great quality and the overall comfort. I feel confident that if I were to take a fall, this item would do its intended job.