New Pellet Grill/smoker

[vtfireman85]

I got my dad a pellet grill smoker, I have never used one before, but I am not intimidated by it. They will be camping for his birthday and I was thinking of bringing it and using it for his birthday, I’m not finding a current draw rating on the thing, I don’t want to get halfway through and have it quit, as I know it’s just running the auger and the controller, so it shouldn’t be a huge draw. Has anyone tried using one off grid? 
Traeger pro 22 

[Alan Dinan]

Take a small generator to be on the safe side 

[Alan Dinan]

I know a dealer, if you need to buy one!! 

[vtfireman85]

2 minutes ago, Alan Dinan said:

Take a small generator to be on the safe side 

Have one, but the generator hours are short. I also have a 400w outlet in the truck… but that’s a lot. 

[Alan Dinan]

I honestly don’t know anything about a Traeger. I have an electric smoker that just bakes soaked wood chips in a tray.

[vtfireman85]

8 minutes ago, Alan Dinan said:

I know a dealer, if you need to buy one!! 

Never had much luck selling portables, the only person who ever bought one was me🤪

[acem]

I just wish it was cool enough to go camping!

I'd gladly eat cold sandwiches.

[1586 Jeff]

I would recommend consulting with an electrician and having said electrician conduct an amp draw test with an amp clamp.

DO NOT place the amp clamp around your neck!!

[vtfireman85]

1 hour ago, 1586 Jeff said:

I would recommend consulting with an electrician and having said electrician conduct an amp draw test with an amp clamp.

DO NOT place the amp clamp around your neck!!

I thought about that, but felt giving him a used grill would be rude 

[1586 Jeff]

2 hours ago, vtfireman85 said:

I thought about that, but felt giving him a used grill would be rude 

Well now that he has it your electrician could take a Watt-a-meter reading…….

And if you have not yet given it to him you might be able to get a specification from the manufacturer…….

[vtfireman85]

9 minutes ago, 1586 Jeff said:

Well now that he has it your electrician could take a Watt-a-meter reading…….

And if you have not yet given it to him you might be able to get a specification from the manufacturer…….

I tried, it’s not a really big deal, i just thought someone might have tried already. I didn’t realize I would get so much help from bored tow truck operators whose are filling their time between calls and lot lizards. 

[12_Guy]

I’m sure that a 1000 watt Honda or other small generator would be enough. I am concerned that the 400 watts may not be enough. You have a heater/igniter, combustion blower and the auger and controller. On my smoker, different brand, the fan runs all the time. The auger is intermittent and I think the igniter is only used for initial startup. Maybe look at the individual components and see if they are marked and then add it up? Sorry not much help. 

[acem]

A friend has a generator with a 6-71 Detroit. That would be plenty.

 

[soupkid]

Startup Draw (First 4–5 minutes): ~2.5 Amps (300 Watts at 120V). "Our pellet grills draw about 2.5 amps during startup as the grill heats up..." -- [Traeger Support via Home Depot]. The extra power is required because the electric hot rod is glowing red hot to ignite the wood pellets.Running Draw (Normal operation): 0.4 to 0.8 Amps (roughly 50 Watts at 120V). Once the fire is lit, the hot rod shuts off. The grill only uses minimal power to occasionally spin the auger and run the draft induction fan.

[vtfireman85]

2 hours ago, soupkid said:

Startup Draw (First 4–5 minutes): ~2.5 Amps (300 Watts at 120V). "Our pellet grills draw about 2.5 amps during startup as the grill heats up..." -- [Traeger Support via Home Depot]. The extra power is required because the electric hot rod is glowing red hot to ignite the wood pellets.Running Draw (Normal operation): 0.4 to 0.8 Amps (roughly 50 Watts at 120V). Once the fire is lit, the hot rod shuts off. The grill only uses minimal power to occasionally spin the auger and run the draft induction fan.

That’s kind of about what I figured. Thanks for that. 

[1586 Jeff]

7 hours ago, acem said:

A friend has a generator with a 6-71 Detroit. That would be plenty.

 

But can that 238 generate 1.21 gigawatts at 88 Miles Per Hour and get the Vermontician into the modern era?

[acem]

11 minutes ago, 1586 Jeff said:

But can that 238 generate 1.21 gigawatts at 88 Miles Per Hour and get the Vermontician into the modern era?

I'm not sur bout all dat. Jus a ol hill billy. But those ol Detroits sound sweet runnin at full speed with a str8 pip.

[vtfireman85]

13 hours ago, acem said:

I'm not sur bout all dat. Jus a ol hill billy. But those ol Detroits sound sweet runnin at full speed with a str8 pip.

That’s a matter of opinion.