Why My Pit Boss Keeps Feeding Pellets + How To Fix [Solved]

Your Pit Boss keeps feeding pellets mainly because of damp pellets, ash build-up, faulty auger-motor wiring, the insufficient oxygen supply in the burn pot, faulty vacuum switch, broken controller, and bad weather. 

But before getting to the main discussion, you should have a clear idea about the Pit Boss auger. Here we will tell you about it as well. It will help you to fix the auger issue.

What Is a Pit Boss Grill Auger & How Does it Work?

An auger is a spiral-shaped device that spins to deliver the pellets to the burner. This auger is placed right beneath the hopper. Pellets fall from this hopper and ride the auger to the main burner.  

The auger is run by an auger motor placed at the very back of the Pit Boss grill. This motor tightly holds the auger rod and spins it according to the speed setting. 

And this is how the whole auger system works in the Pit Boss pellet grill.

7 Reasons Why Pit Boss Keeps Feeding Pellets [Fix Now]

Knowing deeply about these reasons will help you to solve the issue effectively. And here, we will discuss just that. So stay tuned.

1. Moisturized Pellets

Pit Boss auger supplies pellets till the system reaches a certain level of heat. Attaining this temperature level becomes impossible if the pellets are moisturized. 

In the case of too-moisturized pellets, the system doesn’t heat up at all. When the grill is not heating properly, the auger keeps pushing pellets to the burner. Sometimes, the wet pellets may get stuck and you may hear the auger motor grinding sound. Then you need to fix the auger motor noise.

Solution:

Using perfectly processed pellets is the most effective way of dealing with this issue. The best types of pellets are: 

• Dry
• Moisture level 10-15%
• Processed from hardwood

If your pellets are too damp, just leave them in the sun for an hour. This will make them perfectly usable.

2. Ash Build-Up In The System

Ash builds up in the unit with continuous usage. When too much ash accumulates, it affects the normal function of the grill. The heat signals fail to reach the processing unit. As a result, the auger doesn’t understand when to stop.

Solution:

Cleaning the ashes is the solution to this problem. Here’s how to do it:

• Remove the top of the Pit Boss smoker chimney by simply unscrewing the bolts
• Unscrew the two bolts holding the bottom of the chimney to the unit
• Take a chimney cleaning brush
• Put it in the chimney and rub it all around.
• Use a thick piece of cloth to give it a thorough clean

Check the burn pot as well to see if it’s overflowing with ashes. Clean it if it is.

3. Faulty Auger Motor Wiring

If your new Pit Boss auger is continuously running, then the issue lies in the wiring. Faulty auger motor wiring causes different types of malfunction, and the auger not stopping is one of them. 

Solution:

In case your auger motor is brand new, then you should return it. However, if the motor is not returnable, then you can easily fix the issue in the following method:

Unscrew the auger motor from its place & open the auger motor panel. Then, match the wiring to the pattern that is shown below.

Then, use a welder to secure the wires & put everything back in its place.

Well, this can be a bit problematic if you are not a professional. Calling an expert can be helpful in this situation.

4. Insufficient Air Flow

The burn pot of your pellet smoker needs a specific amount of airflow to keep the fire alive. If the amount of oxygen is too much or too little, it will weaken the fire. As a result, the grill will never reach the heat limit. Consequently, the auger won’t stop running as well.

Solution:

Surprisingly, burning pot is the reason here. A dirty burn pot doesn’t allow proper airflow, while a worn-out burn pot can’t prevent an excessive air supply. Whatever the situation is, you need to replace the burn pot. Here’s how to do it:

• Start by removing the racks and cooking grids first
• Unscrew the agitator and remove it from its place
• Now once you are exposed to the burn pot, unscrew it as well
• Remove the 2 screws of the burn pot cover, and 4 screws of the burn pot itself 
• Slide the burn pot and push it away. Don’t push too hard because there are wirings attached to it
• Detach the plastic wire connector and remove the bad burn pot with the hot rod inside
• Take a new burn pot and reattach its wire to the system
• Slide the burn pot back in and screw it, reversing the disassembling method

And once you have a new burn pot, the perfect air supply in the system will keep the auger running smoothly. 

5. Bad Vacuum Switch

A bad vacuum switch can be the sneaky reason behind a continuously running Pit Boss auger. Though it is a very unlikely reason, it is still possible.

Solution:

To solve this issue, you have to:

• Turn off the power supply to your grill
• Take a paper clip to switch off the vacuum switch
• Turn on the power again

Now see if the auger is still running. If it does, then the vacuum switch was fine. The issue is something else.

6. Bad Controller

Your Pit Boss grill has a control board on it. It determines basically everything in the unit, from temperature to pellet supply. If the control panel goes bad, it will signal the auger to keep running.

Solution:

Replacing the Pit Boss controller can solve your issue. Here’s how to do it:

• Detach the unit from all kinds of power supply
• Take out all the pellets from the unit
• Unscrew the bottom panel of the smoker to reach the control panel wiring
• Take a picture of the wiring pattern before detaching all the wiring connected to the control board
• Now take a new controller and attach the wires as it was on the previous control board. Take help from the photo you took earlier
• Put everything back in its place and screw everything up

You can also watch the video to make the replacement job too simple.

Your pellet grill should not continuously run anymore with the new control board. It’s a very effective method. Although, if this seems tricky to you, it’s always okay to call an expert for help.

7. Hostile Weather

Certain weather conditions such as rain or snow can be the reason why your Pit Boss grill isn’t heating properly. And you already know that if the system doesn’t heat up, the auger won’t stop delivering the pellets.

Solution:

Protecting your Pit Boss grill from such weather is easy. Just take the grilling inside the house, and it will work perfectly. However, if you really do take the grilling inside, choose a perfect and empty spot inside of your home for grilling.

Here it’s wise to know the indoor grilling techniques and keep flammable things such as clothes, away from the smoker as they can lead to accidents.

And this was all. Make sure you have understood these causes and cures properly before taking further steps.

What Should You Do If Nothing Works?

If none of our solutions works for you, then the problem lies in the auger motor itself. Though you can get the auger motor fixed, it may not be a worthy expenditure.

Instead, replace the auger motor for the best result. It is a cheaper, yet more efficient solution.

How To Replace Pit Boss Auger Motor

Replacing an auger motor is very easy. You can do it in only 5 steps. Here’s how,

Step 1: Firstly, turn off the whole Pit Boss system. Then clip all zip ties holding the wires connected to the auger motor. This is the preparation phase.

Step 2: Now remove the shear pin that holds the auger in place. Use a Phillips screwdriver for this part.

Step 3: Once all the wirings and connections are out of place, you can now remove the auger and disconnect the Molex connectors. 

Step 4: Clean the auger before installing the new auger motor. It will make the auger system smoother.

Step 5: Finally, re-install the new auger by reversing all the above steps.

And this is how you will be able to replace your Pit Boss auger motor easily. There will not be any auger problem for years to come.

FAQ:

Final Words:

It’s very annoying if the smoker stops working in the middle of the cooking process. However, if your Pit Boss keeps feeding pellets, you can stop it within minutes using these methods.

However, if you run into any trouble, then comment below, and we will help you by giving a solution ASAP.