Why Pit Boss Smoker Smoking Too Much + How To Fix [Solved]

There can be several reasons behind pit boss smoker smoking too much. And in this article, we will be focusing on these causes and their easy solutions.

By the end, you will know how much a Pit Boss should smoke well. Overall, you will get a complete idea about how you can have the perfect amount of smoke and avoid ruining your meat. Trust us, it’s very simple! Now let’s get into it.

Why My Pit Boss Smoker Smoking Too Much + How To Fix

The most common reasons behind Pit Boss pellet grills too much smoke are overload of pellets, low-temperature setting, start-up mode, high P-setting, bad pellets, flame out, inappropriate smoker mode, smoking and cooking without interval, and faulty induction fan.

Your grill probate has any one of these problems. Take a look at our discussion below to solve each of these issues easily.

1. Too Many Pellets

Pit Boss smokes obviously come from pellets. But the excessive amount of pellets generates excessive smoke. This is actually the most common reason why there is too much smoke in your Pit Boss grill.

Solution:

If you want little smoke and a moderate amount of heat, then you have to adjust the P setting. Adjusting the P-setting will make sure that the pellets reach the burner in short intervals. This way a little number of pellets will generate a small amount of smoke.

Here’s how to adjust P-setting in Pit Boss smoker to decrease the pellet supply rate and the amount of smoke:

• Turn on your Pit Boss smoker
• Push the tiny button titled “P-Setting” near the power button
• Push this button and keep an eye on the display
• Keep pushing till the option on display reaches P5, P6 or P7

P5 means there will be less amount of smoke but moderate heat. P6 indicates that there will be a bit less smoke and far less heat. Finally, P7 means there will be the least amount of smoke and heat in the unit. Adjust this setting accordingly.

2. Temperature Too Low

Your Pit Boss unit will be full of smoke if the temperature setting is low. Low temperatures will burn the pellets slowly. As a result, more smoke will generate from them.

Solution:

Adjusting the temperature setting is the simplest solution to this problem. Here’s how to do it: 

• Locate the temperature dial on the right-hand side of the display
• Rotate this dial to adjust the setting and notice the temperature on the display
• Set the temperature to 212°F
• In case the temperature was already 212°F, bring it down to 176-41°F

Once you adjust the temperature in the perfect manner, there won’t be further issues with smoke.

3. Start-Up Mode

If you notice thick white smoke in your Pit Boss unit at the start-up, then you have nothing to worry about. Once the Pit Boss is started, its fire rod burns very hotly to ignite a flame. As a result of this excessive heat, a large number of pellets burn out all at once. Consequently, a thick white smoke appears.

Solution:

This is not an issue. Just wait for a few moments till the unit settles and the fire will be gone. However, if you don’t want any type of excessive smoke in your grill, then you can start up the ignitor with little amounts of pellets in the burner.

4. High P-Setting

As we discussed in the first reason, excessive pellets can generate excessive smoke. But this is accurate only if the fire burns slower. However, if there are few pellets in the burner, and the fire burns fiercely, it will create thick smoke within minutes. 

Solution:

The solution again is to adjust the P-setting. Follow the same adjustment method but this time make sure the P-setting remains in the area of P2 or P3. Just so you know, keeping the P-setting at P4 is the best option for the average load of meat.

5. Bad Pellets

Damp pellets or pellets that have been lying around in your hopper for ages are not suitable for use. Such fuel doesn’t burn thoroughly due to its excessive moisturizer level and creates smoke. It means the bad pellets will not smoke your meat, and nor will they cook as there is no heat.

Moreover, wet pellets are also one of the culprits behind shutting off your smoker frequently and thus ruin your food.

Solution:

Using well-processed pellets is the key to this problem. The best thing you can do is use a new batch of pellets throwing out the old one. However, if it’s not possible at the moment, you can try leaving the available pellets in the sun for around 30 minutes and use them later. 

This should generate a good fire and less smoke.

6. Flame Out

Flameout occurs when something blocks the air supply in the burner. If the pellets don’t get enough air, the fire burns out. As a result, only smokes remain minus the heat.

Solution:

There are a few things you must make sure to avoid flame out in your unit,

• Clean the burn pot regularly
• Make sure there is enough scope for air to pass in the burner
• Don’t let excessive ash accumulate in the unit
• Remove extra pellets from the burner after every session of cooking
• Vacuum the grill after a long cooking session

If you can practice these points regularly, you shouldn’t experience too much smoke due to flame out.

7. Smoker Mode

Pit Boss Grill has a special setting called “Smoker Mode”. If you somehow set your unit to this setting at the beginning of your cooking session, there will be too many smokes.

(This setting is meant to be used after the cooking is done. Once you set your Pit Boss to “Smoker Mode”, it infuses smokey flavor in the meat.) 

Solution:

Just rotate the temperature dial away from “Smoker Mode” and set it to preferably 212°F if you have just started to cook.

8. No Gap Between Cooking and Smoking

You will notice an excessive amount of smoke if you start the smoking process right after you are done cooking. If you don’t take a break between cooking and smoking, the leftover pellets will generate extra smoke.

Solution:

Let the grill rest a bit before you start the smoking process. But don’t put out your meat yet. Just wait for around 15 to 20 minutes before setting the grill to “Smoker Mode”.

9. Faulty Induction Fan

If smokes are coming out of the hopper, then don’t freak out. It indicates that your induction fan has gone bad. The induction fan functions throughout the whole cooking process to keep the fire alive.

If this fan goes bad, the pellets don’t burn properly. Eventually, it creates smoke that finds its way through the hopper.

Solution:

There is no fixing of a faulty induction fan. The solution here is to replace it as soon as possible. Here’s how to do it appropriately,

• Unplug your Pit Boss grill from the power
• Locate the induction fan under the hopper
• Detach the orange wire Molex connector attached to the fan
• Remove the 4 screws holding the Pit Boss induction fan
• Pull the fan out of its place
• Screw a new induction fan in that spot
• Attach the orange wire of the new induction fan to the Molex connector

Now your Pit Boss induction fan should work just fine without generating excess smoke. For more help, you can watch the video to change the induction fan.

If you can take care of these 9 points, you won’t have excessive smoke in your Pit Boss smoker anymore. But how much smoke should you aim for? Give the following point a quick read.  

What’s The Ideal Amount Of Pit Boss Smoke?

The ideal amount of smoke for Pit Boss smokers actually depends on the cooking stage you are in now. Here’s what I mean:

Stage 1: There will be thick white smoke at the start-up. But this will go away soon.

Stage 2: There will be thin blue smoke once the grill heats up. It will be vaguely visible.

Stage 3: Once you are done with cooking and have started the smoking process, there will be thick blue smoke.

If you find anything except for these three conditions, then you can conclude that your Pit Boss is generating too much smoke.

How To Do Pit Boss Smoke Stack Adjustment

If you get the ideal amount of smoke but still not the right temperature, then you need Pit Boss smoke stack adjustment. Smokestack is just a fancy name for a chimney. Making some simple modifications to it will help you adjust the Pit Boss smoke setting temperature. 

Wondering how? Check it out below.

Step 1: Keep the chimney wide open while cooking at a lower temperature. This will allow a good airflow in the system, keeping the fire alive. Eventually, it will lead to an increase in temperature.

Step 2: You should keep the smokestack (the chimney) wide enough to put your middle and index finger through. To be more precise, aim for a 1-2 inch gap between the cap and the pipe.

Step 3: Widen the chimney path with a light push. Don’t put too much pressure on the chimney. If the chimney seems hard, oil the joints or see if anything’s clogged. 

Adjusting the chimney accordingly will get you to the perfect Pit Boss smoke setting within minutes. 

FAQ:

Why won’t my Pit Boss Grill light?

Your Pit Boss grill may not light due to many reasons such as damp pellets, a bad auger fan, a faulty ignitor, a jammed auger, too much smoke, etc.

Why is my Pit Boss Grill running so hot in smoke?

The most common reason why Pit Boss grill runs hot in smoke is external temperature, too many pellets, and a closed lid.

Why isn’t my Pit Boss Grill getting hot enough?

Your Pit Boss grill is not getting hot enough probably due to cold weather, excessive smoke, improper airflow in the system, bad pellets, etc. Here you can read our Pit Boss temperature problem solution guide to fix this issue perfectly.

Why don’t I see smoke coming from my Pit Boss Grill?

You don’t see smoke coming from your Pit Boss grill may be because you have set the temperature level too high. 

Why doesn’t my auger move and make noise?

Auger won’t move and make noise if pellet pieces get stuck there.

To Conclude:

You are already aware of the issues that can result in Pit Boss having too much smoke. And now you also know how much smoke you actually need. So from now on, you shouldn’t have any problem getting the perfect smokey flavor from your meat. 

However, if you are confused about any of these topics, let us know in the comment below.