When your grill begins acting up, there could be a few problems that went unnoticed.
These usually relate to shoddy maintenance or even overuse.
The Yoder is a popular grill using pellets to heat your meals.
When the Yoder begins to exhibit faults, there are easy-to-fix solutions available.
With your Yoder auger not feeding pellets, there could be jammed parts within the unit.
Also, loose screws or excess pellets could be a problem.
Fixing a Yoder auger jam issue takes some know-how regarding the ins and outs of the grill.
However, much of the fixing can be carried out without an expert.
Yoder Auger Not Feeding Pellets? / Yoder Auger Jam? – Reasons
There are a few reasons why your Yoder auger may not be feeding pellets.
Even in such situations, however, the Yoder will not need replacements.
The simple steps listed herein should get the problem fixed soonest.
Here are a few reasons for your Yoder Auger not feeding pellets.
Loose Screws
Some owners notice loosening of screws during the winter and this leads to malfunctions.
The screws on the auger support the feeding of pellets into the unit.
When these screws get loose, it becomes harder for the unit to perform optimally.
It might not be noticeable at first because the pellets may be fed for a while before the problem starts or persists.
Fixing this is easy and requires no expertise or consultation.
Obstructions
Checking the motor and wiring connections, you should notice any obstructions to the feeder.
When pellets aren’t being fed and the Auger is jammed, there is a likelihood of some obstruction.
This could be excess pellets, wires, and other small debris possibly compromising the auger.
It might require loosening a few screws and checking the insides of the auger to notice such obstructions.
Auger motor
At times, the motor itself gets loose.
This is particularly harder to notice if the Yoder is firing up well.
When pellets aren’t being fed normally, the motor could be loose which requires the user manual to get it right.
This might prompt the Yoder owner to call it in, perhaps to customer service to walk them through it.
Issue with controller
At times, there will be controller issues.
If the auger runs but pellets don’t drop into the burn grate there could be controller problems.
Additionally, if there is no power being fed to the auger, it is likely an issue of blown fuses.
These need testing using proper equipment.
It is difficult to spot blown fuses simply through observation.
Also, you need to know the ampere a fuse is capable of holding.
In this case, the fuse you replace should be an OEM product.
Main Circuit Board
At times, the auger won’t fire up and nothing is working, including the motor.
When this occurs, it is not your fuses or motor that is the problem.
It is crucial to examine your main power supply.
At times, the main circuit board will keep tripping either due to in-house problems, or the Yoder itself.
However, if this is the problem, everything within the Yoder will be working properly and not need replacement.
Yoder Auger Not Feeding Pellets?/ Yoder Auger Jam -Solutions
Screws
Ensure that all screws are tightened afresh and rerun your Yoder.
This involves turning off your machine before attempting to tighten anything.
These screws are easy enough to tighten with any screwdriver.
However, it is important to focus on unplugging the unit before doing anything.
Also, it is important to know how to open the entire unit.
If possible, read through the user manual for professional instructions on disassembling and reassembling the unit.
Fuses
This process involves using a meter to check for continuity.
It means you need a tester, or other device to confirm that indeed there is a current running through the wires, and reaching the auger.
If there is no current, you need to replace the fuses.
The ratings of these fuses will be listed in the user manual, or along the panels of the grill.
It is important to source such replacements from credible online or local stores.
These will stock original equipment while also offering legit warranties.
Wiring
Anything can wear out wires, including pellets or ashes and movement.
With time, your Yoder auger was probably moved around a lot.
Furthermore, the grill must have undergone some maintenance along the way.
It is almost inevitable that some areas will be touched that never needed maintenance.
When service techs show up, they may fix one bit and leave wires loose.
Examine the entire wiring connections and tighten up any loose connections – particularly concerning the motor.
Motor
Tightening the motor should be a straightforward task and perusing the manual remains of utmost importance.
The motor could come loose for any number of reasons, including shoddy repairmen.
When one part is fixed, and indeed the motor itself, they may not put things back properly.
Many technicians are rushing to get to another job.
Ensure that the motor is not shaking irregularly and there are no new irregular noises.
Tighten all parts to avoid further repairs to the unit.
Blockage
With the auger, one can move it manually to reveal any obstructions.
There are instructions on how to do this in case it gets tricky.
This might be something better left to experts if you cannot move the auger.
However, if it moves, check for any blockages either from debris or other components.
Once you clear this blockage, the Yoder Auger jam should clear easily enough and the unit should work properly.
Replacements
With time, the entire unit will need replacing.
Although quite rare, a Yoder auger jam could be the result of the unit simply being old.
Grilling for years involves primitive cementing.
This includes ash, water, and the like.
This sort of damage causes the grill to underperform with time.
It may simply be time for a new unit and not necessarily fixes.
Related Questions
Where are Yoder temperature probes located in the cooker?
Probes in Yoder located left of the direct center of the bottom grates, centered front to back.
It is located at a minimum of 6″ from anything that is in the cooker, and lying directly on the grate surface.
Placing probes next to the cooker’s thermocouple, or next to anything that is cooking, will not give the accurate readings.
What is Yoder Damper Position?
Pushing the damper 5 inches evenly cooks on grill surface.
It creates an ideal environment for even cuts of meat at slow cooking.
How Long Does It Take For a Yoder to Warm Up?
In the event that you need your Yoder grill to be hot and ready to cook, it’ll take you some time to warm up.
When grilling over an open flame, allow 10-15 minutes for the grill to reach the optimal cooking temperature.
On an indirect grill, the entire smoke chamber is exposed to heat for 20-30 minutes.
What Happens If Yoder Runs Out Of Pellets?
In this case, there is no need to panic, as the temperature will remain as long as the wood pellets remain inside the firepot.
As soon as the fie pot is found, the fire will be extinguished and the temperature in the cooking zone will drop.
Put the wood pellets in the hopper and within minutes it will be hot again.
Bottom Line
Keeping a Yoder well-maintained is important for the lifespan of the unit.
It is however not guaranteed that the grill will not pose problems at some point.
Replacing parts should be a process that involves legitimate sources, be they local, online, or international vendors.
Sources:
https://community.yodersmokers.com/viewtopic.php?p=6037
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