Traeger PB150 add on hopper

[jlmilligan]

Does anyone have any ideas on a add on hopper for a PB150? I am new to this and have not recieved my boiler yet, so I am not sure how this would work or what my options are. I would like to get at least 400 to 500 pounds in to the hopper so I can go a week or so between fill ups. That is if the ash pan will take it. I have some room next to the boiler and I think I will make it out of 2x4s and plywood. If I remove one of my oil tanks, then it could be up to 10L x 4W x 6H. I have 93" ceilings in my basement so with 6' high I could still have 2 feet or so under the unit for the auger hook up.
Thanks

 

[Sting]

I wouldn't recommend adding onto the factory hopper. Thats an awful lot of weight for the hopper design.

If your handy - and could build one -- I recommend build one off to the side and a bit higher so you might gravity feed replacement fuel ( as via a piece of 3 inch PVC)

or build a large hopper to the side with an electric auger so anyone could simply flick the switch and refill the appliance hopper.

But if you burn the PB150 24/7 under hi fire when its terribly cold - you only need to fill every 12 hours - and under those conditions you will want to look in on the thing anyway.

 

[jlmilligan]

thanks Sting, i am just running thru some ideas. I would like to think i am pretty handy around the house so building one would not be an issue. I was just thinking about something that would refill the hopper automaticaly. I don't know how often I will have to clean the ash pan but I would like the hopper to last at least as long as the ash pan. I don't think I will do anything this year. I will wait to see how this winter goes. Hopefully I can keep it at 8 tons.
Thanks

 

[Sting]

Cleaning the ash --- its all going to hinge on the fuel -- Great fuel makes little ash - poor fuel makes a lot. Baby Boiler will eat what you feed it and produce about the same on either quality.

Just a guess - your going to want to shut down and punch the vertical flues - sweep the turbulators and upper smoke chamber - dump the ash pan every 500 pounds for best appliance efficiency.

Sales literature says far less often - your doing this to save money - you should invest a little extra time to save as much as you can.

Take a look at my posts at iburncorn.com under the Traeger tab for more information on this. -- and some foolish ideas to make the appliance work a little better than stock.

 

[connerfur]

JL,
Are you still looking at some kind of bulk for you PB 150?

I just built an automatic filler for mine using a Corn Vac, a shop vac and an empty fiber barrel as the bulk storage.