New FEC-100 Smoke Coming Out Hopper

Mine does that as well, the pellets just get warm from the auger and surrounding metal. Smoke will sometimes seep through and u will notice it when your hopper is getting lower on pellets. Nothing to be concerned about in my opinion.

The smoke seems most noticeable when I have opened the door to mop the brisket and the temperature is recovering. I just want to make sure may pellet hopper doesn't ignite. That would not be good. This is my first brisket and hopefully it comes out awesome.

Nothing to worry about. When the fec is recovering the temp its dumping pellets for the fire so your gonna get more smoke. The only way pellets in your hopper would ever catch fire is if your whole cook box had some atomic fire in it.

Keep in mind, smoke will find "any" avenue to get out. If there is wind coming in the side, it will actually work it's way up the auger.

CS totally redesigned the auger into the Ramp System so the fire issue before in the straight through design was removed (with a strong wind, the auger was in the firepot and actually allowed the fire to burn it's way back if the outside wind was strong enough. It happened in my original FE when the wind was about 40 MPH.

The "heat" souldn't spontaneously combust any pellets, You could watch the pellets coming out of the auger and you'll be able to see if they're on fire or not.

It's likely just smoke working it's way up the auger.

I've seen it on mine and checked the hopper and the pellets at the bottom weren't even warm.

You said it Okie.

I had this same thing occur on my newer FEC.

I put a 5", 90* elbow on the exhaust and just make sure that it is not pointing into the wind, and no more smoke.

CS told me that any breeze into the exhaust can cause it. Nothing to worry about, but it can effect temps.

Pete