MAK Grills Tech Talk, Auger and Auger Motor

MAK DADDY

Moderator
We use a USA made heavy stack auger motor for more torque that spins at a rate of 2.1RPM.
There is no separate (cheap) plastic fan attached to it to keep it cool like brand X, we can do this because we use the large stack motor and position it so the induction fan blows right across it to keep it cool.
The motor is attached to the 1/4" thick auger that is fed through the hopper and into the fire pot. The auger has a 1-5/8" spacing that carries a bank of pellets in each revolution. The auger & motor together can snap pellets with ease inside the hopper to prevent "pellet jams" and keep feed rates accurate for temperature control. We control the auger in one revolution increments to dump 1 bank of pellets at a time into the fire pot. This auger timing is what allows us to control the temperature so accurately in the grill as well as create as much smoke as possible in the lower temps.

Did you know: We have used the same auger motor since the first prototype left our facility in 2009 although we have changed the mounting of the motor a few times to make removal and service easier.
 

MAK DADDY

Moderator
Thanks all, yes I will be posting many more topics along the way.

The auger has a sharp spot where the wall of the hopper meets the tube opening to snap the pellets that may fall there.
We started out making the auger tubes from steel but then had some corrosion show up in the firepot area around 2011 so we switched to 304 stainless tubes. Those that have trouble with these old steel tubes can add a stainless sleeve kit we make to repair.

The auger motor and auger can be removed together by removing the auger motor mounting screws and pulling both straight out the side of the grill. You would only need to do this if there was an issue but we wanted to make all repairs on the MAK as easy as possible.
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
This is awesome and I have quite a few MAKS dating back to number 3 Funny thing is that I have never had an auger motor or auger failure.....There have been so many improvements but I look back at ole number 3 and she is probably still better built and engineered that the current crop
 

MAK DADDY

Moderator
Thanks Big Poppa, yes it is really rare for the MAK to have an auger motor fail.
Love that you are still cooking on number 3!
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
Actually I have no idea where it is....in the warehouse I cook on the newest ones! Dont feel bad I dont know where my prototype guitars and basses I deseigned are....
 
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