Traeger pecan is what I have as well and I like it. Traeger is 1/3 Pecan (flavor on the bag) and 2/3 Oak or Alder for fuel and flavor, as well as the 20 lb. bags of BBQ'ers Delight. The BBQ'ers Delight one pound bags that Todd sells as well is 100% the wood on the bag as well as Todd's pellets. My Traeger Pecan Pellets are up to 2" in length and bigger in diameter (short crayons.) I'll break them into smaller pieces next time. Like the booklet that came with the
AMNPS said, you'll have different results with pellets other than Todd's. I notice a big difference when starting the Traeger pellets vs.Todd's. Traeger doesn't catch as fast (probably because they're designed to be exposed to continuous electrical heat.) I'll use them in my
AMNTS (which I use to cold smoke meat on my grill for 2 hrs. before grilling.)
On the Gen 1 drain hole in the back of the smoker, you can't keep a lighter lit there from the draft coming into the smoker. Your center drain hole is more difficult to test but has to be the same. Putting your
AMNPS as close to it as possible or an elbow pointing towards the
AMNPS has to help solve air problems. I haven't generated any grease to even use the drain hole for what it's designed for. No one with air problems has even tested the drain hole as an air source. I have GEN 1's with no air problems, but I have found that Todd's products work best with Todd's pellets.
-Kurt