AMNPS and MES

msuman · Apr 14, 2012

I'm looking for some tips on using the AMNPS with my MES. I know its been talked about before, but I'm browsing on my phone and its hard to search. The instructions say not to use water in pan. Will it effect it? I've got my chip loader pulled out about 2" and my exhaust about half open.

Thanks for the input.

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daveomak · Apr 14, 2012

msuman, morning..... I would follow the directions... seems like someone took some time to figure all this stuff out... and open the exhaust wide open.... Smokers need somewhere to get rid of the moisture.... Dave

mossymo · Apr 14, 2012

Setting the A-MAZE-N in the water pan will cut down on the amount of oxygen the pellets or sawdust will get that is required for a good burn, I suspect that it would in fact burn out. Best keeping closer to the air intake of the chip drawer.

da maxx · Apr 14, 2012

The water pan helps regulate\disburse the heat. Keep it in. Your preference on actually adding water\juice. I foil the pan to aide in clean-up. It will catch the drippings. What size MES do you have? Electric ?

I have a MES30. I place the AMNPS on the rails next to the chip tray. I pull the chip tray out about 1", and pull the loader about 2". The AMNPS smokes fine. I have the top vent side open. I placed a 3" (heat ducting) 90 deg elbow to help it draft.

msuman · Apr 14, 2012

DA MAXX said:
The water pan helps regulate\disburse the heat. Keep it in. Your preference on actually adding water\juice. I foil the pan to aide in clean-up. It will catch the drippings. What size MES do you have? Electric ?

I have a MES30. I place the AMNPS on the rails next to the chip tray. I pull the chip tray out about 1", and pull the loader about 2". The AMNPS smokes fine. I have the top vent side open. I placed a 3" (heat ducting) 90 deg elbow to help it draft.

I have an MES40. Do you put water/juice in the pan while using the AMNPS. I just opened mine up to foil my ribs after 2 hours and almost one entire row had burned on the AMNPS. I didnt have the chip try pulled out but I did pull out the loader. It seems like its struggling to kemp the temp up for some reason. It can get up to about 235ish according to my maverick with the loader pulled out. This is only the second time I have used my MES. First time, last weekend, it could get up to 250-255 with ease with the controller set at 260. Dont know if the added intake from the loader being pulled out lowers the temp or not.

da maxx · Apr 14, 2012

I personally choose to keep water\juice in my pan. 225 is my target temp for the smoker when doing pork ribs, butt, or brisket. I don't have problems keeping this temp or going higher if needed. I only use the AMNPS for long (> 6hrs) smokes. When I do chicken, I run the MES at max (275) and use chips. Only takes 2-3 hrs. The 40 is bigger unit so we have different setups. The 40 might draft more.Try to not pull the loader tray out as much.

msuman · Apr 14, 2012

Thanks, gonna try pulling out the tray a little and pushing in the loader a little.

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chef jimmyj · Apr 14, 2012

Todd as told me that pulling the Chip Loader too far out can cause the Pellets to burn faster. My last smoke I had the loader out 2.5 inches and burned up two full rows in just shy of 4 hours, should be closer to 6 hours. I don't believe the loader being out has that big an impact on temp unless it is in the 30's and the unit is sucking in cold air...JJ

msuman · Apr 14, 2012

I think I may have had the loader pulled out to far.

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da maxx · Apr 14, 2012

Chef JimmyJ said:
Todd as told me that pulling the Chip Loader too far out can cause the Pellets to burn faster. My last smoke I had the loader out 2.5 inches and burned up two full rows in just shy of 4 hours, should be closer to 6 hours. I don't believe the loader being out has that big an impact on temp unless it is in the 30's and the unit is sucking in cold air...JJ

Chef J, Do you have the 40?

I have the 30, and the first use with the AMNPS, it jumped rows and two rows was smoking. Todd suggested I start the row closest to the heating element first and let it burn away from chip tray. I tried that. However, it barely burned half-a-row in 2 hours. I took it out and re-fired it up. still seemed to go out. I had the chip tray out slightly and the loader about 1.5 inches.

rabbithutch · Apr 14, 2012

IIRC, when I got my AMNPS, the instructions - or an email from Todd, can't remember - said to spritz the pellets with rubbing alcohol. I went out and bought a spray bottle and filled it with rubbing alcohol. I spritz the pellets - all of them that I use for the smoke - to give them what I think is a lower oxidation point. I then light them off with a Bernzomatic until I'm satisfied with how they're burning then put them in the MES 40 with the starting side next to the chip chute.

Sometimes, I find that I forget to open the chip drawer. I'm considering removing the chip chute and putting a damper on the hole to control the inflow of air like DaveOmak did to his MES30. That looks like an excellent mod, but I haven't yet looked at doing it to my 40. I probably won't do it unless the mod is reversible.

HTH

chef jimmyj · Apr 14, 2012

DA MAXX said:
Chef J, Do you have the 40?

I have the 30, and the first use with the AMNPS, it jumped rows and two rows was smoking. Todd suggested I start the row closest to the heating element first and let it burn away from chip tray. I tried that. However, it barely burned half-a-row in 2 hours. I took it out and re-fired it up. still seemed to go out. I had the chip tray out slightly and the loader about 1.5 inches.

Yep got a 40. I have used the AMNPS several times without issue. This last run was with new pellets and I think I need to adjust the loader. I had the burning row closest to the Coil and Todd suggested having the burning row against the wall to slow things down as well. I have a Big Chicken brining and going to smoke it up Sunday afternoon, we will see what happens...The AMNPS is by far the best addition anyone can add to their smoker. It takes good smokers and make them unbeatable. I LOVE the smell and taste of the New Pitmaster's Choice Pellets!...JJ

wally · Apr 15, 2012

I have an MES but it is not the 30 or 40. I don't have a chip loader on mine and no exhaust control. I have to open the door to add chips ever hour or so. Haven't used it yet because I just got it. Sounds like I got the wrong one. Hope I am able to do a decent job with it.

thin blue smoke · Apr 15, 2012

In the FAQ section of Todd's A-Maze-N website he states for the MES you should remove the chip loader and pull out the chip drawer approximately 1 1/2 inches.

I have done this every time I use the AMNPS (both cold and hot smoking) and it works perfectly.

I always leave the vent wide open and fill the pan with some liquid when hot smoking.

jesse t · Apr 16, 2012

Wally said:
I have an MES but it is not the 30 or 40. I don't have a chip loader on mine and no exhaust control. I have to open the door to add chips ever hour or so. Haven't used it yet because I just got it. Sounds like I got the wrong one. Hope I am able to do a decent job with it.

I have the analogue version that I suspect Wally has. At first I had problems with the MES burning too quickly. Then i added some heat deflectors with aluminum foil and pans and then it started going out. I think part of it may be that the pellets when I first got them were dry and fresh and they have since gotten a little moist. I have found that if I let the AMNPS go for about an hour with no water in the pan it will dry out well enough that I can add water if I want.

Wally, an AMNPS would alleviate the chip problem. I was never satisfied with the smoke production from the chips on mine.

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