Big Chief & AMNPS

[cmayna]

Yesterday I did a Lox cold smoke in one of my Big Chiefs using my AMNPS with great success by simply placing the smoker cage on top of the sleeping heating element.


Now I want to experiment using my AMNPS in my Big Chief electric smokers during hot smokes. The goal is to retire part of the heating element's responsibilities from having to burn the wood chips and only to heat the chamber. This would also allow me to separately control the amount of smoke by for instance burning just one end of one row of pellets.


The issue I see is space inside the box and where to place the AMNPS. Here are a few pics I took during an experiment test run with the heating element on and the AMNPS burning. As you can see the AMNPS is sitting right next to the element. Though it seemed to work pretty well, I felt there wasn't a whole bunch of smoke and think that at worst case, I should place a couple 3/4" holes on the lower part of exterior wall that the smoker cage is next to. I can always plug the holes with an hole cap if I decide to not stay with this setup.


But long term, I wonder if the mailbox / AMNPS combo is not a better way to go, since it would be separating the cage burner completely away from the chamber. If so, I would run the pipe into the lower back wall.


Thoughts please.

Craig

Tapayakin' from my iphone

 

[mr t 59874]

I would definitely consider the external smoker using mailbox or other container.  You will get what I call a cleaner or smother smoke into your smoker.  The longer the piping to the smoker the cooler the smoke will be, mine is close to 8 ft. total, picture # 8 in the below link.  You will be able then to use it while hot or cold smoking.  As others with the mod can tell you, the residue and creosote collected in the mailbox and piping is what would normally be collecting in the smoker and on your product.  Try to set your smoker in the shade or under a shelter for more successful cold smoking.

  My Cold Smoking Options w/Q - View

Hope this helps.  If you decide to do it, let us see your setup.

Tom

 

[daveomak]

Craig, morning......  Below is a picture of the wiring in my Totem smoker...  the wiring is enclosed in a "channel" that protects it....   Can you mount the AMNPS to either side of the channel and drill a few holes into the smoke chamber....  Maybe some sort of "enclosure" around the bottom of the smoker to contain the smoke....  Just trying to think "outside the smoker" HAHAHAHAHA....Dave

Hot plate wiring.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 7, 2013

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Craig I would do an external smoke box given the limited space in the chiefs.