I always heat the
AMNPS from underneath going about 1/4 back from the front of it. I always start out using a propane blowtorch to heat the pellets through the hole and getting that really bright cherry, then I heat from underneath with the blowtorch, back up front and then along the tops of the pellets about 1/4 from the front as well. I keep this up for about 60 seconds even if there's a flame burning and then I blow on the burning end to get that cherry again. I then set the
AMNPS on the ground and let it burn for about 20 minutes. If the flame goes out I blow on it to get the cherry which re-ignites the flame.
After it's been going for 20 minutes, I blow out the flame and again blow on the smouldering end of the pellets to get that red-hot cherry which sometimes re-ignites the flame. Just before I place the
AMNPS in my MES 30 I blow out the flame, blow on the pellets to get the cherry glowing, and then place the
AMNPS on the two rails next to the wood chip tray cover with the smouldering end facing the back of my MES.
This summer I'm going to try pouring a little alcohol gel on the wood pellets and then ignite them with a butane lighter instead of the propane blowtorch to see if that works better. Even though Todd has said nuking the wood pellets can help I've never had to do that.