I will NOT give up on my AMZNPS !

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I received my AMNPS today. I've been playing around with it in my MES 40 2nd gen with little success so far. Hopefully I can figure something out and get it working.
Did you try this?

As for the AMNPS in the Gen #2, it seems to work best if you remove the water pan from the hole in the drip shield, and place your AMNPS over the hole. This gets air to run up through the water pan hole past your AMNPS. Then put a throw-away foil pan on the floor under the hole to catch any drips. Also if you are going to have food dripping from above your AMNPS, put something above it to protect it from drippings.   

Bear
 
 
Did you try this?

As for the AMNPS in the Gen #2, it seems to work best if you remove the water pan from the hole in the drip shield, and place your AMNPS over the hole. This gets air to run up through the water pan hole past your AMNPS. Then put a throw-away foil pan on the floor under the hole to catch any drips. Also if you are going to have food dripping from above your AMNPS, put something above it to protect it from drippings.   

Bear
Hi Bear,

Yes I did try that. I had the chip loader pulled out a few inches and turned 180 degrees to allow for better airflow. I even tried it with and without the chip tray under the heater element. I then went to extreme and pulled the chip loader out completely and had a muffin fan blowing directly into the hole. This seemed to have it a little better success but ultimately the pellets went out after an hour or so.

I followed Todd's lighting instructions exactly and also tried ScooterMagoo's way to light it using a heat gun but I had the same results. The pellets went out after a short period of time.

I'm going to repeat my process again today but I'm to pay a little closer attention to drying the pellets first and see what happens.

Thanks again Bear.
 
 
I also forgot to mention that I installed a 90 degree elbow over the side vent to try to create a little more draft.
Hmmmm, Sounds like you're hitting all the tricks.

If after all of that, you still can't keep it lit, I would suggest the "Mailbox" Mod. I only recommend that when all else fails.

I don't know if you mentioned what kind of pellets you're using. The only time I ever had any trouble at all was when I tried to use 100% Cherry. I use Hickory almost all the time, and never have a problem in my Gen #1.

Keep slugging away at it---It'll be worth it.

Bear
 
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Well, it went out again after a couple hours. I ran it with the chip loader out a few inches and turned 180 degrees, the chip tray pulled out about 1 1/2 inches, vent wide open with the 90 degree elbow installed, factory water pan removed and the AMNPS sitting above the hole on the drip shield like Todd recommends. From what I'm seeing, the AMNPS is still starved for air. Some of the pellets are burned completely but some are just charred. I'm not giving up by any means but I can definitely see why some people have!

Bear, I'm using oak pellets by the way
 
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Would one of you with these issues ship your smoker to me?   I want a challenge 
yahoo.gif
 
This is the Mod I did to mine for the times when I want to get the pellets going well. I obviously only use if for cold smoking (wouldn't want my fan to melt). Really gets some nice coals going to help keep it lit.

 
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Well, it went out again after a couple hours. I ran it with the chip loader out a few inches and turned 180 degrees, the chip tray pulled out about 1 1/2 inches, vent wide open with the 90 degree elbow installed, factory water pan removed and the AMNPS sitting above the hole on the drip shield like Todd recommends. From what I'm seeing, the AMNPS is still starved for air. Some of the pellets are burned completely but some are just charred. I'm not giving up by any means but I can definitely see why some people have!

Bear, I'm using oak pellets by the way
Oak should be good---Do you have any Hickory to try?

How full are you making yours. I forgot to mention, I fill mine only 1/4" from the top of the walls. Foamy fills his 3/4 full, and has good success. I think that's about the same.

Too full could cut the air flow down & could jump rows if you do finally get it going good.

Bear
 
 
Oak should be good---Do you have any Hickory to try?

How full are you making yours. I forgot to mention, I fill mine only 1/4" from the top of the walls. Foamy fills his 3/4 full, and has good success. I think that's about the same.

Too full could cut the air flow down & could jump rows if you do finally get it going good.

Bear
The only other pellets I have are the Pitmaster's Choice. I was hoping to save those for actual smokes and use the oak to figure out the bugs of the AMNPS in the MES but at this rate I may have to dip into the Pitmaster's before all the bugs are worked out.

I've been filling the AMNPS about a 1/4" from the top.
 
 
The only other pellets I have are the Pitmaster's Choice. I was hoping to save those for actual smokes and use the oak to figure out the bugs of the AMNPS in the MES but at this rate I may have to dip into the Pitmaster's before all the bugs are worked out.

I've been filling the AMNPS about a 1/4" from the top.
Will it light and stay lit outside the box?
 
Try it, that will eliminate a lot of possibilities. So you burn a line....

Then you'll know for sure its a airflow problem and not pellets, or how you lite it etc etc etc.... 

After that:

If it burns then try sitting it on the meat rack in between the hole for the reloader and the exhaust vent. If it burns there we know its a placement problem.

That eliminates even more possibilities.

You'll like it, if we can find a good placement point.
 
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Try it, that will eliminate a lot of possibilities. So you burn a line....

Then you'll know for sure its a airflow problem and not pellets, or how you lite it etc etc etc.... 

After that:

If it burns then try sitting it on the meat rack in between the hole for the reloader and the exhaust vent. If it burns there we know its a placement problem.

That eliminates even more possibilities.

You'll like it, if we can find a good placement point.
Foamheart, thanks for the PM. I appreciate all the help.

I will definitely try to burn the AMNPS outside of the smoker and make sure that I am lighting it well enough and there are no problems with the pellets.

Which meat rack are you saying to place the AMNPS on? The bottom rack? Do you center the AMNPS on the rack?

Thanks again.
 
 
Foamheart, thanks for the PM. I appreciate all the help.

I will definitely try to burn the AMNPS outside of the smoker and make sure that I am lighting it well enough and there are no problems with the pellets.

Which meat rack are you saying to place the AMNPS on? The bottom rack? Do you center the AMNPS on the rack?

Thanks again.
Doesn't matter, as long as its in between the suction and the discharge or the chip loader and the exhaust vent. Oh and put the heat to high first for 20 mins to get the box up to temp. I am pretty sure you can not cold smoke in the MES40 without mods. You can warm smoke after you get the AMPS working consistently. High temp. (275) guarantees a good suction and discharge or draft thru the box.
 
I'm still experimenting with mine as well, and I'll toss another idea out there: remove the chip tube completely.

I've not tried placing the pellet box ABOVE the water pan hole, I've been keeping it below it. I'll have to move things around next weekend on my next smoking adventure :grilling_smilie:
 
I am pretty sure if you pull it out just an 1 inch the suction will be fine. If you look at the end of the loader there will be either 2 or three holes drilled just for air.

I tried it without the loader and saw no difference what so ever in my MES 30, not knowing if you are a 30 or a 40 or which generation (like I would know), I was just trying to help narrow the problem down. If you can burn a line outside the box its and air flow problem. If you place the tray directly between the suction/discharge in a 275 degree box, and it goes out, you are not moving enough air. If like I think it will stay burning, its a positioning problem. My MES 30, doesn't like the far left bottom corner usually. BUT you must start it right, you must have the box temp to 275 with the vent fully open to get that draft going BEFORE you try putting the AMPs in.

I am going to try a 3" pipe extension on my discharge vent. Just setting it up there. I understand from a smart fella that the height extension equals a increase in diameter. I am no engineer but I believe him.
 
I was originally looking at the Masterbuilt cold smoker but it's not a true cold smoker because it makes the smoker box run around 100-120 degrees. I'd consider that a warm smoker. I decided against it and went with the AMNPS because I didn't want to have to make mods to it to turn it into a true cold smoker. Now I may have to make mods to the AMNPS to be able to do a true cold smoke. Given, I know it's my smoker and not the AMNPS but I may have reconsidered my purchase if I knew that going into it. I knew I'd have to tinker to get proper airflow but I didn't realize that I'd potentially have to sacrifice the cold smoking function of it.

All that being said, I'm still not giving up! Sorry for my rant!
 
Note to all: The reason I tell people with the Gen#2 to put the AMNPS over the hole vacated by removing the water pan, instead of on a rack more to the right, is because in the Gen #2, that big stupid slanted drip plate is blocking most of the air flow from beneath it, except the air that manages to be forced to the left & up through the water pan hole.

That big slanted drip plate is also a big factor in why the Gen #2 is hotter on the right than on the left. The drip plate is higher on the right than on the left, forcing rising heat uphill to the right, under the plate.

Bear
 
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