Magnum,
If you don't mind, please try this---It is what I do because I originally had trouble with the
AMNPS going out on me.
I have found that once it goes for 3 or 4 inches down the first row, it will not go out (unless something drips on it), and it is actually hard to put out, because it is burning so good.
But if it goes out within the first 2 or 3 inches, it wasn't lit good enough to start with.
Try this, when having trouble with early burn-outs:
Hold torch on the end you're lighting until you got a good flame going.
Allow this to burn (out of the wind) until it goes out.
Blow on it hard enough to get it to glow, and you'll see it spreading at the bottom of the pile.
Let that new flame burn again, until it burns out.
Blow a lot again, in the direction of the unburned pellets, spreading the glowing red into the unburned area. (Be careful not to burn your face!)
Let this new flame burn out again.
Let it smoke another 10 minutes, before putting it in.
Since I have been doing this, I have not had any burn out on me.
If you end up stopping it before you ran the whole maze, and separate the unburned from the burned pellets, you will see how really good it got burning, because even after you separate the burning from the unburned, it will take a half hour for the smoke to subside.
Hope this helps---It did for me.
Bear