Disappointed with amount of smoke; bought a master built electric 40" added updated part sent by mas

[travisty]

 
I have the 40 inch Master built, My 3rd Master built in 9 years.  one was DOA and was replaced.  They require constant feeding (once every 40 minutes) with new chips.  I bought the AMPS and it goes out.  i guess not enough air in the box.  Anyway i started to use the pellets in the chip loader.  that does produce quite a bit of smoke.  usually use the pellets just when getting started, and wood chips afterward.  the flavor is fine in everything but a pork butt or brisket.  Rib roast is fine, plenty of smoke flavor.  Am very interested in finding out how the external smoke box works for cold smoking. 

Larry, the loading every 40 minutes is normal for the MES,  just be careful with pellets in the chip tray. There are multiple stories on here about that causeing a full on fire in the chamber, and destroying the whole unit. Masterbuilt specifically has a warning against using pellets in the chip, stating it can cause fire, which is in the users manual.

Are you using the AMNPS (the Maze) or the AMNTS (the tube)? Depending on your elevation, they say the tube is for higher elevation and will stay lit easier in lower oxygen environments. Ive never had my tube go out ever, as long as I keep the exhaust all the way open, and I also pull the chip loader out a couple inches so it creates some in-flow that way.

I think of all the options available the Mailbox mod is the best. The MES generator (you can find in on Amazon by searching "Masterbuilt Smoker Generator") is not as good as mailbox mod IMHO, just doesn't produce as good of smoke as the AMNTS/AMNPS do.

 

[bigdog7]

Larry, the loading every 40 minutes is normal for the MES,  just be careful with pellets in the chip tray. There are multiple stories on here about that causeing a full on fire in the chamber, and destroying the whole unit. Masterbuilt specifically has a warning against using pellets in the chip, stating it can cause fire, which is in the users manual.

Are you using the AMNPS (the Maze) or the AMNTS (the tube)? Depending on your elevation, they say the tube is for higher elevation and will stay lit easier in lower oxygen environments. Ive never had my tube go out ever, as long as I keep the exhaust all the way open, and I also pull the chip loader out a couple inches so it creates some in-flow that way.


I think of all the options available the Mailbox mod is the best. The MES generator (you can find in on Amazon by searching "Masterbuilt Smoker Generator") is not as good as mailbox mod IMHO, just doesn't produce as good of smoke as the AMNTS/AMNPS do.

What is the mailbox mod and what does it Do?

 

[cansmoke]

I have an MES 30" digital and am satisfied with smoke.  SDo you run the top vent open or closed.  I run it closed.

 

[travisty]

What is the mailbox mod and what does it Do?

Just search "Mailbox Mod" up in the search box, and you'll find all kinds of step by step builds walk trough's.

You literally buy a mailbox, and run some ducting from a hole you put in the back of it to your smokers chip loader hole, put an AMNPS into the mailbox, and BAM, you've got a really nice smoke generator.

Looks like this:

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• travisty
• May 12, 2017

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127770/mes-mailbox-mod-for-use-with-amnps

 

[porkebellie]

I loved my MES30 with a AMNPS for my overnight cooks while I slept. Had to add vent holes to the MES to burn cherry and peach pellets but no big deal. For the money MES is a great cook....but....

Thinking of retiring the MES now as I came across a sweet deal on a new Kamodo and do not touch the MES and gave away my gas powered trailer grill. 

Ive lurked here for 5 years and this is my first post? Sorry about that folks!

 

[jimmy1957]

 
I bought the 40" and the cold smoke kit was disappointed until I modified the cold smoker! It now smokes like a drunken sailor for hours!

One would think this thing should work to add smoke to the oven but just burns the chips and the smoke goes out the top of the cold smoke unit!

Only took me 4 years to have that DUH moment when I realized the design flaw. I proceed to drill 20 - 3/16" Holes in the chip holder just below the

flange on one of the four sides. 4 rows of holes 6 in the top row, 4 in the second(Staggered), Then 6 in the 3rd row, 4 in the 4th row.

This allows the smoke to enter the oven and no longer vents thru the chip cap and flange. This thing smokes like all get out, Maybe too much

with chips about 3-4 hours and I mean to tell you its better than an A-Mazen  pellet as you get so much smoke you can't see in the oven with

clean glass.

Can you post any pictures of your modification.

 

[tshirtmeister]

Here ya go! Chips burn faster now but I get major amounts of smoke. Wetting the chips it goes for 2 hours, 1 hour dry.  I need a sliding plate to choke it down  and adjust flow. This thing before didn't get much smoke in the oven and seemed to just burn chips. Now its too muchsmoke for some but its what I wanted.

.

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• tshirtmeister
• May 14, 2017

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• tshirtmeister
• May 14, 2017

 

[smoker21]

A long time ago, I used an upright freezer for cold smoking bacon. Since then, the city where I was living put a ban on "White" products being left outside.

FYI, I have also used the box that my dishwasher came in. [emoji]128578[/emoji]

JD

 

[jimmy1957]

 
Here ya go! Chips burn faster now but I get major amounts of smoke. Wetting the chips it goes for 2 hours, 1 hour dry.  I need a sliding plate to choke it down  and adjust flow. This thing before didn't get much smoke in the oven and seemed to just burn chips. Now its too muchsmoke for some but its what I wanted.

.

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• tshirtmeister
• May 14, 2017

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• tshirtmeister
• May 14, 2017

​Is that and original cold smoker from masterbuilt? Because it looks different then mine, I have no problem with mine except smoke wants to leak around the top lid when you close it I still get plenty of smoke in the smoker.

 

[tshirtmeister]

yes it is.

 

[just george]

Say, yeah, this looks a little different than mine also.  But it's close enough.  Do you think less holes would cut down the smoke?  My thoughts are start out with, say, 1/2 and then drill more if needed.

This is a GREAT idea and I'll be trying it as soon as I hear back from you!

 

[tshirtmeister]

Yes start with half as many soak the chips for 30 minutes and that will do. My Ribs tasted great with a heavy applewood smoke flavor, Chicken I will cut the smoke off at 45 minutes.  I'm happy this thing actually smokes now. Like it should have. Pellets burn to hot. This is great I get a ton of smoke and steam from the water tray being 1/2 full. Start with one row test and drill another if you want more. I always looked at the chip holder funny and said wheres the smoke supposed to go down? Scratching my head. Heat goes up! Like I said it was a DUH moment. Cheers

 

[jimmy1957]

So the air is suppose to blow in the holes and force the smoke down and through the pipe into the smoker?

 

[tshirtmeister]

The holes aren't much above the oven inlet in the lower chamber, without the holes it has to go down below the heating element and back up. Doesn't get much smoke flow. The hot smoke and air vent above the element this way into the oven. With out the holes the hot smoke can only get smothered in its own chamber. I am getting way better smoke. PK

 

[gellfex]

Wow, reading this whole thread was a slog! Takeaway? I've ordered the MES cold smoke unit from Walmart for $52. I'm tired of the constant checking the tray on my MES30, and having to empty it because have charcoal rather than ash.  There just seemed to be too many futzy things that can go wrong with the AMNS, particularly with the later units, mine is 2 years old. I don't do smokes longer than 5 hrs so the time capability was not a factor. The other factor is I can use my own fruitwood in the MES unit rather than only bought products. I have peach, fig and grape, which are great for fish and fowl, which are most for my smoking.

Thanks for all the info folks! I'm doing my last batch of bluefish in the tray this afternoon.

 

[tshirtmeister]

If you mod it only put about 10 3/16 holes under the flange and soak your chips, that will get a couple hours of good smoke.

 

[tuffer]

Buy a Lang and you wont have any problem with smoke. 

 

[mockpo]

To chime in with my results, I have both add-ons for smoke. The cold smoke kit works well..alot of smoke. It has caught on fire when I closed the smoker door after spritzing the meat..air backflow and gummy residue. The AMNPS has worked, but incosistently. Yes, Ive lit it per instructions here, torch, 10 minute burn in, microwave pellets, etc. However, Ive noticed that the AMNPS, when flowing right, provides just as good results as the cold smoker. Though with less visible smoke and less fuel. Its the TBS that youre trying to get anyway. Ive added the mailbox, but seems airflow was worse than inside the smoker, it always went out. Adding a fan was touch and go with results from blowing out to catching on fire.

I use the smoker at least twice a month and really enjoy the results as does everyone that joins me for dinner.

As for chicken, my favorite way is to grill/sear it first, then smoke it for an hour or two. Otherwise the skin is too rubbery.

 

[dr k]

To chime in with my results, I have both add-ons for smoke. The cold smoke kit works well..alot of smoke. It has caught on fire when I closed the smoker door after spritzing the meat..air backflow and gummy residue. The AMNPS has worked, but incosistently. Yes, Ive lit it per instructions here, torch, 10 minute burn in, microwave pellets, etc. However, Ive noticed that the AMNPS, when flowing right, provides just as good results as the cold smoker. Though with less visible smoke and less fuel. Its the TBS that youre trying to get anyway. Ive added the mailbox, but seems airflow was worse than inside the smoker, it always went out. Adding a fan was touch and go with results from blowing out to catching on fire.

I use the smoker at least twice a month and really enjoy the results as does everyone that joins me for dinner.

As for chicken, my favorite way is to grill/sear it first, then smoke it for an hour or two. Otherwise the skin is too rubbery.

Would you provide pics of your mailbox mod? I made a rack to elevate the Amnps in the mailbox in the pic below which eliminated air flow issues. I plugged the mailbox mounting holes in the bottom except two pencil holes 3" from the door. The only hole I put in the mailbox was the 3" hole in the top rear of the mailbox for the vent pipe. Air come in at the bottom of the door between the hinges and two holes under and over the Amnps up tthe rear bent hole. Some people attach binder clips to the four corners of the Amnps to elevate it.

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• dr k
• Jul 5, 2016

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• dr k
• Nov 30, 2016

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• dr k
• Apr 27, 2016

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• dr k
• Aug 28, 2016

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• dr k
• Mar 20, 2017

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• dr k
• Aug 28, 2016

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• dr k
• Nov 3, 2016

I

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• dr k
• Nov 3, 2016

Make the piping as short or long as you want. I made a plug out of the obsolete chip loader when done appling smoke and put a dedicated smoker towel over the top vent to make it a draftless oven for more even heating throughout the smoker. It really shortens the heating cycles.
-Kurt

 

[mockpo]

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• mockpo
• May 18, 2017

Heres a pic. I tried with no holes and then added some to get airflow. It just didnt work for me as well as leaving it above the water reserve and the chip loader pulled out a few inches. I used the flex hose to give some distance between the box and smoker, pretty much like all the others I've seen here. My initial impression was that the AMNPS smoldered out, cutting an opening in the box floor, then adding a slight breeze from a fan helped some but getting just the right airflow was cumbersome. Its not a lot of detail but it was what I had on hand..i can try to take pics when Im out in the garage again