A-Maze-N smoker in MES30 at 4300 ft?

[LivesForever]

Hi, have any of you tried the A-Maze-N pellet smoker or tube smoker at 4300 feet elevation or higher? I have a 30 in. Masterbuilt electric smoker, and I want to find a solution that will let me set it and forget for many hours (especially overnight). I've heard great things about the AMNPS tray smoker, but I've also been told it will be hard to keep lit at anything higher than 4000 ft. Has that been your experience?

I've also been told that the AMNTS tube smoker will work well at my elevation, but it only burns for 5 hours, as opposed to 12 for the tray smoker, and some have said the smoke is too heavy for my small volume 30 inch smoker box, creating over-smoked or bitter food. Maybe I can mitigate this?

Does anyone have an opinion on either of these products for use in a MES30 at this altitude?

Thanks, everybody!

 

[wild west]

The tube you refer to is probably th 6 inch tube. They also make a 12 and one that expands to 18 inches. I have a mes 30 and both the maze and the 12inch tube. Only used the tube once inside the mes and way too much smoke. The maze produces less smoke but still too much for my taste inside the mes 30. The mailbox mod solved that for me. Elevation here is only 1650 but others at higher elevation say the tube works. Its been awhile since i filled the tube completely but if i remember correctly i got around 10 hrs from it.

 

[SonnyE]

No, I haven't.
But if an AMNPS won't stay lit (And I can't imagine why it would not.), what makes anybody think an AMNTS would?
Makes no sense to me.
Once we moved into town in Wyoming, from out at the mine and mill, we heated with wood exclusively and had NO problems above 5000 feet.
Something I picked up recently from daveomak was to dry my pellets in my smoker/oven. Put the pellets in a pan, then set for 275°. Dave said 24 hours. I found mine were totally dry in 12-15.
They burn fine after that.
(I don't care about the electricity, I produce more solar power than we use every year. So I try and use it. YMMV)

I got 11 hours out of my full AMNPS during the break in burn. So I could get an overnight smoke done.
Don't know if it could be eatable, but by golly it would be smoked. :confused: :D

 

[old sarge]

The only two reasons that your A-Maze-N apparatus won't stay lit is that you did not get it going strong to begin with OR at the altitude you are at with a thinner atmosphere and a closed enclosure like the MES there is insufficient air flow/oxygen getting inside to keep the embers lit.

 

[daveomak]

I think increasing the air flow to the AMNPS will probably help with the burn.. An enclosure, like the mailbox, will increase the velocity of the air, increasing the availability of oxygen.. One other mod that "should help" is elevating the AMNPS .. increased oxygen to the bottom holes... I have found the upper hole effectively stops recirculating smoke, which is very low in oxygen... the holes are ~7/8-1"... a step drill works awesome when drilling sheet metal... The smoker must be above ambient, to force the draft...

..

 

[dr k]

I'm finding that the air flow in the mailbox mod with the top vent wide open at 750ft. burns faster and produces more smoke than with the vent half open. So when I see the smoke getting more dense through the window I close the top vent to half way to keep TBS. The pellets always burn to ash when the vent is half or fully open. The Amnps in the mailbox mod should be great at higher elevations, being raised up and having all air going in the smoker passing the Amnps. I plugged the grease drain hole since I foil over the bottom drip pan hole since I don't generate pools of drippings, keeping all air going past the Amnps. I thought I'd have to drill holes in the mailbox door but leaving the two bottom mounting holes open closest to the door and the air coming in at the door hinge may be a little more high pressure.

 

[LivesForever]

No, I haven't.
But if an AMNPS won't stay lit (And I can't imagine why it would not.), what makes anybody think an AMNTS would?
Makes no sense to me.
Once we moved into town in Wyoming, from out at the mine and mill, we heated with wood exclusively and had NO problems above 5000 feet.
Something I picked up recently from daveomak was to dry my pellets in my smoker/oven. Put the pellets in a pan, then set for 275°. Dave said 24 hours. I found mine were totally dry in 12-15.
They burn fine after that.
(I don't care about the electricity, I produce more solar power than we use every year. So I try and use it. YMMV)

I got 11 hours out of my full AMNPS during the break in burn. So I could get an overnight smoke done.
Don't know if it could be eatable, but by golly it would be smoked. :confused: :D

I've been told it has something to do with the volume of pellets burning at once or something. So, you have used the AMNPS (tray version) at 5000 feet? Very good to know! Did you by any chance use it inside an electric smoker, or other box that didn't have very much air flow?

Thanks for this info!

 

[SonnyE]

I've been told it has something to do with the volume of pellets burning at once or something. So, you have used the AMNPS (tray version) at 5000 feet? Very good to know! Did you by any chance use it inside an electric smoker, or other box that didn't have very much air flow?

Thanks for this info!

No. I haven't used it at 5,000 ft el. I've used wood to heat our entire home with in a wood stove.

You need the triangle of fire. Fuel-Heat-Air. As long as you have those, you will have combustion, and smoke.
The AMNPS is designed to smolder pellets, but will also do sawdust. Although so far for me, it shines at burning pellets.
Yesterday I did a mixed load, pellets about 1/3, and sawdust over those. I got a full burn of Hickory/Alder for my duration of my Salmon smoke (About 3 hours for my case).
______________________________________________________
Different Day:


I estimated for a 6 hour smoke. This was the end of it.
The troughs were filled to just below the tops (like we see in the pictures).
So I got really close to just right. ;)

The only thing I can see that may effect your ability to get a full, clean burn, is the humidity in the fuel itself.
After all, if you are alive, there is enough oxygen to support combustion. :rolleyes: So it is my opinion your friends thinking is flawed.
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One more picture to share. After my break in burn, which took 11 hours (I suspect because my pellets were 'roasted' to dry them. But a good Friend told me he also gets 11 hours from his full tray, for example.)


This thing was plumb full. I'd call it a 99.99% burn to ash.

PS: You can click on the pictures to make them larger if you would like.