AMNPS and Smoke Hollow 30" Smoker

[hammbone]

Hey everyone,

I am brand new to smoking and just bought a Smoke Hollow ES230B 30" smoker (https://www.samsclub.com/sams/smoke...MIwbOwrdjy3wIVC7bICh2O9gWlEAQYBCABEgI1HvD_BwE). It looks to be very similar to the MES30 gen 2.5. I have been trying to use the AMNPS however no matter what I do I can not keep the pellets lit. I have been putting it on the bottom rack on the right hand side and have followed all the tips I can and I get a nice red glow before placing it in the smoker. Once in the smoke it will not stay lit. I am thinking it may be an airflow problem? The main difference that I notice is the Smoke hollow to not have a side chip loader or any sort of intake valve that I can find like the MES30 has. Any ideas on what to do?

 

[Jeff Wright]

I haven't studied on the Smoke Hollow, but if there is only one vent for outflow, it most definitely sounds like an airflow problem. Seems the issue was discussed on this forum before. You might try to do a search.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

I think you are exactly right its an air flow problem. How do you add chips?

 

[PAS]

I cant find that one listed. Is the number correct? It will need airflow to get the pellets to burn properly. Can you return it?

 

[hammbone]

Sorry I had the numbers mixed up and I fixed the missing link so you all can get a better idea of what I am talking about. I have tried to research these forums without any luck before posting. To add chips you have to open the door.

 

[PAS]

Both inside pictures "appear" to show the side chip loader. Can you show us an inside close up of yours?

 

[hammbone]

The picture attached in my first post is my unit. While the inside looks like it would have the side chip loader if you look at the outside pictures there is no hole.

 

[PAS]

This is my chip loader. L

ooks like they forgot to open the side up on those.

 

[zwiller]

Wild, yes from researching you need crack door and use tongs to add chips. Pretty sure the loader is covered under MB patent. If you plan to keep it, you probably will cringe but drill the hole. Not really rocket science. I would never encourage someone to do this unless the tray worked as well but it does. You will be real happy once you get it going.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

So basically you have a chip box and you have to open the smoker door remove the box add more chips then put it back in?

I had an old MES analog smoker just like that. Short of boring a hole in the side of your smoker and doing a mailbox mod the AMNPS isn’t going to work. There is just no airflow to keep the pellets lit.

 

[zwiller]

Cracking the door a little might work. In my limited engineering experience the MES has the air flowing through the chip loader area so it gets warmed by the element and circulates via convection and exists the top vent. Hole saw is what I'd use and maybe spring for a tube of rtv to seal.

 

[fivetricks]

I've done conversions on various smoke hollows for pellets.

Bite the bullet and drill the hole. Then you can customize airflow with the mailbox or whatever box you add for the new pellet setup :-)

 

[hammbone]

What size hole would I drill. I guess I would need something to adjust the hole size to give different amounts of airflow.

 

[dr k]

Wow I heard awhile back MB bought Smoke Hollow and this is the gen 1 30 hybrid (2.5 inside, gen 1 outside (top controller, right top vent and right hinge.)) I saw a pic of a vintage digital Mes with no intake or top vent holes. Did you get it locally or delivered? What does the manual say on using chips and if you got it locally it maybe easiest to return for a Mes gen 1 30. Maybe call MB number if it is a different number than the one in the manual to advise on what they are doing without an intake. All the air maybe coming in the rear back bottom grease trap hole. That may work with chips but not an Amnps

 

[PAS]

You can reverse engineer it by taking the inside apart so you can line up the hole to the chip loader. Still waiting for your picture.

 

[hammbone]

Here is a closeup.

 

[PAS]

Thats identical to the side loader that most of us have. Can you return it before you start cutting on it?

 

[fivetricks]

I agree with the return suggestion, but should you choose to cut a hole, go with 3". This way you can use cheap flex alum dryer hose

 

[PAS]

This is the outside of chip loader.

 

[fivetricks]

Right. So one suggestion would be to extend that hole to 3"

Another would be to go on the exact opposite side of the Shell to make your cut. I've done both. Less trouble to do it on the opposite side, but if your configuration works better on the right, so be it.

But make sure that returning isn't an option first!