AMNPS location in MES

[tgo0]

I’m not sure which model of the MES 40 I have but just purchased it at cabelas (in Canada). It has a small water pan and isn’t bluetooth. Wondering if I put the AMNPS under the empty water pan if there would be enough air flow to keep it going? Or should I remove the pan (maybe move it up a shelf) and elevate the AMNPS there?

Hopefully the pics illustrate it. Sorry about the last one, taken at night...

 

[Eric6711]

Hey TGO
Is your vent on top or on the side on that model. I had a Gen1 with the vent on the top back right. I put my AMAZEN tray on the edge of the water pan and covered the bottom rack with aluminum foil. I also left my wood chip loader half way open it has to breathe and have air or it won’t smoke. We’re you have it looks good as long as it gets air. I experimented with mine. I got a small fan and sat it near my top vent. It pulled air through my smoker. Hope this helps
Happy Smokin.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

You'll have to play around with the best location. The most important part is making sure it gets good airflow. Many MES users have implemented the "mailbox mod" to get additional smoke. Eric above makes a good point in just leaving the chip tray/drawer open a bit to get some oxygen in there. If you go that route, I would position the AMNPS right over or next to the chip drawer. Most of all, don't get frustrated if at first you don't succeed.

A question though; I would think the MES produces sufficient smoke on it's own. What is your reasoning for using the AMNPS?

 

[Eric6711]

In my humble opion if you use the AMPS tray . It is cheaper because you can buy pellets cheaper and in a big bag. I buy the Treager 40 lb bag of hickory and apple at rural king for 14 bucks.So it last longer. But wood chips aren’t that much really. But my main reason I like smoking briskets and pork butts and I can smoke for 11 to 14 hrs on one tray.
Eric

 

[browneyesvictim]

Remove that small drip pan and set it in the bottom. or better yet just use disposable foil pans instead to catch the drips.
Put the AMNPS right over that hole of the slanted pan. Use foil for a tent or cut in half disposable pan to cover the AMNPS from drips falling in it.

 

[dr k]

I'd try removing the bottom slant tray and water pan and put in the bottom rack with a 9X13 alum disposable foil pan for a drip pan and it's symmetrical for air to flow around all sides . Hold the Amnps under the bottom rack so the right side of the alum pan covers the Amnps. That's where I'd make a hanging wire rack/cupboard out of a light weight bendable baking cooling rack from the Dollartree. Now slide the Amnps in and out if you want to use the Amnps in the smoker. I've seen all gen Mes smokers that were producing too much smoke in videos from over loading chips and it was a white out through the window. The only good thing that it showed was the swirling turbulent air around the right side bottom rack of all gens. So that area would provide the most air to burn pellets in the Amnps.

 

[tallbm]

I’m not sure which model of the MES 40 I have but just purchased it at cabelas (in Canada). It has a small water pan and isn’t bluetooth. Wondering if I put the AMNPS under the empty water pan if there would be enough air flow to keep it going? Or should I remove the pan (maybe move it up a shelf) and elevate the AMNPS there?

Hopefully the pics illustrate it. Sorry about the last one, taken at night...



View attachment 366129 View attachment 366130 View attachment 366131 View attachment 366132

Hi there and welcome!

I believe you have a Gen 2.5 MES.

I don't run my AMNPS inside my MES so I can't offer any real life experience/advice on what would be good for you to do with placement.

WITH THAT SAID.... I'm a bit of a tinkerer with these kinds of things.
I personally would look into swapping that slanted drip tray so that it angles downward from Left to Right as apposed to it's current Right to Left angle.
I would also cut that tray and bend it so that it doesn't contact or get too close to the heating element and cover.
Then I would roll with your elevated AMNPS idea you show in the last pic.

This way the AMNPS would be covered by the slanted pan and the drippings would go down to the bottom level pan like so:

You could bend it in 1 of 2 ways. 1. Like the dotted arrow indicates (my preference), 2. Like the solid arrows and the image indicates (best I could do with MS Paint to get the idea across).

Most people just remove that slant tray all together. I did on the Gen 2 I fixed up for my mother as a gift. I highly believe you can swap he slant tray by simply unscrewing it from the walls, flipping and then screwing back into the same holes.
This has worked for me with the Gen 1 bar used to support the heating element so I have some experience swapping parts like that inside an MES.

Anyhow, this is all food for thought. Best of luck on what you decide and please let us know what it is :)

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Word of forewarning on the tray, as I found out the hard way; it is possible to have enough airflow that..well at least Mesquite, tends to start burning all at once. <If you want to get a MES over 350f, this is the way to do it I suspect, and I don't advise doing it>