Can't get TBS while cold smoking with MES 30" and AMNPS

[setesh]

 
You have the right idea of which I was referring too although the positioning is 90° off. The pipe should be laying horizontally with a slight incline so the condensation can flow away from the smoker and toward the generator. Will send pic of another's setup whom I am working with.

Tom

OK, thanks!  That is how I was going to set it up, but the pipe stuck out so far on each side that it was a non starter.  The stand I made is 23" wide, and the pipe+connections hung out a foot on each side in a horizontal configuration, so it wouldn't work for where this smoker needs to sit.  If condensation is the only reason to have it horizontal then I'm not sure that it will be a problem.  I plan on cutting the last section of pipe down so that the flow from it to the smoker is on an incline.  It will probably be around 24'' long instead of 36" to accomplish this.  If condensate did form in this system, and was allowed to pool in the lower bends in the pipe, why would that be bad?  The fans I am using to pull smoke through the system draw very little amperage.  I could leave them running for 24 hours after I'm done smoking in order to dry condensate out of the system and it would only cost me a nickle.  I don't understand where the condensate would be coming from as this loop is before the cooking chamber.  There is little to no water vapor coming from the pellets/dust in the smoke generator, and the airflow of the system will take care of that by itself.  What am I missing?

 

[mr t 59874]

Everything is working as it should. If you rather use the design as it is, we can work with moister later. Continue with your test and keeping notes. One more mod and we will be ready to go.

T

 

[setesh]

OK.  I will pick up the pipe and finish that soon, hopefully tomorrow.  Do you recommend that I use red RTV gasket maker to seal the door up?  This thing leaks pretty badly from the door at this point.

 

[mr t 59874]

Don't worry too much about smoke leaking from around the door, we are working with a smoker after all. If however, you don't want it, we can control it by working with the draft.

T

 

[setesh]

Originally Posted by Mr T 59874 View Post

Don't worry too much about smoke leaking from around the door, we are working with a smoker after all. If however, you don't want it, we can control it by working with the draft.

T

Since it's not a problem I'll ignore it. Now that you mention it, no smoke comes from the door when the draft is going. It makes sense, the draft causes negative pressure so no smoke would go out that way. I'll file that away as a sign of poor drafting!

 

[setesh]

Here is what I hope to be the final piping arrangement.  It is drafting like crazy today, but it is very windy, so more testing will need to happen.  I'm smoking some potatoes right now (cheap) with a 1/2 height row of Todd's apple pellets and the smoke coming out is sweet and delicious smelling.  Apparently it makes good cologne too.  My wife got home and said "OOooo, you smell good!"

IMG_4250.JPG

• setesh
• Mar 15, 2016

It fits perfectly into the niche the fireplace creates, which was why I built it with the tubes vertical instead of horizontal.  It actually looks pretty good, much better than it did with a flex pipe curving around the stand.

 

[cmayna]

Ok, why so much piping?  There's no way you need that much for cold smoking with a mailbox mod and one of Todd's AMNPS or AMNS.

 

[setesh]

With the mailbox mod with tray smoker and 8 feet of rigid aluminum flex pipe I was still getting sticky creosote at the entrance to the smoker.  What I gathered from this is that I needed more pipe in order to allow more creosote to condense before it reached the smoker.  When I took the pipe off the first time it was a pretty neat effect inside the pipe.  It was dark caramel colored where it exited the mailbox and got lighter the further it went down.  At the end where it entered the smoker it was the color of watered down tea, but still sticky.

I'm doing some more testing right now to see the difference between using a tray smoker with no mailbox mod, and my long piped version of it.  It will be a few days before I get it all done, but I will post the results when I get it finished.

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Ok, why so much piping?  There's no way you need that much for cold smoking with a mailbox mod and one of Todd's AMNPS or AMNS.

Regardless of the type of smoke generator used, cooling smoke is only one part of the equation, the length of pipe will also be used to clean the smoke through the condensation of impurities in the smoke.   The following will help explain.  AMPS & Smoke Daddy Myths?

T

 

[setesh]

I started a new thread with the results from my testing.  You can find it here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/243936/cleaning-up-your-act-clean-smoke-is-delicious-smoke

Once again I would like to thank Mr T for all of his help.  As I sit here eating some of my cold smoked Monterrey Jack I am extremely thankful for his help!

 

[joel11230]

Can someone show me some detailed pictures of the mailbox thing? I have never heard of that. I joined this forum and I am learning I really don't know anything about smoking. Lol and thank you, joel

 

[mr t 59874]

Can someone show me some detailed pictures of the mailbox thing? I have never heard of that. I joined this forum and I am learning I really don't know anything about smoking. Lol and thank you, joel

PM dave omak, he will walk you through how to use a mailbox for a firebox.

T

 

[daveomak]

Joel......  I used 3" adjustable elbows at both ends of 3" flex aluminum ducting...  remove the chip loader stuff and one elbow slides right in....  it sticks out far enough to attach a family size soup can to the elbow....  that moves heat and smoke to the center of the smoker....   Split the elbow in about 1" and attach to the MB as shown...    The holes in the bottom of the MB door add air to the AMNPS and the one above, moves smoke so there is little or no recirculation....  recirculating smoke has reduced oxygen and pellets need ALL the oxygen they can get....

DSCF2019.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

.. ..

MB MOD 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

.. ..

Turkey 2-2016 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

mailbox ext..jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

..

PelletsinMB mod.jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

 

[joel11230]

Joel......  I used 3" adjustable elbows at both ends of 3" flex aluminum ducting...  remove the chip loader stuff and one elbow slides right in....  it sticks out far enough to attach a family size soup can to the elbow....  that moves heat and smoke to the center of the smoker....   Split the elbow in about 1" and attach to the MB as shown...    The holes in the bottom of the MB door add air to the AMNPS and the one above, moves smoke so there is little or no recirculation....  recirculating smoke has reduced oxygen and pellets need ALL the oxygen they can get....

DSCF2019.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

.. ..

MB MOD 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

.. ..

Turkey 2-2016 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

mailbox ext..jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

.. ..

PelletsinMB mod.jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

Thank you Dave! One more question. What is the deal with thin blue smoke vs white smoke. Does it give a better flavor or what?

 

[daveomak]

White smoke "probably" has unburned tars and unburned "volatile" matter....   Ever notice a fire's smoke when it starts up...   white and billowy... Once down to coals etc, there is little smoke and it's thin and blue...     All the stuff that makes for acid rain has been burned up..  or so it says in fine print... somewhere... 

 

[clearprop]

Would putting an electric heater element on the exhaust pipe be a significant help to pull a draft?

 

[mr t 59874]

Try using a longer exhaust pipe first and or lower your firebox. The greater the distance between the firebox and the exit of your exhaust the more draw.

T