Not going to declare victory just yet, but it "appears" I figured out how to keep my chips from igniting and get TBS from my MS ThermoTemp XL...
Inserted the chip pan that came with the unit, removed lid, placed 3 copper pipe caps inside the pan (it's what I had handy), sat the 8" CI skillet on top of the caps, and added about a cup of chips. When they started smoldering, I laid the pan lid over the skillet.
So far, so good! I can see a thin smoke (as opposed to what I've been seeing), it's blue, and it doesn't smell like the forest is on fire. So far, about 45 minutes since the chips started to smolder, no big temp spike that would indicate a flare up as before...therm probe rocking steady at 235 - 240.
I did all my smoking yesterday, so all I did for this test was to set up as if I was going to smoke (water pan, therm in place, chips in pan), but there's no meat in it today.
When I'm done with this test, I'm going to figure out this AMNPS tray as I haven't had much luck getting it to stay lit with the burner on (it worked fine when I did the test WITHOUT the burner on (I want to cold smoke some cheese), so I'm thinking it's an oxygen issue...we'll see.
As you were...
Inserted the chip pan that came with the unit, removed lid, placed 3 copper pipe caps inside the pan (it's what I had handy), sat the 8" CI skillet on top of the caps, and added about a cup of chips. When they started smoldering, I laid the pan lid over the skillet.
So far, so good! I can see a thin smoke (as opposed to what I've been seeing), it's blue, and it doesn't smell like the forest is on fire. So far, about 45 minutes since the chips started to smolder, no big temp spike that would indicate a flare up as before...therm probe rocking steady at 235 - 240.
I did all my smoking yesterday, so all I did for this test was to set up as if I was going to smoke (water pan, therm in place, chips in pan), but there's no meat in it today.
When I'm done with this test, I'm going to figure out this AMNPS tray as I haven't had much luck getting it to stay lit with the burner on (it worked fine when I did the test WITHOUT the burner on (I want to cold smoke some cheese), so I'm thinking it's an oxygen issue...we'll see.
As you were...