Disappointed with amount of smoke; bought a master built electric 40" added updated part sent by mas

[dcrosby007]

Sorry if this question has been asked but in my laziness I didn't want to back read all the prior postings... After seeing the cold smoker video & all the smoke it was putting off was pretty sweet & drew me to my question... We all know the MES has smoke issues so can you attach this cold smoker to the MES & use it in conjunction with the chip tray in the MES or can you get enough smoke from the cold smoker box that you can eliminate the chip tray in the MES all together during a heated smoke... 

 

[daveomak]

Morning...   Every answer has already been posted in infinite detail...  Your best bet is to peruse the previous answers....   

Dave

 

[trapperx]

 
Morning...   Every answer has already been posted in infinite detail...  Your best bet is to peruse the previous answers....   

Dave

Hello Dave,

I just came to this post because I get an email a few times a week and work 60hrs a week have 4 kids a wife 9 years younger

 and Ex wife  

 

I am not judging but from the looks of your Pic and I am only guessing and hope I am right, you may be retired. 

Some of us guys just don't have the time to read 9 pages of post. Believe me I would love to but I am lucky that I even opened the page things are so crazy in my life.

I don't mean this to be a post complaining about the fact that you took the time to post (go find it yourself), but would MUCH appreciate to  see a post saying here is a link to the page with the answer. 

The only reason I posted this was I am doing it from the can 

 and would really love to see an answer or a link to the page so I can put one on my CHRISTmas list because it looks like a great product. 

Hope I wasn't to hard on ya Dave this isn't just directed (well not totally) at you as I have seen many post like this before. 

Ok someone is knocking on the door and the smell is getting to me 

 

[jimmy1957]

Sometimes it's hard to get a straight answer and sometimes it's a lot easier to just answer a question then write a book, I get enough smoke from my cold smoker which I modified to fit my MGS 44inch.

 

[zeketers]

...boy u guys r  need to chill a little.. I understand what is the deal with that type of smoker I was looking to upgrade but didn't want to have to tear a new one apart  Delie is right let your wallet be your guide... that vertical brinkman I have is looking better than ever like u all say u have to figure it out I learn everytime I use it also with help of u  guys & gals....I to thought my was junk until I took time to learn a thing or 2  from the forum....Zeke

 

[mango713]

My masterbilt always had a hard time making smoke, especially in hot weather. When it was cold the heater stayed on longer and I got a little more smoke. I ended up making smoke generator and running it into the side where the chip loader goes. Now it makes smoke all day long and works great for cold smoking. Hope this helps.

 

[jimmy1957]

Good advise guys, Guys need to chill a little, I hope I didn't offend anybody that wasn't my intention at all, I love all the advise and reading the forums here.

 

[stubster]

Screenshot_2016-11-22-14-21-48.png

• stubster
• Nov 22, 2016

I get all the smoke i coukd ever want with this.

 

[dcrosby007]

Appreciate that I kinda felt the same way & the response was along my lines of thinking but was working & just now getting a chance to reply!!! So I guess it's safe to say then that to get more smoke for the MES40 buying the cold smoker attachment & using it for smoking whenever you use the MES40 is the correct way to go?!?  

 

[dcrosby007]

Screenshot_2016-11-22-14-21-48.png

• stubster
• Nov 22, 2016

I get all the smoke i coukd ever want with this.

 

[dcrosby007]

 
Hello Dave,

I just came to this post because I get an email a few times a week and work 60hrs a week have 4 kids a wife 9 years younger

 and Ex wife  

 

I am not judging but from the looks of your Pic and I am only guessing and hope I am right, you may be retired. 

Some of us guys just don't have the time to read 9 pages of post. Believe me I would love to but I am lucky that I even opened the page things are so crazy in my life.

I don't mean this to be a post complaining about the fact that you took the time to post (go find it yourself), but would MUCH appreciate to  see a post saying here is a link to the page with the answer. 

The only reason I posted this was I am doing it from the can 

 and would really love to see an answer or a link to the page so I can put one on my CHRISTmas list because it looks like a great product. 

Hope I wasn't to hard on ya Dave this isn't just directed (well not totally) at you as I have seen many post like this before. 

Ok someone is knocking on the door and the smell is getting to me 

 

[daveomak]

 
Sorry if this question has been asked but in my laziness I didn't want to back read all the prior postings... .........................

 

[dcrosby007]

 

Yes I said my laziness it was easier than describing my work schedule & it sounded funnier... I have no qualms with doing countless endless days of research but time was of the essence...  So instead of the BS rhetoric maybe you could have helped the situation instead of critiquing it... Now myself & others have spent time on stupidity & added numerous more post to a several page thread where a single answer could have resolved it all!!! Thanks 

 

[jimmy1957]

 
Appreciate that I kinda felt the same way & the response was along my lines of thinking but was working & just now getting a chance to reply!!! So I guess it's safe to say then that to get more smoke for the MES40 buying the cold smoker attachment & using it for smoking whenever you use the MES40 is the correct way to go?!?  

I believe the cold smoker only works with the MES 30 inch smoker, but you can easily modify it to fit, I made it work with my MGS 44 smoker.

 

[Bearcarver]

To all who have trouble getting smoke with their MES,

This may have been said a few times earlier in this thread, however I'm not about to read all of the posts, when I can just post this to help anyone I can:

I've been using my AMNPS with my MES 30 and my MES40 for close to 7 years, without any problem. All I do is put the pellets in (about 3/8" from the top), get it lit properly on one end, and put it in my MES (Different places for different MES units).

I get perfect smoke for up to 11 hours without interruption.

If you are at a high altitude, I would recommend the AMNTS (Tube Smoker), but in lower altitude the AMNPS works Great, when used properly.

Bear

 

[gary s]

You can count on Bearcarver to come to the rescue and help someone with their MES instead of telling them to go back and read everything that was posted about MES

That is what this Forum is about Sharing and Helping others.

Myself, I have answered the same questions over and over, but I always take time to post and answer or PM in great detail. Just remember when you were first starting out

and needed help Put yourself in their place

Gary

 

[ches]

I put a Masterbuilt electric cold smoker on my MES 30 and love it.  Cold smoke as long as I want then fire up the heater to cook it if I want.  Great for Cheese.

 

[daveomak]

 

 
I am a newbie at smoking and cooking.  Studied most of the smoking units available including the MES 30 and MES 40.  Read most of the comments made about the MES.

What comes to mind is why the heck do people buy this piece of junk!  Paying hundreds of dollars then modifying it - going through all the frustrations of seeking out components

to upgrade and still can't maintain consistent temperature control and still not enough smoke!

I found a solution;  large Costco tissue box, 1 AMNS unit, 1 broom stick for hanging meat and a thermometer, an electrical hot plate, a pie pan,  a couple of small vent holes on top and your done.

The MES and all other smokers available for home smoking are "toys", and "gadgetry".

This is just my summation and opinion from all I've read.

If I missed something, please correct me.

Delie here

Delie, evening and welcome to the forum....   LOL reading your post....   Even the Costco tissue box ???...  You are a true dyed in the wool smoke-a-holic when you have to modify a tissue box because it doesn't meet your needs....   I think we will give you a lifetime pass to the forum.....   All in favor................

 
Morning all.......     From what I have noticed, from talking with many folks of the forum, there is not one smoker made that can be used flawlessly from the day it is taken out of the box.....   From electric, propane, briquettes and stick burner they all have steep learning curves to get that coveted delicious smoke flavored food we all search for....  

If you are purchasing your first smoker, you have read many revues about many models....   If you talk to a person whom has spent many days trying to perfect the smoker he has, and has done so....  He will probably say he loves it..... It you talk to a person who thinks smoking food should be like turning on the oven and cooking a roast and does not have the patience to seek the divine flavor, aroma and moistness achievable in most any smoker from trial and error.... You will get an unhappy revue....  It is not the smoker, it is the person behind the apron...

As a person that loves really good food, I was willing to spend the time and "listen" to what was being written here....  There are many words between the lines, that listening will put into plain view.... 

I have an MES 30 and really like it... At first, the food tasted like creosote.... My fault..  I followed the directions in the manual....  Uneven cooking in the unit....   MES poor engineering with heat distribution....   I corrected that fault with a few modifications in the search for great food...   Lousy smoke because I had to add 1/8 cup of chips every 20 - 30 minutes to get that beautiful blue smoke.... I used a tin can and soldering iron in the search for easier to control smoke.... that worked.....   Then,T Johnson needed a few folks to test his new pellet blend "Pitmaster's Choice"....  I volunteered to be a guinea pig and test PC Blend and his new AMNPS....   WOW.....  Talk about a gift horse....   There I was still trying to learn how to get the MES to make PERFECT smoked food and Todd comes along with the perfect blend of woods for great tasting food and the AMNPS for perfect TBS....   I didn't learn how to make great tasting Q....  I was forced into it by our own beloved Todd..

You may have wondered where this was going...   Great Q is up to the operator, and sometimes up to listening to friends, and sometimes being in the right place at the right time, and usually from unknown sources that just happen.....  Pay attention, take notes, don't stop striving for that great taste of great Q......  It will not come easy....  

Make the mods necessary to the smoker, control the smoke, control the temp, make great Q....  It is that easy...   

Dave

 

 

Take the controller off the unit..... bring it inside and dry it out......   sometimes they start working again.....   Dave

Dave, As it turns out you were right. My controller has mysteriously started working again. Thanks for the advice!

Holy Cow !!!!   I got lucky again.....   

 ....    

Dave

 

The PID's look cool. But how do you hook them to an MES?

MM morning... since this thread is fairly old, I will pick it up....
Not having a PID, and never hooking one up..... My understanding is you wire the PID directly to the heating element and bypass any internal controls your smoker may have... the PID then controls the element....
I did something similar, using a "dimmer switch" to control the wattage of the element, on my MES......

There are several PID threads on the forum... You might look up a few to get some new ideas....
Dave

JimmyJam, morning...... A water pan, on occasion, will create enough moisture to cause the pellets to not burn... The steam displaces the oxygen in the smoker.... results..... no smoke.... something to be aware of......

Dave

 
We've got over 10,000 AMNPS 5x8's being used by customers

Many are used in the MES 30 & 40 with GREAT success!

If your AMNPS 5x8 is going out after 15 minutes, it's not started correctly

Solution:

Take your time starting the pellets, and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS

If your AMNPS 5x8 is going out after 1+ hours, it running out of oxygen

Solution:

Increase intake air for proper combustion

Old Model MES 40

Place AMNPS on the rails to the left of the chi pan housing

Pull out the chip pan 1 1/2"

Pull out the chip loader 2"

Open the exhaust

No water in the water pan

New MES Gen 2

Remove the water pan and place it on the floor

Place the AMNPS on the drip pan, right above the hole for the water pan

Pull out the chip loader and turn it 180°(Upside down)

Exhaust wide open

No water in the water pan

The New MES Gen 2 is a totally different smoker than the Old Model MES.  I own them both, and have posted extensively on the differences.  The New MES Gen 2 does not breath well, compared to the Old Model. Temperature accuracy is far better on the old model.

If you take a look into the hole for the chip loader on the New Gen 2, you'll notice a tube with a "Slot" along the bottom. 

Placing the Chip Loader into the hole in it's normal position allows for little to no air to enter the smoker

Turning the Chip Loader 180°(Upside Down) aligns the "Slots", and you will get combustion air

Todd

 

I have the amnps 5x8 and the damn thing will not stay lite no matter what I've done!! Very disappointed in it!!!

tbones, morning.... I had that trouble.... Seems moisture from humidity will creep into darn near anything and get the pellets damp..... Now I put the pellets I'm going to use in the AMNPS and put it in the smoker... Electric MES..... and preheat it to 275 for a couple hours to sterilize the inside... the pellets get dry during that process..... Since doing that, I have never had the AMNPS stop smoking... I get 3 plus hours out of 1 row of pellets.... usually perfect for most of my smokes.... I have gotten 10 + hours from a full load in the AMNPS....
All tools take time to figure out and the AMNPS is no different....
Hope this helps you out....

Dave

 

I really need to finally order the AMNPS. I found my MES 30 (analog) at Home Depot on clearance for $49 and it's worked great but that long smoke for bigger things does get to be a hassle. Otherwise, I don't mind tending to it for shorter smokes. It gives me an excuse to sit around outside and drink beer.

The gen 1 is no problem..... Look up the Mail Box mods for the Gen 1 MES..... Dry the pellets well... I dry mine at 275 for a few hours and get 10+ hours of smoke from 1 full tray.... Cherry needs some hickory or something added to it cause cherry don't smolder very well.....

Dave

Hawkeye, evening....... do not use water in the smoker.... Dry the pellets in an oven for a couple hours at 275 or so first.... Have the exhaust wide open.... pull the chip chute out an 1 1/2 or so and pull the chip pan out a bit .... those allow for air flow.... Did any instructions come with the AMNPS ???

Dave

 

[txgunlover]

Title says all I wanted to say.

Having struggled with one for many years, switched to Rec-Tec.  You'll never look back, massive smoke production compared to Masterbuilt.

 

[dcrosby007]

 
To all who have trouble getting smoke with their MES,

This may have been said a few times earlier in this thread, however I'm not about to read all of the posts, when I can just post this to help anyone I can:

I've been using my AMNPS with my MES 30 and my MES40 for close to 7 years, without any problem. All I do is put the pellets in (about 3/8" from the top), get it lit properly on one end, and put it in my MES (Different places for different MES units).

I get perfect smoke for up to 11 hours without interruption.

If you are at a high altitude, I would recommend the AMNTS (Tube Smoker), but in lower altitude the AMNPS works Great, when used properly.

Bear

Appreciate all the insight you have just reiterates why most people on this site respect you & your talents... Placement for a MES40 newest version would be recommended where & would the tube AMNP version be better than the box version???