MES 30 duct modification question

[doomahx]

Hi, I recently purchased a MES 30 and I am planning on using it in my driveway. I would rather not have tons of smoke at ground level so I am planning on attaching a 5 foot aluminum duct hose to the top vent, i would run this hose up a brick wall with no windows. My idea seems pretty straight forward but I just want to make sure that It is actually as straight forward as I imagine it will be so I don't accidentally blow myself and the cat up. I realize smoke will inevitably leak out of other places and will pour out when i open the door, i don't mind that at all.. i just want to steer the majority of the smoke up and away.

 

[hkeiner]

 I would rather not have tons of smoke at ground level.... I realize smoke will inevitably leak out of other places and will pour out when i open the door

It is easy to generate thick smoke if you load up the chip tray too much. You should put only enough chips in to generate a thin blue smoke (TBS). You might also consider getting a AMNPS. It generates a TBS that is not very noticable.  You may decide you do not need the pipe.

 

[deltadude]

As pointed out TBS isn't a lot of smoke and usually isn't annoying.  I'm not sure how a long piece of duct would affect drafting, you might want to transition from a 3" at the vent to 4 or 5 inch.  It may not be a factor at all.  You can go down to a HVAC supply outlet "wholesaler", they sell 3" and 4" aluminum in 10' lengths for bath vents, it is flexible and semi rigid.

Our previous house, I had my MES 40 under the eave, and tried using it there, the smoke would get into the eave vents and the whole house would smell like BBQ.  So I tried pulling the smoker out 6 to 10 ft and depending on the wind the same thing would happen.  To solve the problem I simply duct taped the two eave vents in that area, and no more smoky BBQ smell in the house - problem solved.  I could even smoke under the eave again, especially in the winter.

 

[doomahx]

I bought the flexible 3 inch aluminum and is seems to be working so far. It's been going at 225 for roughly 2 hour now, thin blue smoke coming out of the top. I have been tossing in a few chips every 30 mins or so and that seems to be working well.

 

[doomahx]

My first smoke was a success. Baby back ribs. kielbasa(not in picture, was a beautiful 36 incher that I picked up at a polish butcher) and zucchini were all amazing. The chicken breasts came out a bit dry but I was expecting that based on what I read. I will use the rest of the chicken to make a smoked chicken salad for sandwiches this week.