MES chip tray

[normanaj]

Not that I ever use the chip tray since discovering the AMNTS but I have a question:

I use the chip loader as an airflow regulator to great success but does leaving the chip tray in affect the smoker in any way other than being empty?

 

[browneyesvictim]

In my case, yes. Your results may very depending on many factors. A lot depends on your model and vintage of MES. Some folks have a hard time keeping the pellets lit. I leave my drawer pulled out a ways. When I was running brand X pellets, I found I needed to remove it altogether. Just do what works. What does the ash look like after the pellets at burnt up? They should be greyish-white. If they are black, that is a sign of poor oxygen flow.

 

[SonnyE]

In my MES 30, the chip tray was actually suspended above the element, and hence, why it worked like crap at burning the chips. The chip tray couldn't heat the chips to smoldering temperature.
I shouldn't think leaving it in the smoker would have any affect +/-.

I stripped out everything, and stored it away. I use the water pan empty because it helps keep drips off the element and I think it helps spread the heat and smoke.
I exclusively use my Mod for my AMNPS tray as my smoke generator, so the hole where the chip loader is, is empty and has my 3" elbow stuck in it in use.
And otherwise, it operates with the vents wide open.

 

[bdskelly]

Bear (I think) gave me advice to leave the tray out to help improve air circulation and keep those pellets burning. So I did. B

 

[dr k]

Maybe only with the original gen 1 with the boxy enclosed chip housing. The newer gen 1's have the latest chip housing open design like the gen 2 and 2.5. The original gen 1 has three holes in the end of the housing like in the chip loader and three in a line underneath you can't see. So six holes in the housing to let out smoke and the joints around the chip tray to leak smoke into the smoker. When the chip tray was overloaded in the gen 1 the wood gas would ignite and chug like a train and sometimes blow the chip loader out I've seen in videos. So the original gen 1 benefited by pulling out the tray for more air if pulling out the loader a couple inches wasn't adequate.

In regards to your avatar and signature the 1983 Piece of Mind album/tour was excellent and one of the guitarists Adrian Smith or Dave Murray had a guitar or T-shirt that said, "Iron What?" on the front and this is the acronym for what was on the back IFMTW. It was the only fan club I was in. I was fifteen. Cheers!

 

[normanaj]

Bear (I think) gave me advice to leave the tray out to help improve air circulation and keep those pellets burning. So I did. B

Makes sense.In or out the I've had no issues with keeping the AMNTS lit,either way better air circulation is a good thing.

 

[normanaj]

In regards to your avatar and signature the 1983 Piece of Mind album/tour was excellent and one of the guitarists Adrian Smith or Dave Murray had a guitar or T-shirt that said, "Iron What?" on the front and this is the acronym for what was on the back IFMTW. It was the only fan club I was in. I was fifteen. Cheers!

Still a member to this day.POM tour was my first show.Still spending money and traveling to go see them.I'll be enjoying a few troopers tomorrow while a have a butt on the smoker.

 

[normanaj]

I stripped out everything, and stored it away. I use the water pan empty because it helps keep drips off the element and I think it helps spread the heat and smoke.

So you also removed the heat deflector?

In my case, yes. Your results may very depending on many factors. A lot depends on your model and vintage of MES. Some folks have a hard time keeping the pellets lit. I leave my drawer pulled out a ways. When I was running brand X pellets, I found I needed to remove it altogether. Just do what works. What does the ash look like after the pellets at burnt up? They should be greyish-white. If they are black, that is a sign of poor oxygen flow.

Gen 2.5.So far zero issues with keeping the pellets in the AMNTS lit.The ash is always white unless I pull the tube at the end of the smoke and its still going.

Chicken thighs on now and pork butt tomorrow.