MES Mailbox Mod! for use with AMNPS

[miamited]

Completed my mailbox mod. 20' of flex is a little long. i'll shorten before the next smoke.

MailboxMod.jpg

• holyfeld
• Jun 27, 2014

What are you using for the stand?

 

[charliebrown2]

Is there a "removable" mailbox mod floating around? In the event where I move the smoker in and out of storage. Thanks.

 

[daveomak]

Pull the elbow out of the smoker body.... Done.....

..

 

[charliebrown2]

Ahh, I've seen mods where the connection is taped down. Is it ok without securing the connection? Thanks.

 

[fivetricks]

Yup it'll be fine

 

[johnmeyer]

Is there a "removable" mailbox mod floating around? In the event where I move the smoker in and out of storage. Thanks.

There is nothing that says you have to buy or build a cart nor do you have to use long lengths of conduit. I built my "mailbox mod" out of an old popcorn tin, and when the smoke is finished and everything has cooled off, I just put the can and small amount of conduit inside the smoker. I used some stainless scrubbing material to filter out more smoke, so I didn't end up using any long length of conduit.

Here's my post about it:

Mailbox (Popcorn) Mod (with a small twist)

 

[plume-o-smoke]

Please hear me out, I have done *everything* in this thread and all other threads to get my AMNPS mailbox mod to stay lit. Especially posts from daveomak (dude has game!). That's hours of reading, and a ton of testing, but still it goes out shortly after I close the mailbox door. I know this has to be a matter of getting enough airflow through the mailbox and through the AMNPS, it's so simple it kills me. I'm at ~5400 feet, so maybe this is a high-altitude AMNPS mailbox problem? Here's my general setup (also see picture), below is what I've tried:

• Pellets microwaved 2 minutes, rest a couple minutes after half of that time
• Torch light the AMNPS, let burn or keep it burning w/ the torch - open flame for 10 minutes. Make sure there's a good cherry of coals. Done for each test below.
  
• Mailbox connection to MES30 via 2 elbows of 3" conduit, taped where they join together and as they insert into the mailbox. No leaks anywhere.
  
• AMNPS is on stilts exactly as daveomak shows - 2.5" carriage bolts. I think I even have the exact same mailbox.
  
• Mailbox door drilled w/ 3/4" holes exactly as daveomak shows - 2 on bottom, 1 at top
• All other holes in mailbox plugged

What I've tried. MES30 is set at 260*. Each test it smoked well for ~5 minutes and diminished to imperceptible smoke from the MES30 after ~10-15, very slightly smoldering in the mailbox. An allnight test verified the AMNPS was going out, not just smoking very slowly:

• First test w/ 'daveomak setup' = fail
• Drilled third hole on bottom of door = fail
• Taped part of top hole = fail
• Put the AMNPS in the back of the mailbox = Fail
• Put the AMNPS in the middle of the mailbox = Fail
• Put the AMNPS in the front of the mailbox = fail
• Wire brushed the AMNPS (seemed unlikely, but it was in a thread somewhere) = fail
• Leave the AMNPS outside the mailbox to see if it would work, it did stay smokin' a half hour later
• Drilled a fourth hole on the bottom of the door (2x recommended for good airflow) = fail
• Added a 3-soup can chimney on the MES 30 = fail

I'm out of ideas short of installing an electric fan in the mailbox. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Bearcarver]

Please hear me out, I have done *everything* in this thread and all other threads to get my AMNPS mailbox mod to stay lit. Especially posts from daveomak (dude has game!). That's hours of reading, and a ton of testing, but still it goes out shortly after I close the mailbox door. I know this has to be a matter of getting enough airflow through the mailbox and through the AMNPS, it's so simple it kills me. I'm at ~5400 feet, so maybe this is a high-altitude AMNPS mailbox problem? Here's my general setup (also see picture), below is what I've tried:

• Pellets microwaved 2 minutes, rest a couple minutes after half of that time
• Torch light the AMNPS, let burn or keep it burning w/ the torch - open flame for 10 minutes. Make sure there's a good cherry of coals. Done for each test below.
  
• Mailbox connection to MES30 via 2 elbows of 3" conduit, taped where they join together and as they insert into the mailbox. No leaks anywhere.
  
• AMNPS is on stilts exactly as daveomak shows - 2.5" carriage bolts. I think I even have the exact same mailbox.
  
• Mailbox door drilled w/ 3/4" holes exactly as daveomak shows - 2 on bottom, 1 at top
• All other holes in mailbox plugged

What I've tried. MES30 is set at 260*. Each test it smoked well for ~5 minutes and diminished to imperceptible smoke from the MES30 after ~10-15, very slightly smoldering in the mailbox. An allnight test verified the AMNPS was going out, not just smoking very slowly:

• First test w/ 'daveomak setup' = fail
• Drilled third hole on bottom of door = fail
• Taped part of top hole = fail
• Put the AMNPS in the back of the mailbox = Fail
• Put the AMNPS in the middle of the mailbox = Fail
• Put the AMNPS in the front of the mailbox = fail
• Wire brushed the AMNPS (seemed unlikely, but it was in a thread somewhere) = fail
• Leave the AMNPS outside the mailbox to see if it would work, it did stay smokin' a half hour later
• Drilled a fourth hole on the bottom of the door (2x recommended for good airflow) = fail
• Added a 3-soup can chimney on the MES 30 = fail

I'm out of ideas short of installing an electric fan in the mailbox. Anyone have any thoughts?

Simple answer is---"At 5400 Feet you should definitely be using the AMNTS (Tube Smoker).
There isn't enough oxygen at high altitude for the AMNPS. (Tray)"

At a low altitude, the Tube smoker puts out too much smoke, but at 5400', it should be perfect.

Bear

 

[plume-o-smoke]

Simple answer is---"At 5400 Feet you should definitely be using the AMNTS (Tube Smoker).
There isn't enough oxygen at high altitude for the AMNPS. (Tray)"

At a low altitude, the Tube smoker puts out too much smoke, but at 5400', it should be perfect.

Bear

THANK YOU for that insight. I'm on it, I have one and will check back in a while.

 

[daveomak]

Afternoon.... Well I'm looking at the chip chute laying on the deck... I'm going to assume (stupid I know) all the guts are still in your smoker... Unfortunately, all those hunks of metal restrict the air flow... Even for us under 5,000' we would have to fiddle with the exact location of the tube... if it was rotated to the dump position or not, in order to get adequate air flow to keep the pellets burning... **** cherry pellets don't burn alone, add some oak or whatever..****
In post# 264, you will see the inside of my smoker.... Look at yours.... Big difference... (maybe)
Now, I know 5,000 ft. elevation is missing some oxygen, but, with the "increased" air flow through the MB mod, there's no reason for it to not work... I'm thinking the guts are restricting the air flow... I can't tell if they are in the smoker or not... Just applying some logic and physics to what I can see and your problem......
Gut it and do one more test.... (I didn't read where you have already gutted the smoker)......
Dave

 

[plume-o-smoke]

Ahhh, life is good. I tossed a properly loaded & lit tube and an hour later I'm at stable TBS. Barely visible in the picture. Huge shout out to Bear & Dave.

I've been fighting my AMNPS tray for 4 years, mostly here in Colorado. That has to be close to a hundred smokes. Now I know why. I've even logged most of my cooks, documenting every possible trick to get the tray to work right. Sometimes it would be ok, other times nope. I got the tube at Todd's recommendation to use in the Weber. That never worked but it sure was handy to have on hand. And I now have a pretty good idea why the tube kept going out in the Weber. (FYI foil packs of chips in the Weber have been an okay work around).

Wow, I totally misread Dave's post on the guts, I was thinking you left them in to keep the flow of heat as they designed. But sure enough, looking at your post that thing is totally gutted. And absolutely, I've found cherry to be a tough one to keep lit. Today's pellets are Pitmaster's Choice (~10% cherry).

For now, I have a pork shoulder in the works and a repeatable solution for smoke. Next I'm going to test using the tube w/ fewer mods, maybe it'll just work in the MES30 and that'll be that. And I have some testing to do w/ the tray + gutted MES30.

 

[fivetricks]

If it's any help, I would try elevating your smoker above the mailbox.

Also, I tried the stilts setup on my tray with holes in the bottom of my mailbox door and it was a bust for me. Took the stilts off and my tray went back to giving me no problems :-)

 

[Bearcarver]

That's Great, Brian!!
Glad you got 'er working good!!
The only Pellets I have trouble with is Cherry too.
So when I want Cherry Smoke, I use Cherry Sawdust.
You can't use Dust in a Tube, but Dust might work in your AMNPS (Tray).

Bear

 

[plume-o-smoke]

Perfect. The tube smoked *perfectly* for 6 hours, down to white ash. 1 reloaded & went off to bed w/ not the slightest concern. I'm at ~185 IT right now and climbing.

It's hard to see in the picture, but there is a constant upward slope from the mailbox to the smoker inlet. I can understand how putting holes under the mailbox and the AMNPS flush to the bottom would force air through the pellets.

This is a spectacular breakthrough for my smokin', but this thread has shown I have a ton of other things to try now. Add magic cherry dust to the list.

 

[chopsaw]

I have a ton of other things to try now.

If your're going to start using the tube here's a couple things you might want to look at .

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/u-bolt-mod-for-the-amnts.271846/

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/burning-dust-in-the-amnts.282571/#post-1907325

 

[SmokeinNJ]

You can also use a minnow air bubbler, about $10, and add a small 3" copper water line to the end of the rubber hose, insert the copper into the duct pipe just after the mailbox at an angle toward the smoker. The airflow will suck air into mailbox and push smoke into smoker.

 

[patinlouisiana]

My AMNPS self ignited today. Is it getting too much air?

 

[daveomak]

Probably... Picture of your set up... temp of smoker... etc...

 

[patinlouisiana]

Probably... Picture of your set up... temp of smoker... etc...

MES set to 275 but never gets over 240.

 

[patinlouisiana]

MES set to 275 but never gets over 240.View attachment 405259

PS flame up melted all the plastic