MES30 Low Smoke

[Rona0423]

True on the chicken...

Does anyone have a picture of the tube in a MES30? Does it just lay in the bottom tray to the left of the chip loader? Trying to understand how that works and where it would go.

My neighbor and I have talked about getting pellet grills but this could be a cheap way for now to get started with pellets?

 

[JLinza]

I would recommend not soaking the wood chips. You aren't getting smoke till the dry out again anyways. Heat up your smoker to temp and then add wood chips. Make sure smoke isn't coming out of the chip tray, if it is open the top damper more.

 

[Rona0423]

None of the chips were soaked. I didn’t see any smoke coming out of the chip loader, but the vent was closed full time.

The chips never burned down. They were just all charred, not burned down to asked at all.

 

[forktender]

Wood chips smoke at a temperature between 570-750 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you were going off the built in temp gauge it is most likely off. You should be burning through wood chips every 60 to 90 minutes. If opening up all the vent doesn't do the trick you most likely have a weak heating element, it's getting hot enough to heat the smoker but not hot enough to start combustion of the chips. You might want to try setting up my A-Maze-N smoker tube and using that, though I'm worried that it may go out. If so then I will have to modify the smoker. I'd call Masterbuilt and see if they will send you another heating element, that and try to layer 1/4'' of dust than chips on top of them, the dust will start smoking at a lower temperature then ignite the wood chips.

PS. Never soak the wood chips, all that does is extend the time it takes for them to start smoking.
Wood chips won't burn when they are wet, so they won't produce smoke until they have time to dry out, so all you are doing by soaking them is prolonging the time it takes for them to dry out and start smoking.


Best of luck.
Dan

 

[JLinza]

None of the chips were soaked. I didn’t see any smoke coming out of the chip loader, but the vent was closed full time.

The chips never burned down. They were just all charred, not burned down to asked at all.

Mine has done that in the past too, I don't use it much anymore. Since I upgraded. There is a cold smoke box that you can buy to get more smoke too. Not sure how much they are or if it's worth it. But I have heard of them.

 

[Buckeye02]

True on the chicken...

Does anyone have a picture of the tube in a MES30? Does it just lay in the bottom tray to the left of the chip loader? Trying to understand how that works and where it would go.

My neighbor and I have talked about getting pellet grills but this could be a cheap way for now to get started with pellets?

I don't have a picture but I putnit on the left side on the bottom of the smoker. I just took a small bolt and put it under the end closest to the door so it wasn't laying flat on the bottom. That way it gets a little more air and burns better .

 

[smokerjim]

True on the chicken...

Does anyone have a picture of the tube in a MES30? Does it just lay in the bottom tray to the left of the chip loader? Trying to understand how that works and where it would go.

My neighbor and I have talked about getting pellet grills but this could be a cheap way for now to get started with pellets?

Just my 2 cents, some people are happy with the tube in the mes but I find it gives off to much smoke, tray with the mailbox mod works much better for me. But give the tube a shot and see if you like it , when I did try the tube I laid it across the two bottom rails on bottom left.

 

[Wurstmeister]

First, welcome to the Forum from South Carolina's Thoroughbred Country. Here a a few pictures of how I locate my A-MAZ-N 6X6 maze in my MES40. and how far to pull the chip feeder. Pls disregard the state of "cleanliness" Didn't clean the unit after smoking the sausage.

John

MAZE LOCATION:

• Placed ~1-2" from the back and right side of the smoker box
• Over the heating element and chip loader,
• Lowest rack

CHIP LOADER LOCATION

• Pull out ~1-2" from the smoker box
• Turn chip loader openside down.

GENERAL INFO:

• The top vent of the smoke is left FULLY OPEN.
• Adjust your smoke output with small movements of the chip loader

General Location of Maze


Closer look at location


Close-up over heating element/chip loader


Chip Feeder opened ~1-2", holder facing down