Please provide more useful information so we can help out.
1 - In your picture, it looks like you got a MES 40. Is that the smoker that you're using?
2 - I assume you're using woodchips, loaded into the smoke tray. Is this correct?
3 - What temperature are you smoking at?
4 - What are you trying to smoke?
Just about all of us who own the MES have bought an
AMNPS. This is a device that's sold by a member here: Todd.
With this device, you use wood pellets. The device goes inside the smoker. The benefits is, if you get the pellets burning properly, you won't have to worry about adding wood. The problem with wood is, over smoking. Who the hell wants to keep adding wood every 30 minutes of so. And, when will it be to much wood. And, if you're doing a pork shoulder or a brisket, the smoking could go for over 12 hours. Do you really want to keep loading wood every 30 minutes for a 12 hour smoke??? With an
AMNPS, you're able to get about 12 hours of full smoke with the device.
Do yourself a favor, invest $39.99 for the
AMNPS and then order 5lbs of Pitmaster pellets. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
Below is a link to the website. Enjoy!
http://www.amazenproducts.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=12
Depending on what, I'm doing, I smoke at different temperatures. Yesterday, I did a pork shoulder at 230 degrees (and using my
AMNPS). The wind was blowing pretty good and I was wondering if the AMNPS was kicking out smoke cause I didn't see anything. A couple of hours into the smoke a good amount of smoke was coming out the vent--honey hush it was beautiful. I let the shoulder smoke until it reached 200 degrees (I didn't wrap it) and I filled my AMNPS with hickory pellets. After smoking for nearly 15 hours, I'm proud to say that I got another successful smoke.