Questions about Todd's Pellet Tube

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dward51

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Nov 24, 2011
2,864
538
McDonough, GA
I have a question about the pellet tube smoke generators that Todd makes.  What is the outside diameter of the tube?  And are all the tubes the same diameter?

Reason I ask is I'm wondering if one would fit in my smoke chip tray on my Weber Summit grill.  It sure would make using pellets in that very easy.  Yeah, I know the easy answer is just set it on the grate over an unlit burner and I have done this with my pellet tray. But I'm thinking it would work better inside the chip holder as it would shield the tube from the bulk of the burner heat during a high heat grill and still give good oxygen flow from beneath the entire tray length.

I'm thinking a 6" tube model might work if it would fit (can't see a high heat grill session running for anywhere near 2 hours except on the rotisserie perhaps?  Plus the grill is to air/smoke leaky for a cold smoke).
 
Dave, morning.... I'm not sure but I think the AMNTS should be used in a cool environment... Using it in a tray heated by the flame or heat source will not work too well...   Get a hold of Todd for recommended locations in your smoker... he has worked with many customers to get the best location and provide the best smoke in many different smokers....    

Dave
 
Thanks for the replies guys.  I just realized the chip tray is not as deep as it is wide so the tube may not work anyway.  Opening is 2 1/8" wide but only 1 1/2" deep so I would have to leave the lid open for it to fit.  I had thought of buying a small 6" tube to dedicate to the grill, but since it won't fit I might as well just used the pellet tray I already have.

My main complaint of the Weber S670 Summit chip tray is the burner has a small range of flame adjustment for the dedicated 6,800btu smoker burner and seems to burn through chips quickly.  I've used my pellet tray in there just fine but thought a tube would fit inside the compartment.

Nice thing about this grill is unless I'm running all 6 burners (this thing can crank out 60,000btu), it's large enough I can leave the burners near the pellet tray off and still have plenty of grilling room.  I also want to use the pellets with the IR rotisserie unit (have not tried that yet). I guess if the IR heat is an issue with the tray I can take a piece of aluminum stock and bend it to form a heat shield for the tray, but I need to try it as is first.




 
You could always make a "mailbox" mod? I know it's more work, but if you're just wanting the smoke??? I know gas grills aren't sealed very well, so getting the right draft might be tricky (a computer fan?).

Good luck with project...seems we sometimes spend more time adjusting and modifying our smokers than actually smoking? Just a little more smoke...there, oh wait, just a little more...there! :grilling_smilie:

~Brett
 
I downloaded the manual and looked at how it is set up. If it were me I just would not light the smoker burner and lay the tube smoker on top of the pellet box. The tube smoker burns the pellets on its own and doesn't really like other heat sources causing drafts and burning the pellets faster.

At least in my opinion it should work well for you.

GeneK
 
 
I run my 12" AMNTS in my gas grill with temps upwards 450* I put it down on one end and don't use those burners. It does use the pellets faster at the higher temps. I have never used it tha way for long cooks, as most everything I cook on the grill takes less than a hour. I set it directly on the grates and have had no problem keeping it lit.
 
I run my 12" AMNTS in my gas grill with temps upwards 450* I put it down on one end and don't use those burners. It does use the pellets faster at the higher temps. I have never used it tha way for long cooks, as most everything I cook on the grill takes less than a hour. I set it directly on the grates and have had no problem keeping it lit.
Should not have a problem with damp pellets at those temps!!!!!

That's what I'll probably do, just keep using the pellet tray and sit it on top of the existing chip holder and not light the chip holder burner or the burner next to it.  I've done this a few times with chicken on the grill and it came out nice.  Just grilled the chicken at a low setting to give it a little more time to absorb smoke and it worked just fine. 
 
Should not have a problem with damp pellets at those temps!!!!!

That's what I'll probably do, just keep using the pellet tray and sit it on top of the existing chip holder and not light the chip holder burner or the burner next to it.  I've done this a few times with chicken on the grill and it came out nice.  Just grilled the chicken at a low setting to give it a little more time to absorb smoke and it worked just fine. 
I haven't had any problems getting the pellets to light lately. Last couple smokes I haven't had any issues getting the tube to light. I started standing the tube up when lighting. Seems to burn better that way until you blow it out. If the tube is full you have to prop it up a bit.


This was a partial load for a cold smoke in the Mini-WSM,


After 5 minutes of burning


TBS!
 
You could always make a "mailbox" mod? I know it's more work, but if you're just wanting the smoke??? I know gas grills aren't sealed very well, so getting the right draft might be tricky (a computer fan?).

Good luck with project...seems we sometimes spend more time adjusting and modifying our smokers than actually smoking? Just a little more smoke...there, oh wait, just a little more...there!
grilling_smilie.gif


~Brett
No fan or anything else needed. The drafty box actually is an advantage when using propane and the AMNTS. The propane uses a bunch of O2 to burn so the more leakage the better. Too little O2 and the Tube will have problems. At the higher temp cooks a fan would provide too much draft and you'd risk igniting the pellets. In my GOSM I have had the tube ignite when doing a pork butt @ 275* smoke chamber temp. I had been playing with the placement of the tube and put it too close to the burner. Thankfully my ET732 caught the temp spike! When I opened the door the whole 18" tube was engulfed in flames! The last turkey I did was at 325* and I had no issues. So placement of the tube when doing high temp smokes is crucial.
 
No fan or anything else needed. The drafty box actually is an advantage when using propane and the AMNTS. The propane uses a bunch of O2 to burn so the more leakage the better. Too little O2 and the Tube will have problems. At the higher temp cooks a fan would provide too much draft and you'd risk igniting the pellets. In my GOSM I have had the tube ignite when doing a pork butt @ 275* smoke chamber temp. I had been playing with the placement of the tube and put it too close to the burner. Thankfully my ET732 caught the temp spike! When I opened the door the whole 18" tube was engulfed in flames! The last turkey I did was at 325* and I had no issues. So placement of the tube when doing high temp smokes is crucial.

That's good to know...heading camping next weekend and would like to smoke some ribs with my little Sportsman SS portable grill...I'll bring along the 6" AMNTS and let her rip...In my mind I was contemplating how to seal up the grill a little...now I won't worry about it!?

Ciao,

~Brett
 
That's good to know...heading camping next weekend and would like to smoke some ribs with my little Sportsman SS portable grill...I'll bring along the 6" AMNTS and let her rip...In my mind I was contemplating how to seal up the grill a little...now I won't worry about it!?

Ciao,

~Brett
Brett,

You need to build a Mini-WSM!!! The perfect camp smoker!
 
Your wife must be a distant relative of mine.  I've hit my smoker/grill limit also
biggrin.gif
 
Thanks.....

I ended up staying up much later than I intended and had to re-read the later posts in that thread 3 times to make sure I was not getting loopy.  I hope it made sense (and I figured it would eventually help others too - search function is your friend).

No genius over here.  Jack of many trades, master of none (ok, maybe a few).  And know just enough to be dangerous (mostly to myself)....
 
Last edited:
I have an upright gasser and a pellet tube from Todd. I am having problems with too little smoke being generated. it also fights me to stay lit in the beginning. Any ideas?

I did fill the water pan with play sand.
 
I have an upright gasser and a pellet tube from Todd. I am having problems with too little smoke being generated. it also fights me to stay lit in the beginning. Any ideas?

I did fill the water pan with play sand.
Do you have it near a vent.?...that helps keeping the tube stay lit...with some air flowing around it.

Kat
 
I have an upright gasser and a pellet tube from Todd. I am having problems with too little smoke being generated. it also fights me to stay lit in the beginning. Any ideas?

I did fill the water pan with play sand.
I also have an upright gasser with sand in the water pan and a pellet tube from Todd. I also have a problem keeping it lit in the beginning. I have it near a vent so the only things left for me to try is to microwave my pellets to see if moisture is a problem. I keep them in ziploc bags so I dont think it is but I am tired of having to relight 4-5 times a smoke, so I hope this is my issue. I am also going to pay strict attention to the lighting instructions and hope things go better.
 
I
I also have an upright gasser with sand in the water pan and a pellet tube from Todd. I also have a problem keeping it lit in the beginning. I have it near a vent so the only things left for me to try is to microwave my pellets to see if moisture is a problem. I keep them in ziploc bags so I dont think it is but I am tired of having to relight 4-5 times a smoke, so I hope this is my issue. I am also going to pay strict attention to the lighting instructions and hope things go better.

I micro mine every time and never have a problem. Get them going really good. I never have any issues with mine in the GOSM.
 
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