Smoke tube won't stay lit in my MES

[motsyball]

I've been smoking meat in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker for several years. I saw a smoke tube on Amazon and decided to give it a try. Instead of spending the big bucks on an A-Maze-N smoke tube I choose to save money by purchasing the LIZZQ Premium Pellet 12 inch Smoker Tube. I then went by Walmart and grabbed a small bag of Pit Boss Pellets instead of buying the more expensive Traeger Pellets. I lit the tube with a blow torch and let a flame burn in it for over 5 minutes. When I blew it out there was a nice layer of ambers on top so I then placed it horizontally on the lower shelf on the left opposite side away from the air damper, wood chip tray and burner. I also made sure there was no meat above it so no drippings could possibly fall down and put the smoldering pellets out.

Well about 30 minutes into having it in there I really didn’t notice much more smoke coming out so I opened it up only to find the smoker tube was almost totally out. I then gave a dozen or so hard forceful blows into it like a billow and the tube came back to life with a bunch of ambers now smoldering really well. I then checked on it again 30 minutes or so later and once again it was practically out. Now I fought this the entire time I was smoking and after 6 hours only half the tube of pellets had been consumed. This led me to believe that there are possibly 4 reasons why it would not stay lit.

Is the LIZZQ tube not of the same design and quality as the A-Maze-N tube? Are the Pit Boss Pellets not of the same quality as the Traeger Pellets? Even though when I cut open the bag of pellets and immediately dumped them into the tube and lit them, was there possibly too much moisture and humidity in them for them to stay lit? Or since the MES is so air tight that there just isn’t enough oxygen in the smoke chamber for the smoker tube to stay lit? If that is the case should I remove the wood chip loader which will allow a lot of air to flow through the smoker? Would it help if I put the smoker tube on the right side of the smoker instead which would put it directly below the air damper and above the burner and wood chip tray? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

Sounds like an airflow problem. I'm sure the MES guys will start chiming in soon.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

If memory serves me correct, the guys that run MES with tubes and trays pull the chip loader out a little bit.

Do a search for Bearcarver since he is the foremost resident expert on MES smokers.

 

[dr k]

Get a 3"×24" aluminum vent pipe for $3. Put one end in the chip loader hole and something to support it level. Slide the tube in it and all air going in passes the tube. Get needle nose pliers to pull out the tube if needed.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

dr k,

Sorry to not include you in my post above.

 

[dr k]

dr k,

Sorry to not include you in my post above.

Oh, No problem. Before I got the amnps tray I got the amnts tube smoker for the grill and cold smoking, then the Mes, then the tray. I slid the amnts in the straight pipe a few times while making the mailbox mod waiting for the tray to arrive.

 

[Winterrider]

Try a test run with the tube in the right side with the chip tube pulled out a bit for more air flow. Pellets may have been a bit damp also, or dr k's method is tried and tested.

 

[forktender]

I had to drill two rows of 1/4'' holes down opposite sides of my amz tube to get it to stay lit in my pellet grill. I spaced them every inch and it still goes out every once in a while.
Before I did this it wouldn't stay lit for more than ten minutes, even when I dried the Lumberjack pellets in the oven for a few minutes before using them. You would think with the forced air in a pellet grill that there would be more than enough air to keep the tube going but that was not the case for me. I have tried different placement of the tube, even elevating one end of the tube 1 1/2 high. I just don't get it, I like the maze a lot better. I cover it with a piece of wire mesh to keep it smoldering a little longer.

 

[siege]

Sometimes it helps to microwave the pellets briefly to get the moisture out. Be sure the vent on top of your MES is open so air can circulate. I added a 12" piece of drier vent to my top vent, and the added "stack" helped get a good draw started. You can take it off once things get going.

 

[motsyball]

So the mailbox/cold box was only in Dr K's post just to support the bottom vent pipe? He did not have the mail box connected as an additional smoker box? I assume the adding of the vent pipe to the top or the side of the smoker helps it get a better draw of air instead of just leaving a hole open in the top or side of it? I assume those extended stacks help with better air flow?

 

[Bearcarver]

You get what you pay for.
LizzQ sounds like a Smoke Daddy product.

The only trouble some people (including Me) have with an Amazing Tube Smoker is too much smoke.
I would say your problem is "air flow" if it was a Tray (AMNPS), but you shouldn't be having that kind of trouble with a Tube Smoker.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

I had to drill two rows of 1/4'' holes down opposite sides of my amz tube to get it to stay lit in my pellet grill. I spaced them every inch and it still goes out every once in a while.
Before I did this it wouldn't stay lit for more than ten minutes, even when I dried the Lumberjack pellets in the oven for a few minutes before using them. You would think with the forced air in a pellet grill that there would be more than enough air to keep the tube going but that was not the case for me. I have tried different placement of the tube, even elevating one end of the tube 1 1/2 high. I just don't get it, I like the maze a lot better. I cover it with a piece of wire mesh to keep it smoldering a little longer.

Could it be that your Pellet Grill is consuming all the available oxygen to keep it's own "Bigger" fire going?
Just a guess, as I don't have a Pellet Grill.

Bear

On Edit: I think I was wrong. "LIZZQ" Seems to be Made in "Vietnam".

 

[rexster314]

Pull out or take out the chip loader tube. My solution was a 12" length of duct tubing that fit the MES loader tube hole, and a computer fan attached to the open end of the tube. Smoker tube goes in the lower pan, turn on the fan and it works flawlessly, whether there is any breeze or not.

 

[motsyball]

From looking at the two smoker tubes, the LIZZQ smoker tube appears to have small circular holes where as the A-Maze-N smoker tube has bigger and longer holes which means it probably allows more air to enter the side of tube than the LIZZQ.

 

[chef jimmyj]

With the exception of Traeger Pellets being better, NOT, the answer to all your questions are YES...Traeger Pellets burn just fine but being mostly Alder or Oak filler, don't taste the same as 100% Smoke wood pellets. There is a reason A-MAZE-N is the most popular smoke generators here...JJ

 

[dr k]

So the mailbox/cold box was only in Dr K's post just to support the bottom vent pipe? He did not have the mail box connected as an additional smoker box? I assume the adding of the vent pipe to the top or the side of the smoker helps it get a better draw of air instead of just leaving a hole open in the top or side of it? I assume those extended stacks help with better air flow?

I had the mailbox mod built while waiting for the tray to arrive and already had the tube so I wanted to test the 3"×24" vent pipe by itself to see if it would work so people with tube smokers didnt need the extra mailbox. I just used the mailbox to support the vent pipe instead of a brick. It's worth the $3.00 aluminum vent pipe. You can elevate the tube like we do for the tray to get air underneath with a bent wire hanger to rest the rube on or the original round tube smoker I put two 2.75" or longer rods through the middle of the tube perpendicular to the tube to center it/elevate it in the vent pipe.

 

[normanaj]

Your problem is LIZZQ.Like Bear said you get what pay for.

Using the AMAZEN tube with u-bolt mod and crushed(not dust) pellets will yield nothing but many hours of tbs.Check the link in my signature for a detailed description.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

The primary issue here is the chip loader being in.

The other issue could be the pellets and I only say this as I got a bag of pitboss competition blend once, and it was awful and unusuable, but it wasn't inherently the pellets in retrospect. I bought them off season, and my Walmart likely stored them improperly for the entirety of a year before selling them. Of course they were degraded.

I've never had real issues with my AMNPS by just removing the chip loader. I haven't used a smoke tube yet, but I assume removing the chip loader during a smoke would allow sufficient airflow for it as well.

But, Bear is the MES Guru so I'd listen to him first before me. I just imitate the greats.

 

[motsyball]

Your problem is LIZZQ.Like Bear said you get what pay for.

Using the AMAZEN tube with u-bolt mod and crushed(not dust) pellets will yield nothing but many hours of tbs.Check the link in my signature for a detailed description.

Since we have established that the A Maze N tube and pellet tray are far superior to the LIZZQ and other knock offs, what brand pellets do you all consider to be the best and far superior to other brands out there?

 

[Bearcarver]

Since we have established that the A Maze N tube and pellet tray are far superior to the LIZZQ and other knock offs, what brand pellets do you all consider to be the best and far superior to other brands out there?

Actual Wood Species pellets from Amazing Smokers.

Bear