What would cause AMNPS to burn entirely in 3 hours?

[mrsmoklestein]

Im using my amnps for the first time tonight, filled it with apple pellets 1/4” from the top, lit one end, started end with torch for 45 seconds, let flame burn for 10 minutes and blew it out then loaded in smoker.

My entire tray of pellets burned to ash in 3 1/2 hours....is it my brand of pellets?!

 

[AP514]

hum...All 3 rows ? what temp were you cooking at ? Also 1/4 from top does not seem like you put a lot in the rows.
I fill mine with Apple and top the row up....1 row gives me 3.5-4 hours of smoke. So, I would say yup it is most likely the brand..I get my pellets from A-maze-N..(buy direct)...100% wood NO Fillers.....

 

[indaswamp]

grease drip on the pellets, and a whole lot of air flow.....

 

[mrsmoklestein]

Yeah is burned all three rows in a mere 3 1/2 hours....smoking BBB at 150F. The tray was blocked from any grease with a piece of foil on the rack above it, and the airflow is four 1/4” holes on the bottom of the unit, and the wind wasn’t cranking up or anything.

Luhr Jensen brand applewood pellets for little chief smokers.

 

[daveomak]

Did you have most of the entire rack covered with foil ??? What happened is, the pellets were in a very hot zone due to lack of air movement and heat build up from the element...

 

[mrsmoklestein]

Did you have most of the entire rack covered with foil ??? What happened is, the pellets were in a very hot zone due to lack of air movement and heat build up from the element...

I just had a piece of foil slightly larger than the actual 5x8 amnps to keep drippings out. I didn’t cover the whole rack for fear of tripping out the thermostat on the burner.

 

[daveomak]

After you lit the pellets, did you blow the flame out ??? maybe it re-lit....

 

[mrsmoklestein]

After you lit the pellets, did you blow the flame out ??? maybe it re-lit....

It was blown out when it went in, it did reignite when I opened the door once but I blew it out again. It was pouring smoke but it was not flaming as I can see it through the damper vent. Stayed smoldering the entire time otherwise.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe these specific pellets are designed to burn quickly because the little chief smokers don’t run very hot?

I am completely baffled....

 

[daveomak]

Take a picture of how you had it set up... and what smoker are you using...

 

[mrsmoklestein]

This is the actual tray that burned so quickly, took the pic before the smoke



https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/analog-masterbuilt-mes35b-mods-for-amnps.282589/

This is the smoker

 

[daveomak]

I'm thinking it has to do with proximity to the heating element, air flow etc....

Take a picture of how you had it set up..(Inside the smoker).. and what smoker are you using...

Are you using an electric or gas... What brand and model....
Others may have this problem and I'm just trying to get to the root of it...
Would you please help me with that ????

...

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I've had mesquite pellets go crazy before.

Also had pitboss do this, specifically the competition blend by pitboss. Within an half hour of putting the pellets in, all three rows had ignited when using pitboss..

 

[mrsmoklestein]

This is how it would’ve been set up, hard to see but it’s still 3-4 inches from the burner, and unit was set to run under 150

I'm thinking it has to do with proximity to the heating element, air flow etc....



Are you using an electric or gas... What brand and model....
Others may have this problem and I'm just trying to get to the root of it...
Would you please help me with that ????

...

It’s a Masterbuilt mes35b analog

 

[mrsmoklestein]

I've had mesquite pellets go crazy before.

Also had pitboss do this, specifically the competition blend by pitboss. Within an half hour of putting the pellets in, all three rows had ignited when using pitboss..

Well reading the bag tells me that Luhr Jensen adds some alder to the applewood but that’s it. I’m inclined to believe it’s the actual p i’m inclined to believe it’s the actual pellets but certainly could be the closeness to the burner but that’s why im here ha

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Some times you just get those random occurence where things don't go as planned either.

 

[gmc2003]

From the picture it looks like your tray is sitting directly over your heating element w/o any type of diffuser/deflector.

Chris

 

[Braz]

and unit was set to run under 150

But keep in mind that when the element is on it is fully on. The temp controller turns it off and on to maintain the set temp. I think your pellet tray is too close to the burner.

 

[daveomak]

I'm thinking it's the proximity to the burner... When the smoker calls for heat, the burner comes on at HIGH heat...
Will the AMNPS fit below the burner on the left somewhere... if so, give that a try as an experiment...

Great minds think alike....

 

[mrsmoklestein]

It wont fit under the burner so the only other options would be to use a flat rack in the next position above the burner rack height....Which isn’t ideal because then I’m bringing the tray closer to the food which means more creosote but if that’s what it takes that’s what it takes. which isn’t ideal because then I’m bringing the tray closer to the food which means more creosote but if that’s what it takes that’s what it takes

I’ll do another test run tonight

 

[indaswamp]

mail box mod.???