A-maze-n smoker and MES question on air flow

[Grogger27]

I saw this link recently ( http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...light=a-maze-n ) and after a miserable day of keeping my AMNPS going, I have been pondering my luck with this unit. Don't get me wrong, I love the AMNPS. It's very handy, but it seems to be hit and miss on keeping running sometimes. I have dry warm pellets and I'm using a good torch to start the ash bed. But air flow seems to be my unconstant issue when running it in my MES.
Now I've seen people add a chunk of pipe or flue to the top off their charcoal or wood off-set smokers to increase air flow, so what are your thoughts on adding a chunk of chimney flue to the top of the MES when using the AMNPS for extra air flow?

[Richtee]

Grog... get some charcoal bits and lay a "base" down along the channel... bits touching. Use a larger bit at the lighting end. Lay pellets on top of that...light the charcoal/pellet end... should be good to go.

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...78153#poststop

[L20A]

Grogger, I have a MES 30" and have had issues with the AMZPS. I got with Todd and others but nothing totally fixed my problems keeping it smoking. I tried the smokestack extender with no luck. What has worked for me is taking out the round side chip tray and either turning the opening toward the breeze so air gets pushed into the opening or using a small fan aimed at the opening. I am talking about a gentle breeze, not a gale. I tried many times to have the AMZPS set on the rails next to the burner housing and it almost always went out. I feel that there is not enough space there for air to get to it. I put it onto the bottom rack, just above the burner housing. And you need to pull the inside chip/ash tray open about 1 1/2" so the air can flow through the burner area into the body of the smoker. I also have had good luck with a pellet burner that I had my welder friend make up for me which is like the AMZ tube pellet burner but mine is not round but square. It is made with the same kind of metal but the holes are larger diameter. It is 1 1/2" across and is about 14" long and is shaped about like a package of saltines, open on one end. It burns hotter & faster than the AMZPS and doesn't go out as easy. Lately I have been lighting them both up. I hope this helps. BTW, leaving the side tray out and getting the air flow into the side round hole has not changed how it smokes. I still love the MES.

[Doug S.]

Take the "chip loader" out open the top vent completely...this has worked well for me

[Grogger27]

Thanks guys.
I had time to kill today, so I cracked apart 3 briquettes and lined the bottom of the AMNPS, then loaded up with pellets. I got it burning nicely and let it burn for 15 minutes before throwing it inside the MES. I pulled the side loader out and left the bottom heat tray pulled out by 2". Today was a beautiful December day here, just below freezing and no wind. Not even a draft. So I had an old computer fan I fired up and moved it about 12" from the side loader hole and aimed it inside. This couldn't have produced a better smoke if I were sitting beside the MES for 8 hours straight adding a chip of wood every 5 minutes.
Thanks again.

[tadowdaddy]

I also use a fan and take out the loader and the chip pan in my MES. Depending on the pellet type, I still can have struggles sometimes. Today for instance, the 100% cherry pellets wouldn't stay lit, but switched to apple and had no issues. What flavor of pellets are you using?

[Grogger27]

I also use a fan and take out the loader and the chip pan in my MES. Depending on the pellet type, I still can have struggles sometimes. Today for instance, the 100% cherry pellets wouldn't stay lit, but switched to apple and had no issues. What flavor of pellets are you using?

I have been using BBQ's Delight Sugar Maple and last week I had some Traeger Hickory. The last time it worked perfectly I was using the BBQ's Delight Sugar Maple as well. Different bag though.
It's tough to get decent pellets around here up until recently when the local hardware store started carrying Traeger products.

[Richtee]

Thanks guys.
I had time to kill today, so I cracked apart 3 briquettes and lined the bottom of the AMNPS, then loaded up with pellets. I got it burning nicely and let it burn for 15 minutes before throwing it inside the MES. I pulled the side loader out and left the bottom heat tray pulled out by 2". Today was a beautiful December day here, just below freezing and no wind. Not even a draft. So I had an old computer fan I fired up and moved it about 12" from the side loader hole and aimed it inside. This couldn't have produced a better smoke if I were sitting beside the MES for 8 hours straight adding a chip of wood every 5 minutes.
Thanks again.

Prolly would work without the fan- but all's well that ends well!

[tadowdaddy]

I have been using BBQ's Delight Sugar Maple and last week I had some Traeger Hickory. The last time it worked perfectly I was using the BBQ's Delight Sugar Maple as well. Different bag though.
It's tough to get decent pellets around here up until recently when the local hardware store started carrying Traeger products.

I've just had some pellets that do not work at all, don't know why. Usually it's a 100% flavored fruit wood pellet that gives me problems. The blended pellets haven't ever given me grief.

[ExhaustedSpark]

You need a lot of air to keep pellets burning. The Mes is more of an oven you smoke with the it is a smoker. If it has more air flow the pellets burn better.
You can always cut a vent in to the bottom and add some kind of cover to regulate for when you want to close it down to cook.
Karl

[MossyMO]

I also use a fan and take out the loader and the chip pan in my MES. Depending on the pellet type, I still can have struggles sometimes. Today for instance, the 100% cherry pellets wouldn't stay lit, but switched to apple and had no issues. What flavor of pellets are you using?

100% cherry pellets are very difficult to burn on their own, best to mix some oak that won't change the flavor profile of the cherry adversely.

As for airflow problems with MES if not using a fan an aquarium air pump with metal tube attached to the plastic tube for inside the MES may be a good way to direct air flow directly to the smoldering pellets...

[ExhaustedSpark]

Be careful using a fan or air flow being to high as it will cause the pellets to burst in to flames.
There is a happy medium though and you will find it.
Karl