Newbie here!! Just purchased my first smoker!! Please Help!

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Seth9180

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 13, 2017
4
0
New to smoking here! Found a killer deal on a BRAND NEW MES 30 (8715). Only problem is that it's a later model gen 2 with vent on top. Bought it for $86. Hard to pass up. Even after reading all the horror stories. Anyway...just purchased the AMNPS and will purchase a TP20 soon. After a lot of reading I have decided to remove the slanted drip plate to help with the problems with the gen 2. Along with the water Pan. Please point me in the right direction but I am planning on adding an aluminum pan on the bottom rack and my AMNPS to the right of the pan above the wood chips loader. I will line the very bottom drip pan with foil to catch any extra drippings. Now a couple questions...1) does the hood over top of the chip loader affect air flow to the AMNPS? 2) I may experiment with this but I am thinking about moving the bottom rack on top of the chip loader hood and resting the other end on the screws to keep it stable. And placing AMNPS on it. Then moving the 3rd rack down to the 4th position and placing a foil drip pan there to catch drippings. I could then place the AMNPS in the center of the rack and the foil pan would protect it. And I could add a 5th rack. What do you guys think? I'll post pics to help explain.
 

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Last edited:
I'm sure there will be someone along to help with the questions you have, but, until then, welcome aboard from North GA!

Mac
 
Looks like you are going to have to go through the old trial and error until you get it the way you want. Good luck and enjoy!
 
When you line the very bottom drip pan, don't forget to punch the hole through for the drain. It not only drains the pan to the grease tray, but provides air intake.
 
Use small drip pans on the wire racks.. blocking the heat and keeping it in the lower part of the smoker has burned out electronics that are buried in the floor of the smoker...
I use my chip pan, covering the heating element, for thermal mass... My MES 30...

chiptray.JPG heating element.JPG

... with chip pan removed for clarity...
DSCF2105.JPG

I also use an mailbox mod for the AMNPS...
The 3 holes in the door provide great air flow...
The upper air hole stops the used smoke from recirculating
and snuffing out the pellets....
Mailbox mod hooked up.jpg

Legs on the AMNPS provide total air supply to the
pellets.....
LEGS 3.jpg
 
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Like Dave said your best bet is to use a mailbox mod for your AMNPS. Then there's no need to poke a hole in the foil covering the big drip pan. Thats the setup I have used in my MES 30 for a couple of years with great success. I also put a tinfoil drip pan (whatever size I need depending on meat size) under the meat to catch and use drippings.
Gary
 
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If you decide to put the Amnps inside on a rack on the bottom left pegs you can hang the right side rack from the right side drip pan pegs to level and get it off the housing with twisting wire.
-Kurt
 
Thank you everyone. All great ideas!! I will try them all out and see what works best. Actually smoked my first loin and it turned out GREAT! Didn't have to play musical chairs with the grates because it was just one loin. Pulled at 140 and wrapped in foil for 25ish minutes.
 

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