AMAZNPS with water in MES?

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bfelgar

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 1, 2010
68
25
Bothell, Washington
I have a MES 30 and was wondering if I put water in the pan if the AMAZNPS will still work.  I know a lot of threads suggest that you want it dry but I'm doing a pastrami tonight and will leave it unattended for at least 7 hours.  I'm using hickory pellets not dust.  Anyone do it this way?
 
I don't use a water pan (although I don't use the AMAZNPS either) but my opinion is not to use the water pan.  It will create steam and probably wet the pellets too much to allow a full burn.  

My unit is so tight that moisture seems to never be an issue.  I have seen a trick used though that may help......get some cheesecloth and soak it in liquid.....sometimes I use melted butter....but you can use whatever you want......drape it over the meat and smoke away.  The cloth allows smoke penetration and helps retain moisture as well. 

Let us know what you come up with and how the pastrami turns out.

Scott
 
If you leave the exhaust wide open and have good air flow, a small pan with 1/4" water in it, and keep the smoker below 200 degrees, that will work.....
elevating the smoker temp to 220 or higher, will create steam.... I have found that creates 2 problems......

1. the steam displaces oxygen in the smoker.... the AMNPS will still work if it is in a mailbox mod or something similar......

2. If the AMNPS is in a MB mod. and the water starts to boil too fast, or make steam too fast, since water to steam conversion is1600:1, the expanding water to steam will stop the air flow through the MB mod. and the pellets will not smoke adequately...

I'm sure the same is true when using chip in the stock chip pan....
 
So I put it in last night after work (well 3:30 am). Put a put a full load of Hickory in the AMZNPS at 225 (1/2 inch water in pan), pulled the chip tray and chip loader half way out, a tin can on the exhaust vent and tended the AMZNPS and went to bed. Just checked it 7 hrs later and it looks like the smoker worked fine. God looking bark on both the point and flat and a AMZNPS full of ashes. Don't know if I lucked out our what, but it seems to have worked. After 7 hrs point is 160 and flat is 150. Will wrap in a bit and take it the rest of the way. I'll post some picks when she's d
 
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