- Feb 21, 2015
- 60
- 14
Ok guys, round two! Here's the story...
In December I got my MES40 and have struggled with temps, back story to this can be found here:http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/179121/struggling-with-smoking-hobby
Yesterday @ 5pm I started my smoker at 230 degree's and filled my AMNPS w/ Apple Chips from Amazon (). Lit the tray, let it burn outside the smoker for 15 minutes and put inside at bottom bars. Chip tray and tube in place. I returned after prepping the 8lbs Brisket flat and went to put the meat in to find the AMNPS was out.
I pulled the tray, re-lit and burn for 10 more minutes, re-inserted tray on bottom bars and added brisket.
1 hour later I checked the window of my smoker and found no smoke. AMNPS was out again. Opened, re-lit and this time placed it on the bottom rack, above heating element. An hour later, out again.
I started using the tube & chips at this point along with re-lighting the AMNPS until about 11pm when I went to bed. Meat was at 155 degree's and nicely stuck in the stall.
I woke up at 6am to check, meat was at 177 degree's and, as expected AMNPS hadn't continued to burn for more then an hour after I went to bed. I'm guessing this will be an under-smoked Brisket, but none the less. I'm more concerned about figuring out where my flaw is with this AMNPS.
This isn't the first struggles I've had with AMNPS staying lit. However, I blamed the pellets until just a few days ago when I added Mailbox mod to my MES40. With the AMNPS lit w/ same pellets in mailbox the whole tray caught fire inside the mailbox.
Bottom of Mailbox are 1/2" holes for air intake.
So, I'm at a loss. I can't honestly blame the pellet quality anymore if the whole thing caught fire in the mailbox but doesn't stay lit in the MES 40.
Any Idea's / Suggestions / Comments?
In December I got my MES40 and have struggled with temps, back story to this can be found here:http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/179121/struggling-with-smoking-hobby
Yesterday @ 5pm I started my smoker at 230 degree's and filled my AMNPS w/ Apple Chips from Amazon (). Lit the tray, let it burn outside the smoker for 15 minutes and put inside at bottom bars. Chip tray and tube in place. I returned after prepping the 8lbs Brisket flat and went to put the meat in to find the AMNPS was out.
I pulled the tray, re-lit and burn for 10 more minutes, re-inserted tray on bottom bars and added brisket.
1 hour later I checked the window of my smoker and found no smoke. AMNPS was out again. Opened, re-lit and this time placed it on the bottom rack, above heating element. An hour later, out again.
I started using the tube & chips at this point along with re-lighting the AMNPS until about 11pm when I went to bed. Meat was at 155 degree's and nicely stuck in the stall.
I woke up at 6am to check, meat was at 177 degree's and, as expected AMNPS hadn't continued to burn for more then an hour after I went to bed. I'm guessing this will be an under-smoked Brisket, but none the less. I'm more concerned about figuring out where my flaw is with this AMNPS.
This isn't the first struggles I've had with AMNPS staying lit. However, I blamed the pellets until just a few days ago when I added Mailbox mod to my MES40. With the AMNPS lit w/ same pellets in mailbox the whole tray caught fire inside the mailbox.
Bottom of Mailbox are 1/2" holes for air intake.
So, I'm at a loss. I can't honestly blame the pellet quality anymore if the whole thing caught fire in the mailbox but doesn't stay lit in the MES 40.
Any Idea's / Suggestions / Comments?
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