Do I need to add exhause pipes to my smoke shack? AMNPS draft issues

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rbranstner

Smoking Guru
Original poster
OTBS Member
Oct 18, 2007
5,698
39
West Fargo, ND / Northern MN
I have been running my smoke shack for around two years now and it works great. But recently I have been running my new AMNPS in it and I have been having a few issues with it staying lit sometimes. The first two times I used the AMNPS in there it kept wanting to go out because it wasn't getting enough air I though and also I figured I wasn't letting it burn long enough before blowing it out and putting it in the smoker. So the next two times I made sure I burned it for around 15 minutes, nuked the pellets and put it right by the air intake holes and it ran like a dream. Well I went to go use it last weekend when doing summer sausage and I had issues with it staying lit again. I did everything the same as the prior two smokes when it worked great. There is one thing I though of last weekend. My two exhaust holes at the top of my smoker just point outside they don't have smoke stacks on them so do you think the wind could be blowing into those holes and causing kind of a reverse draft or just blocking the draft enough which would cause my AMNPS to not get enough air. As far as I can remember the 3 times I seemed to have issues keeping my AMNPS lit it was a bit breezy out and the two times that it worked like a charm I think it was calm as can be so maybe the draft was able to work properly those times? What do you think do I have something here or am I crazy? Here is a picture of my exhaust holes. I was thinking about running to the store and getting some 90 degree stove pipes so the air can't blow directly back into the smoker.

 
That's what I would try.  I think you're getting a back-draft with the breeze like you said, and it's preventing fresh O2 from getting into the intake.
 
That's what I would try.  I think you're getting a back-draft with the breeze like you said, and it's preventing fresh O2 from getting into the intake.


I am no expert on smokehouses but I agree with James 
 
I'm no expert either Ross but I've used the AMZNPS in mine, even sat it on a block in the floor

and it works fine.

It's definitely a air flow issue.
 
I use standard air vent louvers on my smokehouse, but I have the bottom air intake one way (pointing up), and the top air output the other way (pointing down).  The bottom pointing up so it can draw in air from the top, the output pointing down so it won't allow incoming drafts.  You could try just adding an air deflector first covering part of the holes, a few scraps of plywood.  Plus the overhang of the roof on mine helps too.

5f3bf621_005.jpg
 
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