I'm almost too embarrassed to post this. I'm on my 6th day trying to get the pellets to smoke, working at it all day. I have a GOSM 36" and am using ( in the beginning the oak pellets that came with the tray) and now a bag of bear Mountain pecan and a bag of cherry, both with an oak base (70/30 I believe). I started the conventional way, i.e. light one end and let it burn for 10 minutes. I always have to keep lighting (with a propane torch) to maintain a flame because they won't stay lit, even out in the open. I have a mailbox mounted to the bottom of the GOSM and one 90 degree 4" duct going into the bottom of the smoker sealed with a fire rated compound and aluminum foil tape. When I couldn't get the pellets to stay lit after putting the tray into the mailbox I cut a square opening in the bottom of the box directly below the pellet tray. The pellets would go out shortly after putting them in the box. Not enough venting? Then I drilled five 1" diameter holes in the back of the box. Then, thinking there might be too much air I started taping over openings with aluminum foil tape starting with a few all the way back to no venting. Same results. Then I installed a stack over the top opening thinking it would improve draft through the smoker. Same results. Then I installed a small 12vdc fan on top of the stack. Same results I've microwaved the pellets for 90 seconds, baked them in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hours and baked them in the smoker at 300 degrees for 3 hours. No help. I increased and decreased the amount of pellets in the tray and tried mixing some small chips in with the pellets. I tried all these things several times and in different combinations. WHITE FLAG, UNCLE AND ANY OTHER FORM OF SURRENDER. I need someone with a Phd in smoking pellets.
