# Wood chips not smoking?



## snapperwhipper (Mar 11, 2013)

I have been using my new smoker since the first of the year with pretty good results,but one problem seems to continue and that is a lot of my wood chunks and even some chips don't turn to ash.I do soak them for a couple of hours and use all different types of wood.Now I must say that I'm using the thin chip boxes that come with my Smoke Hollow Gasser 24" unit.I have read that some folks replace these with cast iron boxes.What do you guys think?.I have plenty of heat,with both burners on low it's at about 230-250.Thanks in advance Mike


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## deuce (Mar 11, 2013)

Hi Mike,

The chip tray should not be the problem, I also have a smoke hollow propane smoker and the chip tray works fine. Granted it is not the most heavy duty chip tray, but I have never had an issued with it and after 50 or so smokes it is still doing fine. One thing I have found is sometimes you have to push the chips or chunks towards the back as you add new to burn them completely. I have had some chunks that don't turn all the way to ash, but still smoke fine.

 There are a lot of people, myself included who do not soak the chips in water, they just use them dry with great results.


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## greg b (Mar 11, 2013)

One thing I have noticed in my MES 30 is that if I let the chips soak for more than an hour or so, they take longer to get smoke. I am going with what would seem to be logic, that the more water the chips absorb, the longer it will take them to get to the smoldering point where they start to smoke.


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## daveomak (Mar 11, 2013)

If your chips are staying black, you are making charcoal.... Lack of oxygen makes charcoal....  Try modding the smoker so there is more air getting in and out....  Soaking chips delays the smoke......  At least that is what I have found....   Complete burn should look like this....

I have had black pellets from an incomplete burn... I added more air flow and this is what I get now....    Dave

                   .......click on pic to enlarge.......













AMNPS complete pellet burn.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Mar 11, 2013


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## snapperwhipper (Mar 11, 2013)

Thanks for the response,I"m going to try not soaking my chips and cutting my chunks smaller,also letting in more air.My chips are turning to ash but the bigger pieces are looking more like charcoal.Thanks again!!


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