# amnps issues



## sipp (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi I've had my AMNPS for around a year now.
My problem with it is I can not get the pellets to turn the corner.
I can get them lit and the first row burns fine but it never makes the bend. If i need more smoke I have to light the other end after it the first one goes out.
The other first row will burn fine until it gets to the turn then goes out. Usually by that time I'm tired of messing with it and finish using just heat or the chip chute. Its kind of frusterating. 
I use a MES30, microwave the pellets, chip chute in-out-halfway out (i've tried them all), foil tent over amnps to protect from drips. Does this happen to any one else? any suggestions?
Thanks for any ideas you may have.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 27, 2014)

That's strange---I never had that problem.

Here's some guesses & questions:

Do you have it all the way in, against the back wall (blocking air flow)?

Do you fill it all the way up to about 3/16 from the top of the walls?

Are the pellets packed tight or loose?

Did you try turning it around so the first turn will be in the front of the smoker?

What kind of pellets are you using (flavor)?

Are many of your pellets a bit long, like 3/4" or longer?

Bear


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## geerock (Jan 27, 2014)

Also.......have you had an exorcist look at it?

Has the AMAZ N ever seen you in your underwear?

And did you mix enough "eye of the newt" powder with the pellets?

Maybe a Smoke Daddy should be in your future.


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## sipp (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi Thanks for the reply.
I am not sure how close the amnps is to the back but I didnt think there was much room front to back sitting on those rails.
The amnps is full almost to the top and poured in from the container that they were microwaved in then leveled out smooth across the rows.
I usually put the lit end towards the back and closest to the chip chute.
I try all kinds of pellets but usually use apple and Jack Daniels charcoal pellets ( i can find those locally).
I havent had much luck at all with Mesquite or cherry pellets staying lit and i can't use nut tree pellets due to my daughter's allergy.
I would say that the majority of the pellets are  one half to three quarters of an inch long.
thank you again for the reply i will try rotating the amnps and make sure it is centered front to back.

Also I really enjoy your signature step by step tutorials.
I have read most of them and I have done the dried venison and it came out great. Thank you for those as well.


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## sipp (Jan 27, 2014)

GEEROCK
I see your point.
Do you use a smokedaddy? I dont know much about them.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 27, 2014)

sipp said:


> Hi Thanks for the reply.
> I am not sure how close the amnps is to the back but I didnt think there was much room front to back sitting on those rails.
> The amnps is full almost to the top and poured in from the container that they were microwaved in then leveled out smooth across the rows.
> I usually put the lit end towards the back and closest to the chip chute.
> ...


HMMMMmmmm,

Judging by your answers, the only thing I can think of is keeping it away from the front or the back. The AMNPS is 8" long, and I think an MES 30 is about 11" deep, so there should be room for 1 1/2" inches of clearance front and back.

Other than that, just make sure you pack the corners the same way as the long stretch, because if it works in the straight-away, it should work on the bends.

I'm also glad you like my "Step by Steps", and my Venison Dried Beef.

Bear


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## grimm5577 (Jan 27, 2014)

my only advice, being that i was also frustrated with the A-maze-n pellet smoker the first times i've used it, is to get the pellets lit and going very hot and good before putting it in the smoker. I always had a problem of mine going out. I find it takes just as long to get the A-maze-n going as it does a chimney of charcoal.


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## trikefreak (Jan 27, 2014)

Anyone tried drilling some larger holes in a few spots to get the ampns to stay lit? I have side that will burn to middle of box, another side that always goes out at the first corner. I was thinking about this yesterday as it did it once again.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 27, 2014)

Trikefreak said:


> Anyone tried drilling some larger holes in a few spots to get the ampns to stay lit? I have side that will burn to middle of box, another side that always goes out at the first corner. I was thinking about this yesterday as it did it once again.


A long time ago, I drilled a 3/8" hole in the left side, just below the bars. I ran an aquarium pump hose through the hole to produce air flow under the AMNPS.

After awhile I got lazy & didn't put the hose in, and found out as long as I didn't try to use 100% Cherry, I had no problem.

Bear


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## geerock (Jan 27, 2014)

sipp said:


> GEEROCK
> I see your point.
> Do you use a smokedaddy? I dont know much about them.



Yes I do.  Not to say I don't have the AMAZ N products.  I have all of them, but got frustrated with them with the traeger pellet cooker, my caja china roasting box, and my gen 2 mes 40.  I use Todds pellet tube for my homemade smokehouse, but i got tired of maybe yes, maybe no with the other cookers.  Never an issue with a smoke daddy and because it mounts on the exterior you reload at any time.


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## sb59 (Jan 27, 2014)

Why not start lighting it at the turns and letting it burn its way to the ends?


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## Bearcarver (Jan 27, 2014)

SB59 said:


> Why not start lighting it at the turns and letting it burn its way to the ends?


That would be alright if he wants twice as much smoke, but it would still only last the same length of time.

Bear


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## sb59 (Jan 27, 2014)

What I'm thinking is if you light it at the turns and it still only burns the two outside rows but not down the middle row then it is probably an airflow problem blocking the center row.


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## paulh1966 (Aug 31, 2014)

i tried a bunch of these suggestions yesterday , with and MES 30 Gen 1 i just got, still not luck. Havent tried letting the tray be 1.5" from the back yet though. If you use an aquarium pump through a hole what kind of tube did you put through the hole.


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## Bearcarver (Aug 31, 2014)

paulh1966 said:


> i tried a bunch of these suggestions yesterday , with and MES 30 Gen 1 i just got, still not luck. Havent tried letting the tray be 1.5" from the back yet though. If you use an aquarium pump through a hole what kind of tube did you put through the hole.


I only tried it once----Silicon aquarium hose.

But then I found out I didn't need the pump & hose.

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Aug 31, 2014)

paulh1966 said:


> i tried a bunch of these suggestions yesterday , with and MES 30 Gen 1 i just got, still not luck. Havent tried letting the tray be 1.5" from the back yet though. If you use an aquarium pump through a hole what kind of tube did you put through the hole.


I only tried it once----Silicon aquarium hose.

But then I found out I didn't need the pump & hose.

Bear

Sorry about the Double Post. Forum acted goofy for a minute. Hopefully it's OK now.


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## paulh1966 (Aug 31, 2014)

Today I tried removing the chip tray,  crushing some pellets and sprinkling them on the bottom then layer of pellets then more crushed,  then more pellets etc..  also pulled the loader halfway out..  over 2 hours of smoke. Also i put the amnps so it had clearance in front and behind.   No food in it though.  Do you put foil to cover any drippings from hitting the pellets..  last night I was doing jerky had all 4 racks filled and it looks like quite a few drippings had hit the pellets.


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## Bearcarver (Aug 31, 2014)

paulh1966 said:


> Today I tried removing the chip tray, crushing some pellets and sprinkling them on the bottom then layer of pellets then more crushed, then more pellets etc.. also pulled the loader halfway out.. over 2 hours of smoke. Also i put the amnps so it had clearance in front and behind. No food in it though. *Do you put foil to cover any drippings from hitting the pellets.. last night I was doing jerky had all 4 racks filled and it looks like quite a few drippings had hit the pellets.*


I just put my AMNPS on the support bars. Then I cut a foil pan in half and put it upside-down above the water pan, like in the pic below:













image.jpeg



__ smokin monkey
__ Feb 12, 2016


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## paulh1966 (Sep 1, 2014)

Bad thing about this is you give up using one of the racks.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 1, 2014)

paulh1966 said:


> Bad thing about this is you give up using one of the racks.


I never used that bottom rack, even without the AMNPS or AMNS.

It's too close to the heat for me.

My first choice is rack #2.

2nd choice is #1.

3rd is #3.

Never #4.

If you look close, you'll see the flat piece of aluminum on the right side.

I use that to force the heat from the heating element to the center of the smoker, instead of allowing it to go straight up & out the exhaust vent.

I raise & lower the left side of that aluminum plate to adjust the flow. With that plate I'm able to make the heat in the left side of the smoker the same as the right side

Bear


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## paulh1966 (Sep 2, 2014)

i used all the racks when doing Jerky and Chicken this weekend the meat was evenly cooked i would say on all racks.


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## tjohnson (Sep 3, 2014)

If the pellets are not making it around the corner, then it's most likely an air flow/oxygen issue or you didn't fill the row to the top with pellets.

*MES Old Model*

Light the AMNPS 5x8 and place it on the rails towards the bottom of the smoker

Pull the chip pan out about 1 1/2"

Pull the chip loader out 2"

Exhaust WIDE open

No water in the water pan

*MES New Gen 2*

Remove water pan and place on the floor

Light the AMNPS 5x8 and place it on the hole where the water pan used to sit

Pull the chip loader out 2" and rotate so it is in the "Dump" position

Exhaust WIDE open

No water in the water pan

Rows should be filled with pellets to the top

Below is a pic of an AMNPS that _*DOES NOT*_ have enough pellets in it to continue burning

My customer could not get more than 2 hours of burning out of the tray.

Once we figured out he wasn't filling the rows with enough pellets, his problem was fixed













AMNPS Not Full.jpg



__ tjohnson
__ Sep 3, 2014


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## kennyp1114 (Jan 15, 2015)

I received the amnps today and the pics do it no justice. It looked okay in pics, but this thing is heavy duty! I haven't used it but it's a well built piece of equipment. Any doubts i had about the quality are gone. Nice piece and i bought a heat gun from Wagner and it fires up pellets immediately. Just plug in and you're ready to start it up. It fits like it was made for the MES and can't wait to try it! Five stats to Todd on the quality.


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## inkjunkie (Jan 16, 2015)

Have not read all the posts so if this has been covered I do apologize.  Just had a nightmare with mine. Tried all the heat the pellets in the smoker, dry them in the micro on a paper plate advice that was offered. In my case what worked wad to bury in pellets in a large pan. Take a small ruler and screet the top...like what is done when working concrete. Fill the rows right to the top. Get it burning, either with a small torch or by using the Rutland gel that Todd sells. After 10 minutes blow it out. 
Mine burned for over 12 hours yesterday...


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## Bearcarver (Jan 16, 2015)

kennyp1114 said:


> It fits like it was made for the MES and can't wait to try it!


It Was.

Bear


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## kennyp1114 (Jan 16, 2015)

Bearcarver said:


> It Was.
> 
> Bear


 I smoked for 3 1/2 hrs. and it burned about one third of row. Todd has a great product.


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