# Smoke Vault and Wood on Fire



## ga65 (Jan 31, 2014)

Hey guys,
I have a smoke vault 24 and have used it quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. The one problem that keeps occurring is that my chunks keep catching fire. So far to no avail I have spread the chunks apart, wrapped in tin foil, tried to raise the tray a little but every time they catch fire. My temps have always been around the 230 range. I have read on this forum that some people swap out the factory tray with a cast iron skillet. I have also heard about people using the amnp tube smoker. I was hoping someone could give some advice on what route I should take. Don't get me wrong I love the SV24. Over the last couple of weeks I have turned out some amazing smokes. Thanks.


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## jarjarchef (Feb 1, 2014)

Check the bottom air vents. If they are open too much you will get fire. The top one needs to be fully open. Unlike stick burners and using air intake to adjust the heat, the propane burner adjusts the heat for you. You just need enough air to allow it to burn and the chunks to smolder.......


For the size of smoker you have........ I would go with the AMNPS. I have a tube smoker and have used it in a MES and I feel it puts out too much smoke for that enviroment. but any of the two you will be in good hands


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## nola saints smoker (Feb 1, 2014)

I have the 18" Smoke Vault and I use the AMNTS (12" tube). I have no problem with it staying lit and it smokes for about 4 hours. I do not use the cast iron wood tray that came with the smoker. But I mainly use this smoker for cold smoking and low temp smoking.

I had issues with keeping the temps low with the stock set up so I cut off the regulator and replaced with an adjustable low temp regulator.

Still playing around with the set up and even with the regulator set at the lowest setting I still have trouble keeping the temps low. I have the lower vents closed as much as the tabs allow-which I may bend the tabs back and close the bottom vents more but if I do that then the burner will probably be starved for oxygen and go out.

What I have done and it works somewhat is set the burner knob to medium and adjust the flame with the regulator and also slightly open the door. With that setup I can keep the temps between 125-135. It does fluctuate but as long as I can keep temps below 150 I am good. This unit is definitely not a set and forget like my stumps but I didn't think it would be.

I've only had the smoker for a couple weeks so I'm still playing around with it and getting used to using propane. Temp control is tricky and my goal is to find a set up that will keep temps stable within a certain temp range.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 1, 2014)

A cast iron pan will help you if you want to burn chunks. Also moving the pan more off the direct heat will help too. For propane smokers the AMNTS tube smoker works the best. I use the 12" & 18" in my GOSM. You need to place then away from the direct heat and make sure that the drippings aren't falling on the tubes. They work good up to about 285* but then the pellets will start to combust and flare up instead of smoldering.


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## ga65 (Feb 1, 2014)

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna have to get me one of those tube smokers.


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## tucsonbill (Feb 1, 2014)

I use the 12" tube in my Smoke Vault 24".  I put the jerky rack on the bottom position and then put the tube on it, all the way on the left hand side.  No problems and works great!


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## ga65 (Feb 1, 2014)

Tucsonbill or dirtsailor,

So when u put the tube in the chamber you just lay it down near the vent on the lower left or right side?


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## tucsonbill (Feb 1, 2014)

I put it on the left side near the open vent.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 1, 2014)

Depending on what I'm smoking, and the temps these are the two most common places I put mine. 













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__ dirtsailor2003
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__ dirtsailor2003
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Either above or below the water pan. I should mention that I have a cast iron griddle below the water pan as a heat diffuser. When using with propane make sure the tube is really going good before snuffing it for smoke. It also helps to nuke the pellets for a few minutes prior to putting in the tube to dry them out really good.


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## ga65 (Feb 1, 2014)

Thanks. You guys are awesome.


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## broilerking (Sep 8, 2014)

I see that a few people on here  like the AMTS. I have the smoke chef 24" and want to smoke as long as possible without refilling with wood. It seems as though the 12'" smoke tube only gets about 4 hours. Has anyone tried the larger AMPS  one from amazon for $5 more?  They say it lasts for 11 hours on 15oz of pellets. Also, how and where would I place it in the smoker with the water pan and/or away from the direct flame?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 8, 2014)

BroilerKing said:


> I see that a few people on here  like the AMTS. I have the smoke chef 24" and want to smoke as long as possible without refilling with wood. It seems as though the 12'" smoke tube only gets about 4 hours. Has anyone tried the larger AMPS  one from amazon for $5 more?  They say it lasts for 11 hours on 15oz of pellets. Also, how and where would I place it in the smoker with the water pan and/or away from the direct flame?



The 18" AMNTS works great, but will only get 7-8 hours when running the smoker at temps around 250-265. The AMNPS Maze style smoker doesn't do well in propane smokers. 

To get a longer smoke using either the AMNTS, or the AMNPS, you'd need to build another smoke chamber, like the mailbox mod  and pipe the smoke in.


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## broilerking (Sep 9, 2014)

Thanks for the reply! 

Im not exactly sure what the mailbox mod is or where I can get it. Is there a picture of it somewhere?  Are you talking something that hangs off the end like treager pellet smoker grill?


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## broilerking (Sep 9, 2014)

I just saw a bunch of pics here of the mailbox mod with the MES. Interesting. So is it as easy as lighting the pellets in the mailbox and then they are good to burn on their own without an assisted heat source under them? 

Also, does that pellet tube 12" work okay or is there much baby sitting and burn out?


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## tropics (Sep 9, 2014)

BroilerKing said:


> Thanks for the reply!
> 
> Im not exactly sure what the mailbox mod is or where I can get it. Is there a picture of it somewhere? Are you talking something that hangs off the end like treager pellet smoker grill?


BK the mailbox mod is popular with MES 30 and 40

I see you can do a mod with the side vent and mailbox.take a look at mine and visit the MES forum

1st Mac & Cheese in my mod MES40


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## broilerking (Sep 9, 2014)

Thanks!  That is such a clean mod. I may attempt it on the smoke vault.


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