# If Your AMNPS Won't Stay Lit, Read On



## johnmeyer (Sep 2, 2018)

I've had my MES for almost three years; my AMNPS for almost two; and my "mailbox mod" for almost eighteen months. In the dozens of times I've used my AMNPS in my external smoking attachment, I've never once had it go out.

Until today.

It went out *twice*.

And, I know why.

I was at the end of my bag of Pitmaster Blend and at the bottom of the bag was a huge amount of dust. I've read all the articles about turning pellets into dust, and I've even smoked using dust that I've bought from Todd. Given this, I figured I would just dump the dust into the pellets that were already in the first row of the AMNPS.

Big Mistake.

I was able to light it just fine, and it looked OK when I put it into my smoking attachment, but half an hour later when I looked out the window, no smoke.

I re-started it, but half an hour later, the same thing.

So, I poured some new pellets, with no dust, into the unused end of the AMNPS and lit that. I re-lit the other side to try to make up for the time when no smoke was being put on the food.

The new side stayed lit, just like always.

So, even though I know that the AMNPS can be used with dust, and I've done that myself, if you have pellets *mixed* with dust, the end result doesn't seem to work too well.

I am not saying that this is the sole reason that many people have problems keeping the AMNPS lit, even after they follow all the advice given so frequently in this forum, but I think this might be a factor that hasn't yet been discussed, and therefore may contribute to some of the failures.

[edit]I just came in from checking on the smoke, and the row that had the "dustless pellets" was still going strong, and the one that had the dust/pellet mix had gone out. 

I think this proves my theory.

BTW, the pellets with the dust came from the same huge bag that I bought from Todd earlier this year. I transfer those pellets to a smaller bag that fits easily into our small pantry. So, the pellets are identical in every respect, except for the large amount of dust in the ones I used initially.


----------



## normanaj (Sep 4, 2018)

johnmeyer said:


> I think this proves my theory.



Not a theory John,you've obviously proven that.Dust and pellets don't burn at the same rate,one burns out before the other even begins to burn.


----------



## TomKnollRFV (Sep 4, 2018)

I have a theory on the end of the bag dust too; it likely has alot of the binding element in it, which probably burns different then saw dust. It'll probably be a decade before I get to the bottom of my Pitboss Competition blend pellets to test this though ;)


----------



## johnmeyer (Sep 4, 2018)

Just to be clear: pellets burn just fine in the AMNPS; dust burns just fine in the AMNPS; but, mix the two together, and it most definitely creates something that won't stay lit.


----------



## gmc2003 (Sep 5, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> I have a theory on the end of the bag dust too; it likely has alot of the binding element in it, which probably burns different then saw dust. It'll probably be a decade before I get to the bottom of my Pitboss Competition blend pellets to test this though ;)



There shouldn't be any binding agents in pellets. They bind naturally.



johnmeyer said:


> Just to be clear: pellets burn just fine in the AMNPS; dust burns just fine in the AMNPS; but, mix the two together, and it most definitely creates something that won't stay lit.



I bet the dust is restricts the airflow around the pellets. 

Chris


----------



## TomKnollRFV (Sep 5, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> There shouldn't be any binding agents in pellets. They bind naturally.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I swore they added some natural binder to make pellets. Thus the glossy look.


----------



## nanuk (Sep 25, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> I swore they added some natural binder to make pellets. Thus the glossy look.



the glossy look is just the burnishing of the wood during the process of pelletizing


----------



## nanuk (Sep 25, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> I bet the dust is restricts the airflow around the pellets.
> 
> Chris



I think gmc2003 nailed it

pellets have lots of airspace between them
dust is light and has air....

but when mixed the dust fills the airspace around the pellets, and the weight of the pellets makes the dust more dense, restricting air.

Try this:
use only dust, but JAM it in TIGHT!  See if it burns poorly.


----------



## TomKnollRFV (Sep 25, 2018)

nanuk said:


> the glossy look is just the burnishing of the wood during the process of pelletizing


The more we know :)


----------



## zwiller (Sep 25, 2018)

Seems relevant.  Any advice on starting and/or running dust in the AMNPS?  Dust is from Todd.  Never have run it but want to try on some cheese.


----------



## Bearcarver (Sep 25, 2018)

Dust burns much easier than Pellets, so it doesn't need air space Within the Dust.
Pellets burn fine without the Dust mixed in, because it has air space between the Pellets.
The Dust mixed in with the Pellets blocks the needed air spaces between the Pellets, causing the fire to go out.

Bear


----------



## johnmeyer (Sep 25, 2018)

As I said in my initial post, dust burns fine in the AMNPS. However, as others said above, resist the temptation to tamp it down or pack it. Instead, just pour it in. 

I always put the AMNPS inside a tray when I pour in the dust because quite a bit of the dust exits through the bottom holes. When I'm finished loading the rows, I just pour the dust that has accumulated in the tray back into the bag for use the next time.


----------



## SonnyE (Nov 13, 2018)

Mine hasn't gone out because I lay about half full of pellets.
Then lay a layer of my shavens over the Pellet "fuse".
Works for me. I don't mix, I layer.


----------

