figure this amerique issue out i dare you

It does happen and we've heard it described on the forum periodically. It's not a concern, but I don't remember what causes it. Someone else can share that with us.

I would search "BOOM"

Nothing to worry about!

thanks you for the help

bugsydog,
I’m sure C/S can explain this better than, myself. Three conditions must be met for combustion. Heat, ( the electrode getting very hot at start up ) fuel, ( gases from smoldering wood ) and oxygen ( from opening the door when starting the cook ). When those three things are just right, BOOM. It’s like when burning leaves in the fall. As you pile leaves on top of the fire. They will smolder for a while then when all conditions are right the leaves will burst into flames. The same thing is happening in your smoker. It happens in my AQ and my large cold smoker from time to time but I don’t worry about it. Once the excess oxygen is burned up things go to normal. Hope this helps a little.
Tom

My theory is it's the alcohol in the wood igniting.
Mine does it, usually twice at the beginning of a smoke.

If it happens in my AmeriQue I’ve never heard it, but then I’m a set it and forget it kind of guy so I not usually around after I put the meat inside

The closest I’ve come was at the beginning of cold smoking cheese and I opened the door and, as Mr T described, when the air rushed in the wood chunks burst into flames but with a loud whooshing sound. When I closed the door the flames and smoke died back and everything was normal.

I believe the “boom” is the wood chunks igniting and rapidly dying back