Have you tried the "Ramp-Up" method?
This is my preferred method and eliminates the hassle of foiling your wood or smoke box.
I do not foil my wood or the inside of my smoke box. I just set the smoker to 150 for 45 minutes and after 45 minutes, bump it up to my desired smoking temp. You can play with the initial 45-minute setting as it is just an estimate. If I have time, what I really try to do is to bump my temp midway through the second element on/off cycle since I am using an analog #3. If I remember correctly, you are using an analog #3 too right?
So, the reasoning behind this is that the combustion is caused by the constant full power heat provided by the element for the 15-25 minutes or so that it takes to get your smoker to your desired temp without any breaks in the heat until it hits your desired smoking temp. This is just too much straight-on heat without a break and the wood (if too dry) will combust.
I do not remember the numbers very well, so try to imagine the concept versus the actual numbers in the following scenario:
1. Foil the bottom of your smoker, top of your smoke box, add cold prepared meat as you normally would, smoking wood, etc.
2. Start smoker and set to 150 degrees.
3. If you have time and really want to find the optimum time to increase the temperature, note the rises and falls of the first on/off cycle. So, if the smoker reaches 150 degrees or maybe even overshoots to 160-165 after 13 minutes and starts to fall down to let's say 135 before the element kicks on again. In this example, the median of the cycle is probably right around that 150-degree mark.
4. So, on the second heating cycle, let the smoker hit the high point and then as soon as the temp drops to close to the low point in the heating cycle bump the temp up to 225 or whatever smoking temp you are going to use for the smoke.
I sometimes take the time to try to bump the temp at the optimum time, but typically I just bump it up after 45-minutes since it seems to be the sweet spot for most of my smokes.
This ramp-up process basically gives the wood a break from the constant full blast heat midway through the rise to the eventual smoking temp.
I think using high-quality smoking wood really makes a difference too, but I haven't brought this up yet because I am pretty sure you mentioned that you had purchased wood from Smokinlicious.
For most people, neither the ramp-up nor the foiling of the wood is really necessary with the Smokinlicious wood. But for some reason, you are still seeing the issues.
I think someone may have mentioned it, but it is possible that you may have to calibrate your controller knob if you temps are not lining up with your settings. There is a PDF file called "Heat controller troubleshooting / Adjustment Instructions" that is available from the following page on the Smokin-It website:
http://www.smokin-it.com/Articles.asp?ID=251I continue to use my ramp-up method because I got my Smokinlicious wood probably close to a year ago and I still have a pretty full box, so I am assuming my wood has lost a good deal of its moisture (I don't have a tester yet). But, the ramp-up has just become part of my routine, so is not a big deal to me. So, I continue to do it.
Lastly, I see you have been doing some tests with an empty smoker. Testing with an empty smoker is highly unreliable because you are going to see even larger temp swings and uncommon element usage when there is no heat sink in the smoker to replicate what happens in a live smoke.
I am sorry for the ramblings, but I just kept on writing down thoughts that could help you.
Hopefully something here helps you resolve your issue. Otherwise, please tell us what happens when you try some of these suggestions.
Good luck!
Koze