MES Temp. Issues

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

travisb

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
101
12
Sugarhouse, Utah
I've seen that MES temp issues are quite common, and I've read a lot of the threads on this forum about them. I have the 30"MES with the window. I set the temp to 275 (its max), but it never reaches that high. According to the smoker, it gets up around 240-250, and according to my Maverick and other probes, it never really gets above 220. It's in the 80s outside so that shouldn't be an issue. 

I called Masterbuilt and they sent me a new control for it. I installed it and it didn't make a difference.

I have an AMNPS, so I have the chip loader open 1-2" and the exhaust all the way open. I was beginning to think that might be some of the issue. So I did a test in my closed garage with no vents or anything on the smoker, and it was getting higher temps.

So is the MES just not capable of producing high temps with air moving through it? 

Thanks for any advice.
 
You have some other problem...I just smoked 2 rack of Ribs over the weekend. I set the MES40 at 275*F and the MAV probe on the second shelf from the top read 270 to 283*F for the 4 hours that I smoked them, no foil, 2C water in the pan. If I take the Water pan out, not recommended by Masterbuilt, why I have no idea, the temps will go to 300*F...

How old is it? Older models can get intermittent connections at the heating coil. Is the temp sensor, back wall above the smoke tray, clean? That's all I can think of right now...JJ
 
When it gets to 240 ish, does the heat light turn off ???  If so, the heat sensing device is not working properly....   It is reading higher temps than is really inside the smoker.....    

If the heat light stays on all the time, and the temps are always low, maybe the element has a poor connection....    Unplug the unit, remove the lower plate on the back of the smoker body....  the element should be sticking out and 2 wires are connected to it....   check the connections....  If the connections are bad, clean all the connecting points, crimp the connectors a VERY LITTLE bit and push back on the element lugs... they should push on with some difficulty....  when I did mine, I pinched down the connectors after they were on with side cutting pliers to make sure I had a good connection... you can solder the connectors to the element lugs or use  a no-corrode paste to insure corrosion doesn't happen and cause a faulty / poor connection in the future....    regular solder will work as the lugs on the element do not get hot....   wrap all connections with electrical tape so they don't short out...  I use fiberglass electrical tape as it will withstand some heat generated by the smoking chamber...  Let us know what you find out.....  

Dave
 
You have some other problem...I just smoked 2 rack of Ribs over the weekend. I set the MES40 at 275*F and the MAV probe on the second shelf from the top read 270 to 283*F for the 4 hours that I smoked them, no foil, 2C water in the pan. If I take the Water pan out, not recommended by Masterbuilt, why I have no idea, the temps will go to 300*F...

How old is it? Older models can get intermittent connections at the heating coil. Is the temp sensor, back wall above the smoke tray, clean? That's all I can think of right now...JJ
Did you have the vents or chip loader open? I just got it in January or so. I'll check the sensor when I get home
 
When it gets to 240 ish, does the heat light turn off ???  If so, the heat sensing device is not working properly....   It is reading higher temps than is really inside the smoker.....    

If the heat light stays on all the time, and the temps are always low, maybe the element has a poor connection....    Unplug the unit, remove the lower plate on the back of the smoker body....  the element should be sticking out and 2 wires are connected to it....   check the connections....  If the connections are bad, clean all the connecting points, crimp the connectors a VERY LITTLE bit and push back on the element lugs... they should push on with some difficulty....  when I did mine, I pinched down the connectors after they were on with side cutting pliers to make sure I had a good connection... you can solder the connectors to the element lugs or use  a no-corrode paste to insure corrosion doesn't happen and cause a faulty / poor connection in the future....    regular solder will work as the lugs on the element do not get hot....   wrap all connections with electrical tape so they don't short out...  I use fiberglass electrical tape as it will withstand some heat generated by the smoking chamber...  Let us know what you find out.....  

Dave
I'll have to test it when I get the chance to see what I find out. Thanks for all the pointers. Hopefully they work.

I got an extended warranty on this, do you think it would be worth it to just take it back and get a new one?
 
Trouble shoot the problem first....   A simple fix is better than a replacement, maybe.....  You have to decide what course of action to take.....

Dave
 
Did you have the vents or chip loader open? I just got it in January or so. I'll check the sensor when I get home
Top vent is Always 100% Open. I use an AMNPS as well so the chip drawer is out 1" and the loader is out 1" but only the first half hour then I push the loader in to get the longest burn out of the AMNPS. It is possible that there is a bad connection to the Coil as Dave mentioned. Is this an Old generation MES 20070411 ? The new ones have a whole different set of issues...JJ
 
Top vent is Always 100% Open. I use an AMNPS as well so the chip drawer is out 1" and the loader is out 1" but only the first half hour then I push the loader in to get the longest burn out of the AMNPS. It is possible that there is a bad connection to the Coil as Dave mentioned. Is this an Old generation MES 20070411 ? The new ones have a whole different set of issues...JJ
Interesting. I have the loader out 2" sometimes, not sure if that would make a difference. I think it's the newer generation. The display is on the front. I believe it's this one? 
Trouble shoot the problem first....   A simple fix is better than a replacement, maybe.....  You have to decide what course of action to take.....

Dave
Thanks Dave. I'll have to take a look at it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That's the 2nd Gen. with the controller on the front. Same as my 40 except for size and wattage and even with the chip loader out a couple inches you shouldn't have the temp issue you're describing. I consistently can hit close to 300* with the loader out for the AMNPS at a 275* setting. Like Dave said, you might have a poor connection and/or bad sensor.

Steve
 
Last edited:
That's the 2nd Gen. with the controller on the front. Same as my 40 except for size and wattage and even with the chip loader out a couple inches you shouldn't have the temp issue you're describing. I consistently can hit close to 300* with the loader out for the AMNPS at a 275* setting. Like Dave said, you might have a poor connection and/or bad sensor.

Steve
Darn. Good to know thanks. More motivation to mess with it a little before exchanging it for a new one.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky