Question on ME30 and Maverick

kbowsmoke · Mar 25, 2014

Hi All,

I used my Masterbuilt ME30 electric smoker for the first time this past weekend together with the Maverick remote thermostat. During the entire smoking process the difference in readings between the ME30 and Maverick was around 13F. Is that a normal difference? Through browsing around this forum it looked like the difference would be just a couple of degrees. I only used the heating probe - not the food probe - and had it located on the top shelf attached through the vent. Had the temperature on the ME30 set at 225F and the reading on the Maverick was always around 238F. Any suggestions? The remote did not work very well for me - I could get it synced and within 10 minutes it would lose it's link to the transmitter and I would have to sync again. Eventually just gave up on the receiver - will try again next time.

By the way the ribs came out great! Followed the 3-2-1 method and the whole family agreed that these were the best so far!

pc farmer · Mar 25, 2014

I don't have the MES with the remote but my MAV and MES are around 20-25 degrees off.

whatamess · Mar 25, 2014

I'm still in the learning curve with mine too. I think I have settled on setting the controller to 205 and that keeps the actual temps around 225-230, but as it cycles it may go up to 245 and down to 200. I don't think there is anything wrong with yours, thats just how they work. I have also heard some have the opposite prpblem, running 20 degrees cooler than the set temp. I think we've got the better "versions" as you won't run out of dial at the top if you want to go hotter.

dish · Mar 25, 2014

Did you calibrate the Mav probe w/ boiling water? Should read around 212* The meat probe can also be used as a heating probe.

kbowsmoke · Mar 25, 2014

No - did not do that. I will check that out tonight - thanks!

Bearcarver · Mar 25, 2014

Some of it also depends on where you put the probe, because the heat varies at different places in the smoker---High & Low----Left & Right----Front and Back. The MES sensor stays at one place all the time, against the back wall. I just ignore my MES read-out, and keep my Maverick probe in the area of my meat, but not too close to the meat, because cold meat will affect it.

Also when your MES heating element cycles off & on, the Maverick will swing a lot more than the MES read-out will.

Bear

kbowsmoke · Mar 25, 2014

I used the two middle shelves for the meat and had the Maverick probe located on the top shelf towards the front. I just tested the Maverick probe with the boiling water test and it read 208F. I'll try and set the probe up in a different location next time to see if it makes a difference.

Bearcarver · Mar 25, 2014

kbowsmoke said:
I used the two middle shelves for the meat and had the Maverick probe located on the top shelf towards the front. I just tested the Maverick probe with the boiling water test and it read 208F. I'll try and set the probe up in a different location next time to see if it makes a difference.

When I only use one grill, I put the meat on the second position, and I put the Mav Probe through the left side of that grill, letting most of the probe stick through the grids. Then I watch the Mav read-out & the MES read-out, but I go by what the Mav says.

Don't let the Mav probe rest against a wall---That will give a wrong reading.

This isn't the only way, but it's how I usually do it.

Bear

sctdg35 · Mar 25, 2014

If your actual temperature is reading higher than set temp ,be happy .in a lot of cases MES will not get to set temp.

avfordguy · Mar 25, 2014

How true! mine is 30 degrees LOWER than set temp....set temp 260/actual 232

chestnutbloom · Mar 25, 2014

My mes 30 runs between 15 and 20 degrees hotter than the set temp. Glad I bought a Maverick!

smoking b · Mar 25, 2014

chestnutbloom said:
My mes 30 runs between 15 and 20 degrees hotter than the set temp. Glad I bought a Maverick!

Same here - I'm glad it runs hotter than what it's set at rather than vice versa...

tg pythons · Mar 26, 2014

Dish said:
Did you calibrate the Mav probe w/ boiling water? Should read around 212* The meat probe can also be used as a heating probe.

I'm going to try this tonight too. My meat probe has been within two degrees of my MES, but the heat probe is always high. I figured it was more of a placement issue.

Do not completely submerge the probe under water; the manual states that it can damage it. As long as the water isn't up to the braided section, you should be fine.

Bearcarver · Mar 26, 2014

avfordguy said:
How true! mine is 30 degrees LOWER than set temp....set temp 260/actual 232

How long do you have that one??

If not long, I'd call them. You paid for a smoker that would go to 275*.

Sounds like the highest you could get is 245*.

Bear

sb59 · Mar 26, 2014

kbowsmoke said:
I used the two middle shelves for the meat and had the Maverick probe located on the top shelf towards the front. I just tested the Maverick probe with the boiling water test and it read 208F. I'll try and set the probe up in a different location next time to see if it makes a difference.

Altitude compared to Sea Level	Boiling Point
(ft)	(m)	([sup]o[/sup]F)	([sup]o[/sup]C)
-1000	-305	213.9	101.1
-750	-229	213.5	100.8
-500	-152	213.0	100.5
-250	-76	212.5	100.3
0	0	212.0	100.0
250	76	211.5	99.7
500	152	211.0	99.5
750	229	210.5	99.2
1000	305	210.1	98.9
1250	381	209.6	98.6
1500	457	209.1	98.4

I checked for your location & Atlanta is between 1000 & 1100 ft above sea level depending on what site you use. So your therm. is pretty close to true.

avfordguy · Mar 26, 2014

I did call them after I returned the first unit (per MB customer service) and the second unit was just as bad, they called me the next day and said they are aware of the controller issue, that they have had a lot of calls. Pleasant girl on the other end offered to send out a new "updated" controller that they should have ready in about 4-6 weeks, well that was 3 weeks ago, and still waiting.

sctdg35 · Mar 27, 2014

I had MB send me two controllers .First one they sent had silicone sealer smeared all over it, my 4 year old grand daughter could have done a better job putting it together .The second one they sent was much better and I installed it . Now here is the thing I found out quite by accident .When I put Maverick probe at back of smoker next to MES probe sticking out of back wall Maverick would go as high as 330 degrees when MES was set to 275 . One day a few weeks ago I cranked up the MES for the first time in a while ,actually many months .I have been cooking on my Chargriller Akorn Kamado . Since I went back to charcoal (started my smoking with a cheap offset from cabellas many years ago) temperature differences in the range of 40 degrees or so was no big deal .The obsession for a solid set temperature can in a lot of cases be a needless chase . Anyhow when I set the MES to my usual temp of 193 to achieve an actual 225 I put the Maverick probe not to the back by MES probe but to the left side about midway front to back . Outside temps were around 40 degrees and Maverick was reading about 5 degrees of MES .I ended up setting MES controller to 220 and got like a 227 on Maverick !! First time I have ever seen that happen with this smoker . What I am getting at is you would think putting Maverick next to MES probe would give you same readings but I can tell you in my case ,not so . Be patient Masterbuilt will send you another controller . Whether these controllers that read lower than actual temps are defective, in my mind is questionable . When you called Masterbuilt did they ask you where in the MES you placed the probe? It was so long ago I called that I don't remember .

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