Masterbuilt Electric Smoker 30" not staying turned on

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wizkidd1982

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 14, 2015
15
10
last night at 11 i turned on my smoker to put a pork but in it, it got up to about 120 degrees before i put it in and went to bed.  this morning when i woke up i went to check on it and noticed it didn't look any different, then noticed it was cold inside so i looked at top and it was all powered off.  so i turned it back on, went inside and ate my breakfast and went back out and it was off again.   i've gone to work now, but i turned it back on again to see what it does, have to go home in about 20 minutes again.  

anybody else have this issue, mine is barely used, got it for christmas so its not that old, i dont get it
 
Never had that happen.  Shame to have to throw a Butt away!!

Could be a number of electrical or electronic problems.

The Gen #2 that I tested came on by itself when I plugged it in.

Bear
 
i dont think i'll have to throw it away, it was plenty cold last night, and its going right now as far as i know
 
 
i dont think i'll have to throw it away, it was plenty cold last night, and its going right now as far as i know
The outside air temp is not what counts. What was the internal temp of the meat? Did it stay in the danger zone (40-140) for longer than 4 hours? If the unit got up to temp then shut down the meat was definitely over 40 degrees and since the MES is insulated it probably stayed warm for hours.
 
 
The outside air temp is not what counts. What was the internal temp of the meat? Did it stay in the danger zone (40-140) for longer than 4 hours? If the unit got up to temp then shut down the meat was definitely over 40 degrees and since the MES is insulated it probably stayed warm for hours.
Like Maddox said, You can't allow the meat to be between 40° and 140° for longer than 4 hours. 

I would guess yours was in that range nearly all night.

Not trying to be nasty, but if your smoker isn't working right, or if you don't know how good it works, you can't just start it up, put it in, and go to bed. I've been using mine for 5 years, and I have never done that.

The meat can spoil.

The smoker can catch fire.

All while you sleep.

Just trying to keep you & yours safe.

Bear
 
Once you get the power issues resolved, you might want to look into a maverick thermometer that way you can have an alarm go off if the temp drops below a certain point.
 
 
i dont think i'll have to throw it away, it was plenty cold last night, and its going right now as far as i know
You're right. As long as the IT of the pork butt remained below 40° then in essence your smoker acted as an outdoor fridge.

But again you've shown why running your ("your" in the general sense) smoker overnight while you're in bed is a bad idea.
 
Good Morning,

If you check out the Amazon reviews for the MES30- you'll notice that a lot of people have this issue and it does't have anything to do with outside ambient temperature.   The heating element is faulty and its a crap shoot if you'll get a bad one or not.  You can try to contact Masterbuilt but it sounds like they've been less than stellar on customer service with this issue.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Hopefully it was just a fluke.
 
A lot of people who bought an MES on Amazon have this problem? The MES 30 Gen 1 Model #20070910 (which I own) has been reviewed by 2,341 customers and has an average rating of 4.5 out 0f 5 stars. Doesn't seem like, percentage wise, not that many people are dissatisfied with their purchase. The Gen 2 model has the same rating but only 103 reviewers and is admittedly more problem-ridden than the Gen 1. I don't think Whizkidd1982 specified which model MES 30 he has.

As for complaints about Masterbuilt customer service, I've been on SMF longer than any newbie and therefore have read a lot more posts about MB customer service than  any newbie and the vast majority of those posts have been highly favorable. I've called MB Customer Service for two separate issues and they were great. MB is the best deal out there for an entry level smoker which also happens to be the best quality entry level smoker on the market. Last week I provided proof when I posted a high end cooking cooking school picked the the MES 30 Gen 1 as the one of their two favorite smokers.

Unless someone owns a MES 30 and has had personal dealings with MB customer service, they can post their opinion but in no way should it be regarded as credible fact. For the informed and educated opinions and fact-based comments on all things Masterbuilt, I'd stick with comments from experienced and knowledgeable MES owners like Todd Johnson, Bearcarver, Chef JimmyJ, Jted, and myself, to name but a few.
 
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i called masterbuilt and they were very friendly, said it might be moisture in the connection where the electircal unit hooks up on top (told me they would send me a new electrical unit too, which i said maybe later), which makes complete sense.  but it worked fine all day yesterday when i used it and meat turned out perfect :D
 
To reiterate what someone else said. Get a Maverick or similar wireless probe setup. Then if you have problems the alarm will go off and alert you in your bed. Even better I-grill talks to your phone so you can know if something is afoul at work I believe, could be wrong on this though as I use maverick. If you are relying on a semi faulty smoker like that you are just asking for problems. Food safety is no laughing matter.
 
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its possible it was loose in the wall, i thought of that after, because when i unplugged it and plugged it back in there was no more problems.  and yeah i set the timer

thanks :)
 
 
i called masterbuilt and they were very friendly, said it might be moisture in the connection where the electircal unit hooks up on top (told me they would send me a new electrical unit too, which i said maybe later), which makes complete sense.  but it worked fine all day yesterday when i used it and meat turned out perfect :D
So much for their poor customer service, right? You've just confirmed what I previously wrote about their great customer service and the high quality of MES 30 units. As I've written many times, there will be lemons from every mass production line no matter what's manufactured. MB stands by their faulty units and strives to make things right for the owner, even if the unit is out of warranty and there might be out-of-pocket costs for the customer. MB CSRs still do what they can to keep us happy.
 
its possible it was loose in the wall, i thought of that after, because when i unplugged it and plugged it back in there was no more problems.  and yeah i set the timer

thanks :)

I've found a box blade works the best for spreading the lugs... then they make good contact in the wall plug.... OR, if the wall plug is old, it might need replacing... Try spreading them first... when pushing in the plug, you should then feel some resistance....
 
 
So much for their poor customer service, right? You've just confirmed what I previously wrote about their great customer service and the high quality of MES 30 units. As I've written many times, there will be lemons from every mass production line no matter what's manufactured. MB stands by their faulty units and strives to make things right for the owner, even if the unit is out of warranty and there might be out-of-pocket costs for the customer. MB CSRs still do what they can to keep us happy.
Wow Rick, did I strike a nerve? I don't think the chest thumping is doing anyone any good.

I meant no offense to the masses, I'm just sharing my experience with my Masterbuilt unit. The person I emailed and spoke to on the phone was not willing to do anything for me, so I purchased a replacement heating element and was on my merry way.

For the record, I'm very happy with my Gen2 MES30, I just happened to get one that flaked out.
 
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Its amazing, the manufacturer actually knew what it might be........ (Ok so, I hi-lite that now and what do I do then, so you'll know its sarcastic?)

MES is really good at troubleshooting and getting you replacement parts in a timely manner. You bought the cheapest least expensive unit available and its made in China. The CSR has got to be good!

Glad its started working, glad you now have a spare controler, and I am not surprized that MES's CSR took care of you so well.
 
 
Wow Rick, did I strike a nerve? I don't think the chest thumping is doing anyone any good.

I meant no offense to the masses, I'm just sharing my experience with my Masterbuilt unit. The person I emailed and spoke to on the phone was not willing to do anything for me, so I purchased a replacement heating element and was on my merry way.

For the record, I'm very happy with my Gen2 MES30, I just happened to get one that flaked out.
Mike, please note that I never addressed my response to you or even directly referred to your post. I don't believe in personal attacks in forums. Yes, your post sparked a reaction in me but I used directed to all of the people on SMF who I feel have unfairly trounced Masterbuilt.

You did strike a nerve. As I wrote I've been on SMF for a few years and I've seen a few posts from guys who's only purpose was to trash MB smokers and customer service based on what they've read. I researched electric smokers before I purchased my smoker and I've greatly enjoyed using it over the past 3 years. I just have no patience for people who's only intention for posting is to stir the crap and, to me. you appeared to me just another in a short line.

I didn't know that you owned a MES 30 or if I did I had forgotten. I apologize for my response to you. Now, having defended MB customer service, I can draw upon my own years of experience working in different agencies and call centers I know that the quality of customer service can sometimes depend on who takes your call. One lazy or less-knowledgeable CSR can tell you there's nothing they can do while another one will easily agree to resolve your issue. I think that when it comes to MB you're better off talking to someone on the phone than sending an email. If you have a valid issue and are assertive enough it's more difficult to say "no" to a customer over the phone. It's also much easier to get transferred to a supervisor who may agree to help you after the first tier CSR refused.
 
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