30" MES smoker is not smoking, 20070910.

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Alright, I sent mb techguy a PM asking about the retrofit chip tray.

Will this tray allow me to soak chips for 30min?

thanks.
 
Darryl is an engineer at Masterbuilt - Great Guy!

I think they actually listen to what we're sayin' on the forum.  Why not, it's a free test group for them and we usually find a solution for the problem.

The very simple solution to your problem may be as simple as removing the little heat deflector that sits between the element and the chip pan, trimming it and reinstalling it in your MES.

Why do you want to soak your chips?

Many of us DO NOT soak chips for the MES.

TJ
 
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Alright, I sent mb techguy a PM asking about the retrofit chip tray.

Will this tray allow me to soak chips for 30min?

thanks.
My first question too "Why do you want to soak your chips?"

Is it because your user's guide tells you to?

Some may argue, but most of us quit soaking wood shortly after we realized it doesn't do much good.

Bear
 
 
I have not seen you say what temperature you were trying to smoke at.   My MES smokes quite well at 250 and not at all at 150.  It is an older model with a full chip tray.

I would definitely recommend doing the chip tray replacement, assuming that your chip tray is half width.

If you want to do cold or warm smoking -- you will need a smoke generator.  I (and lots of others) recommend checking out the A-Maze-N smoker.  A search will turn up lots of threads talking about it, and also some demo videos.  I have one and it works great for cold smoking cheese.
 
You are right.

I had it at 230 for 7hrs.   

Asfar as wanting to be able to soak chips, I have no idea why I want to soak em...  (I prob never will, but now I want the retrofit kit, to make sure it is working properly)

But I have 27 more days to make sure this thing works 100% or I have to send it back and get another.

Thanks.
I have not seen you say what temperature you were trying to smoke at.   My MES smokes quite well at 250 and not at all at 150.  It is an older model with a full chip tray.

I would definitely recommend doing the chip tray replacement, assuming that your chip tray is half width.

If you want to do cold or warm smoking -- you will need a smoke generator.  I (and lots of others) recommend checking out the A-Maze-N smoker.  A search will turn up lots of threads talking about it, and also some demo videos.  I have one and it works great for cold smoking cheese.
 
He did not answer my question on the facebook page, so I will just wait for mbtechguy to send the tray mod.
 
Bulldog,

Here is the retro kit instructions on video.

If your chip drawer looks like the one the guy in the video is removing, you should be able to get the one he puts back in the smoker later in the video for free.

If yours already looks like the one he is putting in, then you have a different problem.

Darryl (MBtechguy) is a very busy guy. He'll get there as soon as he can.

Great guy to deal with!

Link to video:

http://www.masterbuilt.com/video/sept2010/smokeretrokit.wmv

Bear
 
Bear, thanks.

I do have the little box, I will need the big box.

:(

Why do they sell a defective product?
 

Mod looks very easy.
Bulldog,

Here is the retro kit instructions on video.

If your chip drawer looks like the one the guy in the video is removing, you should be able to get the one he puts back in the smoker later in the video for free.

If yours already looks like the one he is putting in, then you have a different problem.

Darryl (MBtechguy) is a very busy guy. He'll get there as soon as he can.

Great guy to deal with!

Link to video:

http://www.masterbuilt.com/video/sept2010/smokeretrokit.wmv

Bear
 
Bear, thanks.

I do have the little box, I will need the big box.

:(

Why do they sell a defective product?
 

Mod looks very easy.

 
I'm just guessing, but I'm thinking there were a lot of them in the pipeline when they discovered (from guys like us) that there was a problem. So (remember I'm guessing here) I figure they had orders to fill, and didn't have time to make enough of the retros to replace them before shipping them out. I would also think the ones they send out to really really cold places, and to people who never cold or warm smoke, and do all of their smoking at 230˚ and above temps, they don't have to send them retros.

This way they filled their orders, and can make the retros to replace the bad ones, at a pace they can handle.

Bear
 
Thanks again.

If it were not for you / other guys, I'de be SOL.

Added, the forum will not let me post anymore, so if anyone see this, it is my newest post :)

Only reson I made that comment, is that it is a smoker that does not smoke.

But you guys cleared it up for me.

Until then I will continue smoking with dry chips (it does not even smoke the dry chips like it did the first day at max temps, but it smoke enough for now) 
icon_mrgreen.gif


I am glad I chose MES, it really seems like you guys like this comapany.

I sent MBtechguy my adress / issue.  (I understand he is busy with xmas right around the corner.)

I will call on monday, and ask for them to send me out a unit.

Thanks for the info Beer-b-q.
 
 
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Bear, thanks.

I do have the little box, I will need the big box.

:(

Why do they sell a defective product?
 

Mod looks very easy.

 
Actually it is not a defective product but a simple design flaw which they are correcting for free on any unit that needs it.

It is no different than if you bought a new car and they later found out that a part was defective and you had to go in to have it replaced.

Having owned a Bradley which was a P.O.S. before buying the MES I can say with confidence that the MES is the best unit out there for the Price.

Darryl usually checks the forum about once a week so be patient with him and he will take care of you...
 
The only reson I posted that comment, is because it is a smoker that does not smoke.  (the only reson I wanted one, oh and the price
icon_smile.gif


Then to hear it is a common problem, I was kind of shocked considering this is a newer model.

But you guys got it cleared up.  (thanks, until then I am going to dry chip smoke 
icon_mrgreen.gif
!)      

I will call on monday and ask for them to ship me out the mod kit, unless I get ahold of Darryl.  (I do understand that he is busy, with thanksgiving / xmas right around the corner.)

And I am glad I chose a MES, esp after hearing they are willing to fix the issue.

Thanks beer-b-q
Actually it is not a defective product but a simple design flaw which they are correcting for free on any unit that needs it.

It is no different than if you bought a new car and they later found out that a part was defective and you had to go in to have it replaced.

Having owned a Bradley which was a P.O.S. before buying the MES I can say with confidence that the MES is the best unit out there for the Price.

Darryl usually checks the forum about once a week so be patient with him and he will take care of you...
 
Only reson I made that comment, is that it is a smoker that does not smoke.

But you guys cleared it up for me.

Until then I will continue smoking with dry chips (it does not even smoke the dry chips like it did the first day at max temps, but it smoke enough for now) 
icon_mrgreen.gif


I am glad I chose MES, it really seems like you guys like this comapany.

I sent MBtechguy my adress / issue.  (I understand he is busy with xmas right around the corner.)

I will call on monday, and ask for them to send me out a unit.

Thanks for the info Beer-b-q.

 
Actually it is not a defective product but a simple design flaw which they are correcting for free on any unit that needs it.

It is no different than if you bought a new car and they later found out that a part was defective and you had to go in to have it replaced.

Having owned a Bradley which was a P.O.S. before buying the MES I can say with confidence that the MES is the best unit out there for the Price.

Darryl usually checks the forum about once a week so be patient with him and he will take care of you...
 
HI, I can't post.

 
Actually it is not a defective product but a simple design flaw which they are correcting for free on any unit that needs it.

It is no different than if you bought a new car and they later found out that a part was defective and you had to go in to have it replaced.

Having owned a Bradley which was a P.O.S. before buying the MES I can say with confidence that the MES is the best unit out there for the Price.

Darryl usually checks the forum about once a week so be patient with him and he will take care of you...
 
Well, I was not getting any smoke with dry chips.

So I read somewhere that a temp fix while I wait for the retro kit, is to bend the wood tray down a little, I did this, and I got smoke!

(when I did the burn in day, it was COLD.

It is warm today, prob why it is not smoking.

Colorado is crazy, one day it could snow, the next day it could be 80f.
 
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Well, I was not getting any smoke with dry chips.

So I read somewhere that a temp fix while I wait for the retro kit, is to bend the wood tray down a little, I did this, and I got smoke!

(when I did the burn in day, it was COLD.

It is warm today, prob why it is not smoking.

Colorado is crazy, one day it could snow, the next day it could be 80f.


 I just read the all the previous post about your issues. I think the Retro kit will work for you here is a link to the past post about the kit.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/98724/lack-of-smoke-upgrade-kit

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...l-masterbuilt-wood-chip-kit-w-qview-for-my-40  

I did notice in the wood chip kit post that your model number is included so you should have no issues calling masterbuilt and getting a kit.
 
This is what your chip tray housting should look like inside you smoker. The exta metal plate that the arrow is pointing to is the issue. The plate was put there so that the wood chips did not fall  directly on the heating element. The retro kit removes this and gives you a full size wood chip tray. I do know some MES owners removing this plate and having good smoking results. You could remove yours until you get your Retro kit from masterbuilt and find out what happens.

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