MES Meltdown.....

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pignit

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
I guess it's about time and I'm due. My 2 year old 40" MES decided to die on me with 20 pounds of butt and 22 pounds of beef brisket ready to shove in it. Mine has the cover plate on the back so I pulled it and sure enough..... one of those goofy connections had gone South. Seems to me like it would be so easy to put a connection in there that wouldn't burn up. I luckily had my soldering gun here at the house and was able to solder the connection and wrap it in tape. It's doin it's thing again. Hopefully it will last the night.
 
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I hope it comes out alright for you Dave.
 
Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
It held up through the night. Everything is finishing up right now. I guess my solder job was good enough for this smoke anyway. It actually looked like the terminal had been up against the rubber barrier on the cover plate and it had melted it enough to short out and burn in two. I have the warranty and already called and should be getting it fixed. Probably quicker just to fix it myself but maybe they will replace the terminals with something a little more heavy duty. I can't complain. I've been smokin sometimes 3 and 4 times a week with this thing for goin on 3 years. 2 butts and 4 beef brisket points..... sounds like breakfast to me.

 
 
I am suprised it made it this far...

Most of the earlier MES have the same issue.

And they all burn out in the middle of a smoke.

Just takes a few minutes to fix it and your are back in action.

  Craig
 
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I bet they don't fix them, and you may just get a new one!!!

Masterbuilt won't sanction repairs

I would push for a new smoker

My terminals crapped out too and it's a newer model.  I think they are using Aluminum terminal ends, but not 100% sure

Todd
 
I bet they don't fix them, and you may just get a new one!!!

Masterbuilt won't sanction repairs

I would push for a new smoker

My terminals crapped out too and it's a newer model.  I think they are using Aluminum terminal ends, but not 100% sure

Todd
That would be sweet. I should hear from them in a day or 2. This one looked like it had gotten hot enough to melt that rubber barrier on the cover plate and shorted it out. It was burnt in two and I just figured it was the same issue they have had all along. Not actually complaining though. I've turned out a whole lotta smoked meat from this MES.

 
 
Im just glad you were able to save the smoke.
 
Im just glad you were able to save the smoke.
Me too Brian. It was 9:00 at night, and I had promised lunch to some friends of mine. Standing there lookin at that much meat that needs to be smoked and a broken smoker was not a good feeling. I felt a little like McGyver... lookin for anything that might get it to work. We are moving from this house and all my tools and supplies have already been moved. It was pure luck that soldering gun was still here. Sure glad it was though.

 
 
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