2012 Masterbuilt Smokers - NEW 30" & 40" Models!

[geerock]

Called MB with another question, and then also asked about controller back order. Response was they expect me to get one next week. Hoping geerock gets his today.

Yeah, right..... I got u gatz!  No response to email or phone call when they said they would call me back to let me know.  Like I said, neither product nor CS has too much to brag about.

 

[geerock]

20130126_141607[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

20130126_141551[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

20130120_165337[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

Put together Todds elbow idea with an adjustable damper for air flow control.  Figure I can just pull the loader out to control inlet air at the base.  Will let you know how it works if I ever get a controller.  We might as well show masterbuilt how to build these things as they seem to be having a bit of trouble with this Gen 2.

 

[rambonyman]

Can anyone verify that an AMNPS fits in the newest 30" MES and works well?  I'm sure this is already mentioned, but this thread is pretty long...  I want the 30" because I won't be smoking a lot at once.  Its just me and my girlfriend, and she doesn't eat that much meat like I do.  Is there a reason I should go right to the 40" if I don't think I need the capacity?  

Thanks!!!

 

[smokingrk]

20130126_141607[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

20130126_141551[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

20130120_165337[1]

• geerock
• Jan 26, 2013

Put together Todds elbow idea with an adjustable damper for air flow control.  Figure I can just pull the loader out to control inlet air at the base.  Will let you know how it works if I ever get a controller.  We might as well show masterbuilt how to build these things as they seem to be having a bit of trouble with this Gen 2.

Great Idea.  The link http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/133955/2012-mes-40-vs-old-model-mes-40/60#post_924783    shows a post from Grasshopper that used earth magnets (usually pretty strong) to attach, as an idea.  If interested google or amazon search neodymium magnets

I also liked your idea, was originally thinking of damping the "exit" as u are doing above but maybe the intake is better?  Be curious to hear results.

 

[hoity toit]

Can anyone verify that an AMNPS fits in the newest 30" MES and works well?  I'm sure this is already mentioned, but this thread is pretty long...  I want the 30" because I won't be smoking a lot at once.  Its just me and my girlfriend, and she doesn't eat that much meat like I do.  Is there a reason I should go right to the 40" if I don't think I need the capacity?  

Thanks!!!

go with the 30". perfect for two people...I have both models and prefer the 30.

 

[grasshopper]

 40" I like the glass window and I keep it clean. I just have to look  without opening the door (bad habit)

 

[greenhat4]

SmokeOne- Wish I could help you out with the meat probe wire/replacement but I never paid much attention to it when I replaced the controller other than reconnecting the wire was very simple.  Since I replaced my controller it has now cracked (probably due to the smoke job I did in sub zero temps).  I smoked a pork shoulder and had water condense along the controller just inside the door. Fortunately the controller survived. I really need to smoke something with a brine to test how it handles real condensation.  When I smoked the pork shoulder I was forced to open the vent all the way to prevent condensation build up.  Not sure if that caused the mild smoke flavor or not.  More tinkering is definitley needed on my end.  Good luck

 

[smokeone]

Greenhat4 -  A couple of things I noticed although I have only used the MES a couple of times for cooking and mostly have just been testing the functionality with no food.

I had black liquid leak out of the front leg on a gen-1 vent side of box. I had the same thing happen with the Gen-2 but back leg of box also on vent side. A girl at MB told me to never run the MES with the vent closed because of condensation build up that could happen in the walls of the box. It does appear that is the case and I have seen at least one other post mentioning the black liquid leaking from the bottom of the MES. I always keep the vent open on the gen-2 to try and keep condensation getting into the case.

I had maybe a gallon of liquid in a pan on the rack below a brined turkey on Sunday. It was also foggy out earlier that morning so lots of moisture in the air but still about 70° out. After the install pre-heating and adding the pan and turkey I could never get the temperature back up above 212° although the MES was reading any cycling based on it thinking the internal temperature was 275° and above.

This is a quote from MB as I talk to them on a regular basis.

"The black liquid could be caused from an excess amount of moisture inside the unit. To prevent this, I would suggest added no more than one cup of liquid while cooking and to open the air damper on the top to help release this moisture.  (I had a concern with bringing a large turkey to room temperature.)

I understand your concern about bringing the poultry to room temperature. We recommended this with our fryers and smokers for best results with our recipes. You would want to add just one cup of your liquid choice in the water bowl. The reason it may leak is if too much moisture is inside the unit. This could be caused if more than one cup of liquid is added or if you have a larger amount of poultry cooking at one time. If you are cooking a lot at once, a full cup of liquid may not be needed. "

I assume this would mean that the 4 hour 140° barrier would need to include getting the bird up to room temperature. I need to cook MUCH smaller Turkey!

I can not keep the AMNPS burning with the liquid in the bow either so I guess no more liquid in the MES for me. It seals so well maybe it is not an issue.

I have also been told by MB that in order to fix the meat probe temperature discrepancy it is not the controller that needs to be replaced but the box. The MES 40" box kit is 30/60 days back ordered by the way.

 

[geerock]

Now, along with all the other issues, we have water smokers that you can't use water in. Considering that major retailers (sams, bass pro, and soon cabelas for starters) , pulling these things from the shelves, I have bad feeling there are going to be an awful lot of people left without a chair after the music stops. The new Mes has become pos in my opinion.

 

[sigmo]

For what it's worth, I started out thinking that I needed water in the MES because I was used to using a charcoal smoker, and that's just how I'd always done it.

But I was having trouble keeping the AMNPS burning. Todd said to not use any water in the pan and be sure to pre-dry the pellets and make sure to have plenty of airflow so the pellets get enough combustion oxygen.

Doing all of that has worked fantastic. And from turkeys to pork butts to ribs and pork loins, everything has come out nice and moist. So I don't think the water is necessary in the MESs. I think the airflow, even when we try to enhance it, is far less than what one gets with the kind of charcoal smoker I was using before.

So things tend to stay plenty moist without the water pan.

I am running a first gen 40. It seems to me that the idea of putting an extra vent pipe on the 2nd gen units is a good one. The way I see it, if you come out of the side and run the elbow up, and maybe even add a bit more of a vertical stack, you will increase the draft.

Vertical stacks induce draw because the hot air is lower in density than the cooler air outside of the cooker. So that cool, dense air wants to push into the bottom vent and displace the warm, moist low density air.

But you may need the extra stack height to get enough draft in the gen 2s. The side vent is better for getting better air flow pattern inside the cooker. But it seems to have also reduced the draft. The extra flue pipe should overcome this.

A taller flue stack creates more pressure differential (head). So it sucks harder on the smoker.

Even though it's dry here, and I run without water, I have not seen any meat come out anything but nice and moist.

Part of the fun of all of this is tinkering. At least it is for me.

I think with an AMNPS and an auxiliary taller stack, the gen 2 units may end up working fine. You may even need to throttle the aiflow a bit. But I'd throttle it at the inlet. You want a negative pressure in the smoker so you are not driving moisture and smoke out into the space between the inner walls and the outer walls. Positive pressure driving smoke and moisture into the insulation space is a bad thing!

That's where the black liquid dripping out comes from. Imagine that conductive smoke-laced condensation running on your electrical and electronic parts! This may be what's killing the controllers.

Get good draw with a taller stack, then adjust the airflow at the inlet, throttling it down there so you have a slight vacuum inside the smoker. That way, any air that enters the space between the walls is cool, clean, dry, outside air.


Phoned in.

 

[smokeone]

As I said I never close the vents on the MES and the AMNPS has worked with a dry smoker with mostly no problems. Since the unit seals so well just adding liquid can cause the black liquid leak with open vents. My mistake was following a turkey recipe I found on the SMF that I am sure works fantastic on a stick burner or charcoal smoker but not the MES. I have mostly been trying to get an MES with an accurate meat probe. Mine is 30° high so if I rely on the ET-732 I am in good shape. I would also like to try smoking at higher temperature but last load I could never get the heat up. So still trying....

 

[fuzzyfishin]

   Add my mes 40 to the scrap pile. I have a new box on order (not coming 30/60 days) I guess I will be waiting a while. Glad I kept the old smoker.

 

[smokeone]

fuzzyfishin - Bummer you just started using it in December? What failed?

 

[smokingrk]

For what it's worth, I started out thinking that I needed water in the MES because I was used to using a charcoal smoker, and that's just how I'd always done it.

But I was having trouble keeping the AMNPS burning. Todd said to not use any water in the pan and be sure to pre-dry the pellets and make sure to have plenty of airflow so the pellets get enough combustion oxygen.

Doing all of that has worked fantastic. And from turkeys to pork butts to ribs and pork loins, everything has come out nice and moist. So I don't think the water is necessary in the MESs. I think the airflow, even when we try to enhance it, is far less than what one gets with the kind of charcoal smoker I was using before.

So things tend to stay plenty moist without the water pan.

I am running a first gen 40. It seems to me that the idea of putting an extra vent pipe on the 2nd gen units is a good one. The way I see it, if you come out of the side and run the elbow up, and maybe even add a bit more of a vertical stack, you will increase the draft.

Vertical stacks induce draw because the hot air is lower in density than the cooler air outside of the cooker. So that cool, dense air wants to push into the bottom vent and displace the warm, moist low density air.

But you may need the extra stack height to get enough draft in the gen 2s. The side vent is better for getting better air flow pattern inside the cooker. But it seems to have also reduced the draft. The extra flue pipe should overcome this.

A taller flue stack creates more pressure differential (head). So it sucks harder on the smoker.

Even though it's dry here, and I run without water, I have not seen any meat come out anything but nice and moist.

Part of the fun of all of this is tinkering. At least it is for me.

I think with an AMNPS and an auxiliary taller stack, the gen 2 units may end up working fine. You may even need to throttle the aiflow a bit. But I'd throttle it at the inlet. You want a negative pressure in the smoker so you are not driving moisture and smoke out into the space between the inner walls and the outer walls. Positive pressure driving smoke and moisture into the insulation space is a bad thing!

That's where the black liquid dripping out comes from. Imagine that conductive smoke-laced condensation running on your electrical and electronic parts! This may be what's killing the controllers.

Get good draw with a taller stack, then adjust the airflow at the inlet, throttling it down there so you have a slight vacuum inside the smoker. That way, any air that enters the space between the walls is cool, clean, dry, outside air.


Phoned in.

I'm thinking that makes some sense to me now about inlet damping.  I have the side stack going 3" elbow to 4" adapter on my MES 40 2nd GEN and was getting pretty good airflow and draft . AMNPS worked great. I did not get any "black" condensation last time I smoked a brisket , I did get some condensation out of the elbow since it was cold out.  I too do not use water or liquid and so far things have been coming out moist. 

 

[smokingrk]

   Add my mes 40 to the scrap pile. I have a new box on order (not coming 30/60 days) I guess I will be waiting a while. Glad I kept the old smoker.

Sorry to hear fuzzyfishin.  Curious to hear what made it go to the scrap pile.  That is a long time to wait,did MB say why so long on the replacement?

 

[fuzzyfishin]

 I had the same problems as many do with the temp issue. With the smoker temps not coralating with eachother. My meat probe on the unit also is way off. I felt that for $400 it should work somewhat properly. I could deal with knowing that the temps were not correct. I had times where I was set at 150 and actually was at 200. Also had a reading of 150 and at 228. For examples. These were taken after I was in to the smoke about 2hrs. If it were to always  be at 20 or 30 higher it would be easy to adjust. I am getting radical fluntcuations.

     I sent my cord and a plate from unit to MB (another member did this also) and from what I have read it may take some time to get repaired.

  I will say thus far, I have had great service. I sent the package yesterday. After reading on SMF about the wait I may have. I am going to contact the rep. I have been talking to.       

 

[fuzzyfishin]

It appears you have a 40” smoker so that body kit will have to go out LTL (Less Than Truck Load) so I will let you know when I place the order and after that someone from the delivery company will be contacting you when they are in your area to set up a delivery date/time.  It is hard to give a specific date on LTL Deliveries.

Thank you!

This is my answer from the rep.. So who knows how long before I may recieve the new box. With all who on SMF that are haveing issues with they're units. I wonder how many overall? May be "He who screams the most " may get back in buisness sooner!!

 

[geerock]

fuzzy,

I have been waiting on a controller for 3 weeks and as of yesterday they cannot give me a date on delivery.  They are saying anywhere from 6-8 weeks for a controller and the chip tray that is a safety recall notice for the 312 and 512 models.  If you are having trouble with temp control then they are probably going to ship you just the the bare bones smoker cabinet..... no controller, door, nothing!  And you need the controller for temp problems. Be sure you are getting one or you may be waiting 'till rapture.  As for me, I've about given up and let MB service know what I think of their product and service and have offered me a refund for the purchase price.  This purchase was made in November and had a working unit for about 3 weeks (3 smokes).  There is no reason to beleive that these things are not going to be a continued problem even after new parts.

As for good customer service, I don't agree that just because they are nice to you when they reply and tell you they can't help you with what you need that it's good customer service.  Giving you the finger while they're smiling is not my idea of good customer service.

 

[beernuts]

I've been waiting for about three weeks also for a new remote/controller combination. The last controller worked but wouldn't sync with my remote. They told me that they were going to send a new set that would be checked for comparability at the company. So I'll call on Monday and see what they say now. I'm not real upset about it since the box is still usable with the current setup but at what point do you address the problem with the product and start being upfront with the customers (guinea pigs) who bought your latest MES 40. Just wonderin'.....

 

[pillpusher]

Well, I'm giving my 2nd gen 40" its first somewhat fully loaded test for the Superbowl later. Around 10pm, I put a 9 pd brisket on rack 3 (from the bottom) and at midnight, a 6 pd pork butt on rack 2, shooting to have them both to temp and pull for FTC around 1-2pm, allowing for some wiggle room just in case. Since the right side of the smoker runs a little hotter (set to 220, the cabinet ranged from 200-225 left, and 225-250 right, as the element cycled), I put the pork butt on the left side and oriented the point end of the brisket on the right. The pork butt seems to have just broken its plateau and is at 170 right now (9:45am), so that should be on track. Unfortunately though, when I reloaded the AMNPS at 8am, the point of the brisket was already at 183 while the flat was plateauing at 163. I thought about removing the point and FTC'ing it early, but decided against it. I just went ahead and rotated the brisket to try to even things out some, so we'll see how it turns out. The flat is now at 169, so I'm thinking that has broken through now as well. Has anyone had much luck with getting a good size brisket to cook evenly in this thing?