Heat loss and uneven heat problems need suggestings from others

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jodyfj40

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 12, 2013
39
10
Hey everyone I just finished my first 17 hr smoke of 4 picnics and they turned out great. I noticed a couple of issues with my mes 40 that I am hoping the forum can help me with. I was using the amps so I had the chip tray out and loader 2" out. Problem was that the temp in the smoker would not stay consistent. It would go up and down 20degrees or more with every cycle of the heating element. Is there a way to make it more consistent? Second I noticed that the right side over the element is cooking a lot faster than the left. Is there a way to make the temps more uniform throughout the unit?
Thanks for your help
Jody
 
Jody, evening... and welcome to the forum.....   It cycles just like the oven in the kitchen...... maybe not as much but it will work....   If you had a therm in your oven, you would see the fluctuation...   

One thing that helps is thermal mass...  Fill, or partially fill the water pan with pea gravel, sand or ???......  cover with foil to keep it clean...  I have the water pan in my MES 30 about 3/4 full.....  it really helps.....   

Dave
 
thanks dave, is there a certain spot thats best to place it.  i'm not using a water pan in mine because i have the amps over where it would have gone.  what about filling a 8x8 foil pan with sand and placing it on the first rack over the element?

thanks again
 
 
If you are not using the water pan, put gravel in it on the first rack....   or an 8 x 8 aluminum pan is fine also...  That would leave plenty of room for heat / smoke / air flow to the meat.....    

Dave
 
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