Recalibrate MES 30 smoker......Temps off by 30 F

[barry bailey]

SO...here's my issue with the 30 inch MES that I have had for about a year now (Replacement for another  MES 30 model with random shut off issues)

The first year this thing was spot on with temps...Both cabinet temp and meat probe.Now I have to set my smoker at 190 degrees to get a cabinet temperature of 160....The meat prob is also out by 30 degrees.....Anyone know if there is a reset on the control panel. The one I am having issues with is the one on the left in the photo.(The other one is the one that was randomly shutting off that masterbuilt replaced for me.It still works,just have to babysit it,cause it still shuts down from time to time)

double smoker.jpg

• barry bailey
• Nov 6, 2016

Thanks for any input

:)

 

[barry bailey]

BTW...Smoker is still plugged directly into the wall in the same outlet I have been using .

 

[wild west]

I know you are an experienced mes owner but I have to ask. Have you cleaned the sensors on the back wall?

 

[barry bailey]

I know you are an experienced mes owner but I have to ask. Have you cleaned the sensors on the back wall?

I took a wet cloth and wiped one of them off I found this one half way up on the inside back wall......Don't know what else I can use to clean them or where the other"?" one is.

 

[wild west]

The one in the middle back about 1/8 inch diameter and sticks out about 3/8 is your cabinet temp sensor. The other is a flat disc on the left side of the back wall and down lower. That's the high temp limit sensor. A safety features that shuts the element down if the temp exceeds safe limits. If they don't come clean with water try a little rubbing alcohol. My mes 30 never reads accurately until it's been on for a couple of hours.

 

[daricksta]

 
SO...here's my issue with the 30 inch MES that I have had for about a year now (Replacement for another  MES 30 model with random shut off issues)

The first year this thing was spot on with temps...Both cabinet temp and meat probe.Now I have to set my smoker at 190 degrees to get a cabinet temperature of 160....The meat prob is also out by 30 degrees.....Anyone know if there is a reset on the control panel. The one I am having issues with is the one on the left in the photo.(The other one is the one that was randomly shutting off that masterbuilt replaced for me.It still works,just have to babysit it,cause it still shuts down from time to time)

double smoker.jpg

• barry bailey
• Nov 6, 2016

Thanks for any input

:)

Which MES 30 has the temp problem--the Gen 1 or the Gen 2? Looks like you're using both side by side. Or is one of them the unit that had the shutoff problem? Like wild west said (and from my experience with my MES 30 Gen 1 (you won't get accurate temps starting out while the controller goes through its heating cycles. With mine, there's always a vast discrepancy between the controller temp display (I don't have a meat probe, by the way) and the temp displays on my Maverick ET-733. But about 3 hours in or so the temp displays do get and stay a lot closer except during the heating cycles. I'm surprised the temps were spot on in your first year. There could be different factors why the displays are less accurate now. Did you call MB customer service to get  an opinion or two?

But to make ascertaining the actual cooking/meat temps more difficult, I used my new ET-733 along with my 5-year-old model and they differed from each other along with differing from the MES controller display. Since the new Mav has been calibrated I went that that as the true temp readings. I've always gone with the therm temp displays and not what the controller said the smoker temp was, anyway.

But to answer your question about recalibration, I guess you could recalibrate the meat probe if you could manage to get a container of freshly boiled water out to the smoker before the water could cool down even a degree or two.

 

[hooked on smoke]

I am having the same issue. I've had mine less than 6mo. It wasn't until recently that I got my Maverick733 so was able check the temps. With 2 different thermometers im getting a big difference.

20161030_123643.jpg

• hooked on smoke
• Nov 8, 2016

I called Masterbuilt today and they are sending me a me control. Said that's where to start. I guess we will see.

 

[Bearcarver]

Barry,

As far as I know there's no way for an MES owner to recalibrate their MES, other than getting a new control unit and/or Temp sensor.

I think they're only guaranteed to be within 15° of accurate, but I don't like that you have to set it at 190° to get 160°.

That tells me you would only get 245° or less if you set it for 275°, and you paid for a Smoker that goes from 100° to 275°.

It would be nice if you could get your first one fixed (Generation #1), because that is a better smoker than the Gen #2 they replaced it with.

Bear

 

[inf3st]

I had the same problem with mine. Meat probe off. Huge temp fluctuations. I could set it to 225 and it would hit 290. They sent me all knew parts (probe, control panel, and back wall sensor) and everything is working great now.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I had the same problem with mine. Meat probe off. Huge temp fluctuations. I could set it to 225 and it would hit 290. They sent me all knew parts (probe, control panel, and back wall sensor) and everything is working great now.

Glad to hear that !!!

Bear

 

[browneyesvictim]

I have the same exact issue. The average difference is about 17' higher.  I wish it was closer to reality, but have just lowered smoker temps to accommodate. For now...

The thing is, I got my MES in a raffle for a charity benefit. and I don't have a receipt. Not sure what I can do now.

 

[inf3st]

Is it me or does Masterbuilt have a serious quality control issue? I am new here and see a ton of posts like this. Don't get me wrong I love my MES. But if they got their QC under control they could save a ton of money and even make the smokers even cheaper or just make more money.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Is it me or does Masterbuilt have a serious quality control issue? I am new here and see a ton of posts like this. Don't get me wrong I love my MES. But if they got their QC under control they could save a ton of money and even make the smokers even cheaper or just make more money.

They're much better than they used to be, but in order to be much cheaper than any other Equal Wattburner out there, I'm sure they have to cut too many corners.

They do seem to make up for it with great CS & replacements of problem parts & Smokers.

Bear

 

[barry bailey]

The one in the middle back about 1/8 inch diameter and sticks out about 3/8 is your cabinet temp sensor. The other is a flat disc on the left side of the back wall and down lower. That's the high temp limit sensor. A safety features that shuts the element down if the temp exceeds safe limits. If they don't come clean with water try a little rubbing alcohol. My mes 30 never reads accurately until it's been on for a couple of hours.

Thanks for the info.....I cleaned the "flat disc" sensor and ran it for about 3 hours.It held the  temp between 157 and 165.....With it set at 160 :)

Haven't had a chance to test the probe yet...I'll do a smoke this weekend and let you know if the meat probe temp is sorted out.

Thanks again 

--Barry--

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks for the info.....I cleaned the "flat disc" sensor and ran it for about 3 hours.It held the  temp between 157 and 165.....With it set at 160 :)

Haven't had a chance to test the probe yet...I'll do a smoke this weekend and let you know if the meat probe temp is sorted out.

Thanks again 

--Barry--

That's a Great cycling range!!!

I never use my MES Meat probe-----I only trust my Maverick, because it's easy to Boil test now & then.

Bear