New MES Bluetooth Digital smoker

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So yeah, I got up at 3am to start up my smoker for my pork butt tonight!.  Let me just say, lying in bed, connecting via bluetooth, setting the temp & time and powering it on, what a pleasure!!  All while lying in bed.  How cool is that????????????  For some reason, my phone connects via BT on my nightstand.  If I move it a couple of feet away, the connection is lost.  But on my nightstand it gets maybe 45 feet range.  Downstairs near the smoker, it maybe has 20 feet range.  Weird. 

Anyway, of course I couldnt go back to bed as I wanted to record my temps after the discussion in Bear's thread about MES temp swings.  Yeah........   I need to set my smoker to 175F on startup (there is a 50F temp difference on startup WTF...................).  I then need to set it to 210F about 30min later, once the smoker display temp has coasted past 210F, to get my Mav to be around 225F.  I then need to bump up the temps by 5F every 30min, until my temps are +-18F of 225F.  This process takes a FULL TWO HOURS.  Not good guys.  Not good at all.  If you want to get the temps in your MES right, then the smoker needs to be baby'ied.  No way around it. 

Also, I had issues starting up my AMPS again.  This is actually becoming a problem.  Luckily my wife went downstairs about 45min after I put in the AMPS and saw there was no smoke.  I had to restart it.  It think its failed now 4 out of 6 smokes.  This is a trend.  Once it gets going its fine.  It doesnt go out.  But to get it started is failure at this point.  Last night I didnt want to mess around given that I was going back to bed.  I nuked the pellets for 2min in the micro.  I torched it for 30 seconds.  I let it burn a flame for 10min.  But BAM, it died out, again.......

I then left it in smoker, quickly opened the door for 10 seconds, torched it again, and it INSTANTLY flamed up.  The pellets were obviously nice and hot.  The flame was so strong I couldnt blow it out.  I had to remove the tray and blow on it really hard to extinguish the flame.  Quickly put it back in, and I could immediately see nice smoke coming out the vent.  I watched it for 30min and went back to bed.  No further issues.  It did not go out from that point onwards.

So in short, there is nothing I can do about the temp swings for the first 2 hours.  This will be a big disappointment to the "set it and forget it" crowd, one of the main reason we go all MES (and Im not talking about being lazy, just that I cant go back to bed, or leave the house to go to the store etc).  Big bummer.    

But, with the AMPS, there are a lot of you guys that are having success and I could really use some help.  I've watched Wade's vid and read up on everything.  I know the basics and what to do.  The key variable here that I cant explain is that why if I light the AMPS in the smoker after 1.5 hours in the smoker does it instantly light up and not go out from that point onwards, yet when I put it in the smoker at the start, it dies out after 30min.  This has happened on all 4 failures.  I cant explain it.  Thoughts?
Looking at TBS smoke outside in the dark is different than looking at TBS from the inside of your house, with the light on, into the dark (it had to be smoking if it burst into flames with a small flame put to it.)  You need a deflector for your model like bear has for the 40" Gen 1 for temp stability with his coasting/adjusting method, which is without out a doubt the best MES advice other than how to keep an AMNPS going.  The size and model are very important.  It's all about the temp sensor and deflecting heat (not holding heat around the heating element to over heat that area.)  This is my deflector for the 40" Gen 1.  I am keeping the heat from go up the wall in the area of the sensor and out the top vent. I want the heat to go anywhere else ( to the middle and up all other walls.)  I made it longer and cut it back from the middle as I tested it during each smoke on the second rack from the top.  The two boil tested therms, the controller therm and the unused mes meat therm in the holder are within 2 degrees at my 225*F set temp.  They are < 10*F either way on cycling to average the 225*F.  You may need a 2" by 6" piece depending on the location of your heat sensor, vent and heating element.  If Bear is deflecting heat and no one else is, then everyone has the perfect MES that no one has started a thread on yet LOL.

I have cut the template back 1.5 inches on both sides from the middle of the water pan in this pic to get the results above.


-Kurt
 
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Looking at TBS smoke outside in the dark is different than looking at TBS from the inside of your house, with the light on, into the dark (it had to be smoking if it burst into flames with a small flame put to it.)  You need a deflector for your model like bear has for the 40" Gen 1 for temp stability with his coasting/adjusting method, which is without out a doubt the best MES advice other than how to keep an AMNPS going.  The size and model are very important.  It's all about the temp sensor and deflecting heat (not holding heat around the heating element to over heat that area.)  This is my deflector for the 40" Gen 1.  I am keeping the heat from go up the wall in the area of the sensor and out the top vent. I want the heat to go anywhere else ( to the middle and up all other walls.)  I made it longer and cut it back from the middle as I tested it during each smoke on the second rack from the top.  The two boil tested therms, the controller therm and the unused mes meat therm in the holder are within 2 degrees at my 225*F set temp.  They are
 
 
Hmmm .... makes sense. 
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What about the bags the pellets come in, do they let moisture in and if so, would the pellets need to be nuked slightly before putting them in bottles in insure dryness?
I keep all the pellets I've received from Todd in the plastic bags in which they were shipped and inside my uninsulated garage. I'm using pellets I got 1-2 years ago with absolutely no problems at all. Yes, I don't live where there's high humidity like some of you but it does get very humid and damp in Washington state during the winter. Maybe I'm lucky but everything--my MES, AMNPS, and wood pellets are work the way they're supposed to every time I use them without doing anything special.
 
Don't you think we analyze things to much instead of doing the obvious thing ? Like really getting the AMNPS going really good before putting it in ? I let mine burn a good 20 min before putting in the smoker.
I'm not going to drive myself nuts worrying about temp swings. I'm going to set it and forget it. Every forum I subscribe to , wether it's the Harley or Rc drone forum etc , have members who drive themselves crazy worrying over every little detail.
 
If it takes you 2 1/2 hours to get your smoker heated up before you put the meat in, put your AMNPS loaded with pellets in when you first start the MES up.  Pellets with be dry and warmed up read to light.  Problem solved. I agree with MORI55, there is more to worry about in life that temp swings.  I don't worry about it and I've not had anyone complain about my Q. 
 
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I assume that for an accurate temp reading inside the MES 2.5 Bluetooth model, you don't rely on what the Bluetooth readout says, but place a probe such as the Maverick 732-733 on the shelf where the meat is cooking? There is the built-in meat probe with one temp reading (usually in the meat), and I imagine the smoker temp is picked up down the bottom at the heat assembly, which would obviously be a higher temp reading then on the rack than where the meat is cooking..
Dennis
 
Don't you think we analyze things to much instead of doing the obvious thing ? Like really getting the AMNPS going really good before putting it in ? I let mine burn a good 20 min before putting in the smoker.
I'm not going to drive myself nuts worrying about temp swings. I'm going to set it and forget it. Every forum I subscribe to , wether it's the Harley or Rc drone forum etc , have members who drive themselves crazy worrying over every little detail.
I agree with you. I consider myself a smoking minimalist but I'm not quite a set it and forget it guy. I'll adjust my controller temp up or down based on the the ET-733 is telling me. If my set point was to be 235° but the smoker temp is staying at around 250° or 225° then I adjust it accordingly. Once I'm 2-3 hours into the smoke the temp stabilizes and it is set it and forget it until the meat reaches its finish temp.
 
 
Im sure you are 100% right.  I really want to figure the AMPS out now!!!  Cant risk it going out anymore.  This is serious business!!  But how come if the pellets die (maybe 1/10th of the 1st row used and they died out), they they miraculously light up and burn if I put a torch to it once the AMPS has been sitting in the smoker for 1.5 hours.

Two thoughts:

1) pellets have heated up that they combust easily

2) airflow gets better 1.5 hours in

As I already microwave, Im thinking it has to do with #2.  Maybe the long cycles with the element being off create less airflow??????  This would make a lot of sense.  Thoughts?

As for the temps swings in the beginning, Im not sure I understand your method fully.  I need to reread your thread.  Will post the figures tonight and then maybe we can figure it out.  Thanks Bear. 
Short cycles for airflow. When you start up the MES and you set it between 100*F to 275*F to preheat (and you want to cook at 225*F) when the MAV hits 225*F and your MES shows 175*F punch in 175*F on the controller so the MES heating element shuts off.  For this cycle the 175*F setting on the MES = 225*F real temp on the MAV.  It'll coast up maybe 15*F but when it cools and the MAV shows 225*F and the controller shows, lets say 172*F set the controller to 167* (5 degrees lower) so the MAV goes to 220*F before kicking on the heating element.  Keep making baby step adjustments till you know what to set your MES on start ups.

-Kurt
 
 
Short cycles for airflow. When you start up the MES and you set it between 100*F to 275*F to preheat (and you want to cook at 225*F) when the MAV hits 225*F and your MES shows 175*F punch in 175*F on the controller so the MES heating element shuts off.  For this cycle the 175*F setting on the MES = 225*F real temp on the MAV.  It'll coast up maybe 15*F but when it cools and the MAV shows 225*F and the controller shows, lets say 172*F set the controller to 167* (5 degrees lower) so the MAV goes to 220*F before kicking on the heating element.  Keep making baby step adjustments till you know what to set your MES on start ups.

-Kurt
That's close.

Bear
 
 
If it takes you 2 1/2 hours to get your smoker heated up before you put the meat in, put your AMNPS loaded with pellets in when you first start the MES up.  Pellets with be dry and warmed up read to light.  Problem solved. I agree with MORI55, there is more to worry about in life that temp swings.  I don't worry about it and I've not had anyone complain about my Q. 
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Long time no post but since my Gen 2 gave up yesterday during a brisket smoke, I am in the emergency need for a new smoker.

My Gen 2 worked great for me and had untold amounts of smoking sessions so I am happy with it's 3 year life.

I see Gen 2.5 is out and I really like the improvements especially the oval tray and vent on top. I found there are 2 versions of the 30"

20072115 and 20073215

The 20072115 is a 4 rack version and the 20073215 is the 6 rack version.

I just ordered the 20072315 from BassPro and it will be in my hands Friday. Cost on the 20072315 is $329 which to me is a better value then the 4 rack unit.

Smoking some ribs this weekend!!

Thanks
 
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Long time no post but since my Gen 2 gave up yesterday during a brisket smoke, I am in the emergency need for a new smoker.
My Gen 2 worked great for me and had untold amounts of smoking sessions so I am happy with it's 3 year life.
I see Gen 2.5 is out and I really like the improvements especially the oval tray and vent on top. I found there are 2 versions of the 30"
20072115 and 20073215

The 20072115 is a 4 rack version and the 20073215 is the 6 rack version.
I just ordered the 20073215 from BassPro and it will be in my hands Friday. Cost on the 20073215 is $329 which to me is a better value then the 4 rack unit.

Smoking some ribs this weekend!!


Thanks

The 6 rack is the 40 in one I think.
Dennis
 
 
The website says 30" but if it turns out to be the 40" for that price, I have no complaints

Not sure if I can post a link so MODS please remove it if no allowed.

http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-...r-with-Viewing-Window/product/14072306364315/

Basspro says the 40" is 20070315 while the 30" 6 rack is 20072315 
I don't believe you will get a 40" Bluetooth at Bass Pro Shops for $329. The description size is for a 30". Picture looks like 30" also.so I am guessing at that price, it is a 30", but I could be wrong there. Hey, I make a lot of mistakes at 78 ,,, 
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