# Masterbuilt MES 30C - wood chip tray rests on heating element



## Thrillho (Jul 3, 2020)

Hi All!  Happy to be part of the forum!

Just bought the Masterbuilt MES30C electric smoker.  I put it together and everything went well for the most part.  However, I noticed that when the wood chip tray is fully set onto the grate, the bottom of the tray is in contact with the heating element.  Everything appears to be installed correctly, and the heating element is properly resting on the element support.

With my online research, I'm seeing both opinions:  The heating element is supposed to be in contact with the tray to assist with burning the wood chips, but also that the heating element should NOT be touching the tray.  Who's right??? 

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!!!


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## Thrillho (Jul 11, 2020)

bump


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 11, 2020)

Bearcarver
 John is our resident MES GURU and may be able to help. The tray on my MES40 did not touch the element but that was a 2011/2012 model. There have been several changes since...JJ


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## Bearcarver (Jul 11, 2020)

Thrillho said:


> Hi All!  Happy to be part of the forum!
> 
> Just bought the Masterbuilt MES30C electric smoker.  I put it together and everything went well for the most part.  However, I noticed that when the wood chip tray is fully set onto the grate, the bottom of the tray is in contact with the heating element.  Everything appears to be installed correctly, and the heating element is properly resting on the element support.
> 
> ...




I'd like to see some pictures of what you're talking about.
However I'm thinking that "MES30c" isn't a digital smoker.
I think it's an Analog, which I know very little about. For some reason Masterbuilt or some stores started calling them "MES" which was a stupid thing to do, because it gets everything confused.  If it is the Analog, pictures might help, but like I said, I know all about the MES Digital Smoker units, but I never even saw an Analog close up, and they aren't even close to being anything like the "True MES Digital Smokehouse".

Sorry.
There are a handful of guys here with that smoker---Maybe one of them can help you.

Bear


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 11, 2020)

Thanks for trying John...JJ


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## daveomak.fs (Jul 12, 2020)

Thrillho said:


> Hi All!  Happy to be part of the forum!
> 
> With my online research, I'm seeing both opinions:  The heating element is supposed to be in contact with the tray to assist with burning the wood chips, but also that the heating element should NOT be touching the tray.  Who's right???
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!!!



Where the chip pan sits is moot....   You want the chips to burn and smoke when the element comes on....   Depending on what wood you use, it could burst into flame....  NOT GOOD...  Flame consumes smoke so the wood choice is the BIG deal..  
If you have a problem with flame, choose sawust or chunks... I've had chips burst into flame MANY times...  I switched to chunks...
If you chose chunks, use 1 chunk only....  it takes 2 hunks of wood to start a fire...   1 chunk will smolder and deliver nice smoke...  
I cut my wood into slices (cookies).....
Great smoke and last a long time....  My pan sits on the burner....


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## Thrillho (Jul 12, 2020)

Here's a good photo.  The wood chip container can't fully sit down in its place  because the heating element is in the way.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t3h9dre0dhjpwij/20200712_174418.jpg?dl=0


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## Thrillho (Jul 12, 2020)

Also, it is an analog smoker.

The wood chips did burn much better with the tray touching the heating coil, however the bottom of the tray is now black and scorched just after 1 use, so maybe not he best thing for the tray.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 13, 2020)

Thrillho said:


> Here's a good photo.  The wood chip container can't fully sit down in its place  because the heating element is in the way.
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/t3h9dre0dhjpwij/20200712_174418.jpg?dl=0




Looking at that picture, I would say:
Though that set-up is completely different than the Digital MES, I would say in a perfect world the pan should be about the same as with the Digital MES units, which would be as close to the Heating element as possible, without touching it.
When I used to use my MES chipburner, if the pan was touching the element, it was too close, but if there was more than a very small amount of space between them, it was too far.
However I've been using 100% AMNPS for the last 8 or 9 years.

Bear


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## bill1 (Jul 15, 2020)

For the smoker in the Dropbox picture, I doubt even pellets would get hot enough to smolder and smoke without first getting them going with a small torch.  If you want to use a large chunk, your pan basically needs to be sitting directly on the element.  If you use chips, the pan resting on the element is ok, but I'd put a 1/16" - 1/8" piece of steel between them to help spread out the heat in the pan and minimize hot spots directly above the element.  

Playing with this to get the right amount of smoke (for your tastes) is part of this hobby.   DIY smokers that use a hot plate that you "dial in" stay hot continuously.  The "nicer" commercial smokers have pretty good thermostatic control, which means the element is constantly cycling on and off between hot and cold, which unfortunately won't help your "smoking tray optimization project" any.  

Finally many use tubes and labyrinth trays in their smokers.  They all need a hot torch to get going. So don't feel there's any dishonor in using a torch to get the stock tray going either.  :-)


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## EdP (Jul 15, 2020)

daveomak.fs said:


> Where the chip pan sits is moot....   You want the chips to burn and smoke when the element comes on....   Depending on what wood you use, it could burst into flame....  NOT GOOD...  Flame consumes smoke so the wood choice is the BIG deal..
> If you have a problem with flame, choose sawust or chunks... I've had chips burst into flame MANY times...  I switched to chunks...
> If you chose chunks, use 1 chunk only....  it takes 2 hunks of wood to start a fire...   1 chunk will smolder and deliver nice smoke...
> I cut my wood into slices (cookies).....
> ...



This is a “something I learned today” post.

I’m going to try cutting wood like this, or at least try using a large single block.


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## bill1 (Jul 15, 2020)

EdP said:


> I’m going to try cutting wood like this, or at least try using a large single block.


A chop saw (or sliding chop saw) can work well for this.  Leaves the surface very flat, which is what you want to sit flat and level in a pan.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2020)

bill1 said:


> A chop saw (or sliding chop saw) can work well for this.  Leaves the surface very flat, which is what you want to sit flat and level in a pan.




Or a Sharp Chainsaw.

Bear


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