# MES 30 wont get to temp!



## husker3in4 (Feb 9, 2018)

My saga continues. I  have a Gen 1 (one of them) MES that I had for maybe  or 5 years. It died after maybe 18 months, so I changed the element with no luck, then changed the little round thermostat with no luck. So it sat in storage for 3 years until I had a buddy help me test the parts. Turns out it was the little round thermostat. The one I replaced must have been bad because as soon as we bypassed it, the smoker cranked right on up to 250.  So I ordered new ones, and got them in a couple of days ago. I just plugged the wires into it and left it dangling out of the smoker, just to test if the one on was good. Again, the smoker fired up and ran at 250 for a couple of hours. Rejoice!!

So last night, I screwed it into the smoker, put the back plate back on (which is a huge pain in the rear!) and fired up the smoker to 275 to burn off mold and other gunk that grew inside for the past 3 years. I checked it a couple hours later and it was at 81 degrees and would not get warmer.  What gives?  The thermostat is supposed to go up to 150 c (302f) and it only seemed to work when it was outside of the unit, the ambient temp of the garage was probably 40 degrees a couple of nights ago when I tested it, but last night when it was actually detecting temp inside the smoker it wouldnt let it heat past 81  f degrees.

Im beyond frustrated!

Here is the thermostat I ordered and tested fine outside of the unit, but something is not letting the unit heat past 81 when its inside the unit. If you click the image it will take you to the amazon page I bought it from with its specs.


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## old sarge (Feb 9, 2018)

There comes a time when it becomes necessary to take a piece of gear off life support and move on. I would get a new smoker, a better smoker.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 9, 2018)

Id be lying if that thought didnt run through my mind already. But thats another $180 and still trying to stop the bleeding from getting $725 stolen by the USCIS. I actually have another smoker, but this one has been my favorite. I am wondring if I should just bridge the 2 wires together and just bypass this thermostat, its more of a safety thing.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 9, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Id be lying if that thought didnt run through my mind already. But thats another $180 and still trying to stop the bleeding from getting $725 stolen by the USCIS. I actually have another smoker, but this one has been my favorite. I am wondring if I should just bridge the 2 wires together and just bypass this thermostat, its more of a safety thing.




I would check with 

 tallbm
 on this forum. It could be something simple, and he's one of the guys who understands that kind of thing.


Bear


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## husker3in4 (Feb 9, 2018)

I clicked your link for tallbm but I dont see a way to private message him?


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## Bearcarver (Feb 9, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> I clicked your link for tallbm but I dont see a way to private message him?



I alerted him of this Thread.
However on this new forum platform, it's not called a "PM".
You have to click on "Start a Conversation".

Bear


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## Heath Phillips (Feb 9, 2018)

My guess would be that when you install the temp sensor into the unit, something is touching metal inside and grounding it out. My first suspect would be the blade connectors on the sensor. Also could be a chafed wire.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 9, 2018)

well when I tested it, those same wires were plugged into it, so I dont think it is a wire issue. But you might have a point about it being grounded out. the screws that were originally holding the thermostat to he body are too small now, cause everytime you unscrew it and screw it back in (at least 10 times at this point), the hole gets a little bit bigger and I have to use a larger screw. It is possible that the new screw head may be touching the thermostat on the inside of the unit, is that what you mean? When I get home I can take a pic of it.


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## Heath Phillips (Feb 9, 2018)

Yeah. Maybe the screws are touching the wire connectors inside the wall.


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## tallbm (Feb 9, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> So last night, I screwed it into the smoker, put the back plate back on (which is a huge pain in the rear!) and fired up the smoker to 275 to burn off mold and other gunk that grew inside for the past 3 years. I checked it a couple hours later and it was at 81 degrees and would not get warmer.  What gives?  The thermostat is supposed to go up to 150 c (302f) and it only seemed to work when it was outside of the unit, the ambient temp of the garage was probably 40 degrees a couple of nights ago when I tested it, but last night when it was actually detecting temp inside the smoker it wouldnt let it heat past 81  f degrees.
> 
> Im beyond frustrated!
> 
> ...



Hi husker.
I have seen something like this in the past in my own personal experience... a couple of times lol.

The metal tabs on those rollout limit switches are a little delicate.  If you managed to bend or wiggle the metal tab that is fastened to the plastic piece of the rollout switch (see the following image) then it causes resistance and the plastic melts and burns up which leads to more resistance until the whole component begins to fail.







In my situation I switched to using Hi-Temp Steel electrical connectors so they wouldn't corrode (the MES stock ones are junk).  Well they Hi-Temp ones are so snug that it took some manly force to get them on snug which in turn loosened the tab that is fastened to the rollout switch.
After a couple of usages I noticed that my smoker was only going to certain temps and then cutting off even though the temps were like 250F then 200F then 175F, etc.
What was happening is that the switch itself was heating up due to the electrical resistance of the wiggling tab and it was cutting the power.

I also ran into the case where I tried to put the connectors on more delicately without forcing them all the way down. Same issue occurred because the connector was a little loose and wiggly on the tab which caused resistance and heat up and the switch to burn up the same way hahaha.


In short I think this is what is happening to you.

Unfortunately you didn't cut a panel out for your rollout limit switch so you must take the back off again to check it out :(  I cut a panel into mine using a dremel and a metal cutting wheel just because of this.  I have replaced at least 3 limit switches before I got everything right hahaha.  Below you can see my home made panel with a piece of scrap aluminum I got from a buddy (right side of smoker with aluminum tape around the panel as a seal. Any sheet metal should do as a cover.






Try not to get frustrated, I am positive we can get you up and running but you will have to pull the back off again to see what the switch is doing because I have a sneaky suspicion you are having the same problems I did OR you are right and your bigger screws are causing some grounding and overheating.

Let me know if this all makes some sense :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 9, 2018)

Yep, that makes perfect sense. Although, I dont think Im caused any wiggle like you describe, not yet anyway. The connectors on the wires are fairly loose fitting on the thermostat, but they were the same way when I tested it outside of the body and they worked fine. Ive attached a picture of the rather large screws that are holding it into the body:







They do look like they are touching it, at least on the right side. Do you think if I used some skinny bolts with a nut on either side that would work better?


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## SonnyE (Feb 9, 2018)

I'm sitting on the same bench with Old Sarge. Stop beating a dead horse.
That said, There are only so many things that can go wrong. And it's a process of elimination.

*UNPLUG THE UNIT WHEN WORKING ON IT! * Sorry, it must be said.

It the element reads with an Ohm Meter, it's likely good.
If the Over temperature device (commonly called a Thermo-disc, or Snap-disc device) is closed when reading it with an Ohm Meter, it may be good. 
This is a safety device to avoid burning down your house. You _could _bypass it for testing, but never walk away with the smoker plugged in in that state. If a fire insurance investigator finds out you burned down your house by bypassing a safety device you are void, Vic.
Also, substituting a part that looks the same, may not be the same. I admittedly do not know the specification (temperature range) of the OEM part. But 300* F should be sufficient for a smoke box.

81 degrees is suspect to me. The fact that there is heat occurring leads me to believe the disc and element are likely functioning. And makes me look towards the actual temperature control.

There is a lot more to it than that, a failing connection can heat up and cause an open. Then after cooling for an undetermined amount of time, become conductive again, making one think it is a different problem.
So not everything is straight forward, sometimes.
But to save costs, it is best to find the problem and correct that.

Only 18 months of joy before having troubles is rather disappointing.
But I'd probably replace it. And likely with something different.


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## tallbm (Feb 9, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Yep, that makes perfect sense. Although, I dont think Im caused any wiggle like you describe, not yet anyway. The connectors on the wires are fairly loose fitting on the thermostat, but they were the same way when I tested it outside of the body and they worked fine. Ive attached a picture of the rather large screws that are holding it into the body:
> 
> They do look like they are touching it, at least on the right side. Do you think if I used some skinny bolts with a nut on either side that would work better?



It may work better, that would be closer to the original config.
At the moment we are flying a little blind until you cut a panel or pull the back off the smoker again. I suggest you pull the back off and measure before cutting a panel lol.

Once you take a look at the rollout limit switch look for any burning, melting, or discoloration.  Even on the rubber sheet thing that fits over it.  If you see some then you know that is your issue.
Also look at the wires that go in and out of the holes that lead to the limit switch area.  Often they become frayed and you may be grounding out.

So in short you gotta look at it to see what is going on and pics would be helpful so we can see it too :)


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## jp61 (Feb 10, 2018)

From your description of what's going on, it's possible that one or both wires connected to the switch are faulty or there's a loose connection on either end of one or both wires. Your original part may still be good. Moving the wires around while troubleshooting could have been making or breaking connections?


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## jp61 (Feb 10, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Yep, that makes perfect sense. Although, I dont think Im caused any wiggle like you describe, not yet anyway. The connectors on the wires are fairly loose fitting on the thermostat, but they were the same way when I tested it outside of the body and they worked fine. Ive attached a picture of the rather large screws that are holding it into the body:
> 
> View attachment 353280
> 
> ...



The screws touching is not the problem. If they were touching one of the terminals that would be a problem, but you would know it from the tripped circuit breaker. Loose connections are for sure part of the problem and possibly the wiring as I mentioned above.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 13, 2018)

If the problem is loose wires, should I just try to crimp down the connectors onto the thermostat posts? I should be able to mess with it tonight. One thing I DO know, is that Im not putting the back on it again until I get it working thru several tests. At that point I will probably cut out an opening for it like tallbm did. Would a sawsall cut thru that backing?


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## tallbm (Feb 13, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> If the problem is loose wires, should I just try to crimp down the connectors onto the thermostat posts? I should be able to mess with it tonight. One thing I DO know, is that Im not putting the back on it again until I get it working thru several tests. At that point I will probably cut out an opening for it like tallbm did. Would a sawsall cut thru that backing?



I think you could crimp down the connectors onto the tab but again the switch tabs can be a little delicate at the point where they are fastened to the rollout switch (plastic with some ring-rivet thing to hold the tab in place).  Just take your time and try not to make the tabs wiggle.  You may see that the switch is already burning up and in that case you will want to replace it.  This has been my experience for sure.  Soldering would be a good approach too if it doesn't cause the plastic part of the switch to melt.

A sawsall would cut through the metal backing no problem but is likely to be overkill and little awkward to maneuver lol.  The back sheet metal isn't very thick sheet metal.  The important thing is to get the hole cut in there to save yourself some grief in the future.  If you have the Gen 2 model backing design then that lip and rib design is a PAIN to put the back on again.   I did it with the Gen 2 I rewired and gave away as a gift (got it for $40 on craigslist ).

Let us know what you find and pictures are always super helpful :)


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## jp61 (Feb 13, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> If the problem is loose wires, should I just try to crimp down the connectors onto the thermostat posts? I should be able to mess with it tonight. One thing I DO know, is that Im not putting the back on it again until I get it working thru several tests. At that point I will probably cut out an opening for it like tallbm did. Would a sawsall cut thru that backing?



I don't know what's wrong with your smoker but loose connections with electricity is never good.
Just make sure that all connections you can get to are clean, tight and wires are in good shape.

It sure would be nice to have wiring diagrams to all these different brands, models and years of electric smokers and all in one place. Would be much easier to try and help someone in need.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 14, 2018)

Ok guys, so I did some testing last night. I took the back off (again, ugh) and removed the screws holding the thermostat switch device in place, and the screws holding the little protective box in place. I checked to make sure the posts were not loose, and the connections while not super tight, werent very loose either. The round thermostat itself was still in the hole in the smoker so I plugged it in and fired it up. Checked it 15 mins later and it was still at 36 degrees, not heating up.

So then I removed it from the hole and let it sit outside the smoker, plugged it in and turned it on. Checked it 15 mins later and smelled something burning. Uh oh. The smoker is at 233 of 275 I set it to and it was almost there, thats great! Bad news is the wire that goes from the thermostat to the heating element post was burning at the connection point on the heating element. My buddy had put a piece of duct tape over both heating element posts and it had burned thru it (thats what I smelled) and burned part of the wire closest to the heating element post. I took a pic and quickly unplugged it.

So the good news is the thermostat still appears to be good. The bad news is the wire coming from it and going to the heating element burned for reason. 2 questions: did it burn because it was a replaced wire that didnt look as thick? and why would the thermostat allow it to heat up while its laying outside of the smoker, but not while its inside the smoker?

I have some pics for reference:

Here you can see the little glow on the left heating element post, that is where it was burning the wire and thru the duct tape:








I had to lay the thermostat outside of the smoker to get it to heat up, here is a pic of where it was:
	

		
			
		

		
	








A closeup of the heating element posts, the left one is clearly burned, I cant tell if the right one was also burning:


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## tallbm (Feb 14, 2018)

Well looks like you found the culprit, the wire and/or connection to the heating element.

To answer your question I don't think the rollout limit switch (you refer to it as the thermostat) being outside really allowed it to heat up, I think it was more of a jostling of wires in general or something like that.
Just be sure to look real hard at the rollout limit switch and if you find any burning, melting, or heat discoloration on the plastic, the tabs, or connectors then you know you have an issue there as well.

Three things you need to check in this case before just re-splicing the burning up red wire.


Is it a high enough gauge wire.  The MES uses 14-16 gauge wire so you need that or better (12, or 10 gauge would be better).  I would suggest trying to keep with the same level of wiring as the rest of the MES for electrical consistency to not introduce differences.
The connectors you are using for the wires and heating element are not Hi Temp.  The Hi Temp stainless steel ones will hold up A LOT better than regular connectors.  MES uses cheap regular connectors at the heating element and rollout limit switch connections and they are the most commonly failing areas in the wiring setup.
Check for frayed wires, repair, and or wrap/insulate them.  I'm not sure if the wire that is failing was always in that shape or not but in the last image you posted I can definitely see fraying on the ground wire and on the black braided wire going to the heating element compartment.  If you have LOOSE connections/wiring you will get overheating and burning up.  If you have frayed wires touching metal you will/can ground out or burn up depending on what it is touching.

So in short, repair the wire with an appropriate hi temp 14-16 AWG one.
I suggest using Hi Temp stainless steel connectors at least for the heating element:
 or

A little high temp insulated shrink wrap to go over your connectors wouldn't hurt either:

Repair and protect any frayed wires that may contact metal.

Good job finding the immediate problem area Let us know how you decide to go with the repairs, and best of luck on the repairs :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 14, 2018)

Thanks for your fast reply! 

The images in your post didnt show up, but I get the gist of what you mean.

So where would I get new wires? Would my local ACE have them? Im not very electrical, since the red wire that burned runs directly between the rollout thermostat switch and the heating element, I can replace that one easily. The rest seem to be coming from the circuit board underneath the unit, and I wouldnt have a clue how to replace any of those. 

The gray wire with the frayed insulation is the ground wire  itself. It doesnt appear anything is exposed in that wire, I  have inspected it before. But even if it is, I am under the assumption that if it did get exposed and touched metal, its the ground wire so that would be fine, right?

I  can replace that one red wire, but if it needed more I would be totally stuck. Who might you suggest I check to see who could do a complete rewire of this smoker (besides the controller wire and heat sensor wire that look brand new) and how much do you think that might cost me? Ballpark?


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## tallbm (Feb 14, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Thanks for your fast reply!
> 
> The images in your post didnt show up, but I get the gist of what you mean.
> 
> ...




You should be able to get new wire at a hardware store like ACE but it just depends about what they have on the shelf.  Fry's electronics would be an even better option.
*The MES uses 16 gauge wire*.  *You will want Hi Temp if you can get it*.  If you just want to order on amazon you can get 10ft of black for $5 here (a little pricey but very convenient):


Don't worry about replacing any of the other wires just yet.  They are likely fine unless they are burning up or are loose.

You may as well get some 1/4" female spade stainless steel 14-16AWG connectors for the wire(s) that will connect to your heating element.

If the ground is exposed and doesn't have good contact with the medal than you may not get a good ground so it's best to just throw some electrical tape (not duct) around any frayed areas :)

For a complete rewire job you might be able to get a local handy man or electrical person for the main wiring but it really is quite simple.  You are looking at all the wires that exist int he system already.  The little thin ones are all controller related and the thicker braided ones are the main power wires.  A rewire job would likely include any/all of the existing braided wires you can currently see.  So that mystery is solved.  The next thing would be to crimp on electrical connectors and then pop them on where you see they already go right now.
That's it for the electrical rewire... that and don't break any of the tabs that the connectors pop onto :)

If you ever want to do a rewire to bypass the MES controller so you can use something like an Auber PID controller you can follow this post: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mes-rewire-simple-guide-no-back-removal-needed.267069/ 
People usually only do this when their MES controller dies, they can't hit max temp with their controller, or they want much tighter temp control without the temp swings from the MES.  They wouldn't this kind of rewire to fix your problem.
Your problem is just worn out or failing wires/electrical connectors so you gotta fix that no matter what :)

FYI, I have never seen an MES (in person or a posted pic) with a Red wire like yours.  That to me shows that someone has already replaced that wire in the past so there seems to have been an issue with the wiring or connectors that they may not have properly fixed to begin with.  It's no big issue now that you found it but you want to fix it so things run safely and your smoker behaves like it should :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 14, 2018)

Thanks again for the quick response. I checked my local Ace and they have 12g wire for .69 a foot, but its not hi temp. They asked if I wanted single or stranded wire, which one do I want?

I also found 12g THHN wire at a local home store. Is that the high heat stuff I want? He also asked if I wanted single wire or stranded.

12g is better than 16g right?

As far as rewiring, I will probably try replacing that red wire first. Hopefully there isnt anything else wrong, as Im wondering if the red wire was good but something else caused it to burn?

You are correct, that red wire isnt factory. My buddy put it on, saying it is he same gauge as the other wires, it just doenst have the insulation so thats why it isn't as thick. In any case, I need to replace it for sure.

It seems all the wires (except for that red wire) come off the circuit board under the smoker, how would I even get to them if I wanted to rewire it?


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## jimmyinsd (Feb 14, 2018)

Single strand wire,  not braided.  I am guessing your buddies wire job was loose and was arcing and that caused it to burn.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 14, 2018)

It seems my only options are single or stranded. Is it safe to assume that "stranded" wire is a single strand and not braided?


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## tallbm (Feb 14, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Thanks again for the quick response. I checked my local Ace and they have 12g wire for .69 a foot, but its not hi temp. They asked if I wanted single or stranded wire, which one do I want?
> 
> I also found 12g THHN wire at a local home store. Is that the high heat stuff I want? He also asked if I wanted single wire or stranded.
> 
> ...



I don't know that single vs stranded makes much difference but just to go with the flow i would use stranded wire.  You will want to make sure that the wire insulation can stand up to temps of 300F or higher or it may melt on you and you might end up with a fire situation.

Well 12g can handle more difficult situations than 16g wire so it won't be an issue going that direction.  Just understand that 12g is a fatter wire so you will need to use 10-12g connectors now rather than 14-16g connectors because the "barrel" portion of a 14-16g connector is generally not fat enough for a 12g wire to go into.  So you gotta keep this in mind if you decide to move away from 16g wiring.

I would just expose (not unhook just expose) the connectors from any insulation wrappers that go to the heating element and the rollout limit switch.  Then I would give a gentle tugging/wiggling on the wire near the connector to see if the wire is firmly crimped to the connector.  You'd be surprised how often or easily it may just pull out. 
If there is any wiggle with the wire crimped to the connector or the connector to the tabs of the heating element (or rollout limit switch) then you have a situation where the connection may be causing resistance which means the piece will usually heat up until something melts/burns up and fails or even catches fire.  If this happens at the rollout limit switch it will heat up and trip this switch to cut off power and you will never hit your set temp because this will repeat over and over.

Let me know if this info helps or if you have any other questions :)


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## mosparky (Feb 14, 2018)

Braided in this case I think refers to the fiberglass braided covering on the insulation. Stranded refers to the multitude os smaller wire that make up the conductor. Single strand (often called solid) would be like the wiring used for your house. I really would not recommend using solid wire. Great care would have to taken to get the position and twist just right to avoid straining the connection and parts. Speaking of the connections, or connectors, they will need to be soldered in the case of solid wire. The stranded wire will compress in the crimp process but solid will not and therefore will not stay tight. Solder will fix this on solid wire.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 15, 2018)

So I think I found what I want online, on ebay actually. I found similar things on amazon but they wanted too much + shipping. The wire is 12 AWG and listed as TGGT High tempurature.

Here are the links:
Wire: https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-FEET-12...027513&hash=item3f662287f9:g:pWQAAOSw44BYP4UI

Connectors: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supco-T111...379491&hash=item33d888d2bf:g:YRsAAOSw70xZ321b

Tallbm had said masterbuilt uses 16-14 AWG but that 12-10 AWG would be better. Then he also said I should keep all the wiring the same as to not introduce differences. Since I am going to just replace this one wire, should I get 16-14 AWG instead? Or stay with this 12 AWG thats in the link?

I should be able to just cut the wire to length, strip it back and crimp on the connectors and be all set to go.

Do I need to wrap the crimped area of the connector with electrical tape once Im done?

Wish I could have found these in town, but in any case, please look over these links and tell if if these will work.


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## tallbm (Feb 15, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> So I think I found what I want online, on ebay actually. I found similar things on amazon but they wanted too much + shipping. The wire is 12 AWG and listed as TGGT High tempurature.
> 
> Here are the links:
> Wire: https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-FEET-12...027513&hash=item3f662287f9:g:pWQAAOSw44BYP4UI
> ...



There is an electrical term (can't think of it right now) that refers to keeping the system/circuit equal like the sense of the same gauge wiring, etc. to ensure that everything is consistent to avoid situations where one area is too weak, or one area is so strong it introduces issues to another area etc.
This is why I personally prefer to keep things the same.
HOWEVER, with as simple as that one wire replacement is I don't really see an issue with moving up to 12ga wire.
You really won't get any of the benefits of using 12ga wire at this scale so no biggy.
You just gotta make sure to use the proper connector with it is all.

The wire and connector you link to on ebay would do the trick.
If you can get cheaper 16ga and connectors for 16ga wire then I would go that route to save the cost :)

If you go 16ga (25ft, no 10ft option) and Supco t1111 (for 16ga wire) you can save about $2+ total over your linked to 12ga options, see the 16ga links here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/16-ga-GAUG...004646?hash=item465498b4e6:g:730AAOSwi0RX0pKb
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supco-T111...959634&hash=item41d5ed3c9a:g:SSAAAOSwXrdaJ6vm

Go either route but I figure  you may get more reuse and benefit from an 25ft of wire vs 10ft AND you get extra 16ga hi temp connectors you can use with the stock MES 16ga wiring in case other wiring or connectors go bad :)

I hope this helps :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 26, 2018)

Here is an update: I got my new 12g hi temp wire and connectors last week. I cut the wire and got the connectors on and put the wire on and fired it up, it worked! I let it run at 275 for a bit, then shut it off and let it cool. Then I actually screwed in the temp shut off switch and fired it up (holding my breath). this is where is didnt work in the past. I checked 20 mins later an it was working! I let it run for 2 hours and shut it off and let it cool. Then I got a nylon brush and knocked off the gunk on the inside of the smoker (and mold). Today I am going to spray some vinegar/water mix on the walls and door and wipe off any remaining gunk/mold as it sat for 3 yrs or so. I wont scrub, just wipe. 

Then comes test#2. I will screw in the little metal box cover over the back of the round temp shutoff switch. Doesn't sound like much, but in the past, it would work outside the smoker u but once I screwed everything in, nada.

If all goes well I will reseason it, and hope to get its first smoke after 3 years going this weekend.


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## tallbm (Feb 26, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Here is an update: I got my new 12g hi temp wire and connectors last week. I cut the wire and got the connectors on and put the wire on and fired it up, it worked! I let it run at 275 for a bit, then shut it off and let it cool. Then I actually screwed in the temp shut off switch and fired it up (holding my breath). this is where is didnt work in the past. I checked 20 mins later an it was working! I let it run for 2 hours and shut it off and let it cool. Then I got a nylon brush and knocked off the gunk on the inside of the smoker (and mold). Today I am going to spray some vinegar/water mix on the walls and door and wipe off any remaining gunk/mold as it sat for 3 yrs or so. I wont scrub, just wipe.
> 
> Then comes test#2. I will screw in the little metal box cover over the back of the round temp shutoff switch. Doesn't sound like much, but in the past, it would work outside the smoker u but once I screwed everything in, nada.
> 
> If all goes well I will reseason it, and hope to get its first smoke after 3 years going this weekend.



Thing sound promising!
Let us know how it turns out, my fingers are crossed for you :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 26, 2018)

Tallbm, can you do me a favor and measure where you put your hole in your back panel for the round temp shut off switch? I know ours may be different as far as where it is, but I want to use your measurements as a reference.


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## jimmyinsd (Feb 26, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Here is an update: I got my new 12g hi temp wire and connectors last week. I cut the wire and got the connectors on and put the wire on and fired it up, it worked! I let it run at 275 for a bit, then shut it off and let it cool. Then I actually screwed in the temp shut off switch and fired it up (holding my breath). this is where is didnt work in the past. I checked 20 mins later an it was working! I let it run for 2 hours and shut it off and let it cool. Then I got a nylon brush and knocked off the gunk on the inside of the smoker (and mold). Today I am going to spray some vinegar/water mix on the walls and door and wipe off any remaining gunk/mold as it sat for 3 yrs or so. I wont scrub, just wipe.
> 
> Then comes test#2. I will screw in the little metal box cover over the back of the round temp shutoff switch. Doesn't sound like much, but in the past, it would work outside the smoker u but once I screwed everything in, nada.
> 
> If all goes well I will reseason it, and hope to get its first smoke after 3 years going this weekend.



glad to hear you got it going.  I would say you should likely just use white vinegar straight instead of diluting it.


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## tallbm (Feb 26, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Tallbm, can you do me a favor and measure where you put your hole in your back panel for the round temp shut off switch? I know ours may be different as far as where it is, but I want to use your measurements as a reference.



When I get home I will do so.  Just know that my panel is quite large compared to what is needed.  I will try and give you a more "streamlined" set of measurements on top of what my panel measurements are.  Also know that my MES is a Gen 1 so if you have a different version there is a chance that we may not be talking apples to apples with rollout switch positioning but I think we'll be close :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 26, 2018)

Thanks! I know the serial on my MES is 20070910, its an early version i know that.


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## dr k (Feb 26, 2018)

husker3in4 said:


> Thanks! I know the serial on my MES is 20070910, its an early version i know that.


20070910 is the Mes gen 1 30" all black no window.


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## husker3in4 (Feb 26, 2018)

That is correct! That is exactly the one I have.


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## tallbm (Feb 26, 2018)

Well I have bad news for you, I run an MES 40 so I know for sure our measurements will be off lol
If you can borrow your wife's/lady's lipstick or something equally messy you can always install the metal box that covers the rollout limit switch and mark up the edges of it with the lipstick.
Then kind of press the back of the MES in place and against the lipstick to get an idea of where the metal box will be.
Then just cut out a panel bigger than the marked up area.

I also cut out a rectangle on the metal box that covers the rollout limit switch since I replaced mine with a manual reset rollout limit switch and if I ever need to reset it then I can get to it :)


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## husker3in4 (Feb 28, 2018)

I got it going for a few hours and ran 3 loads of chips in it to re-season it. Boy did it smell good!
Im going to try to put the back on it tonight and screw everything in. I am going to smoke a brisket this weekend and dont want to mess with cutting a hole in the back of it just yet. I can cut the hole, but dont have another slab of sheet metal to screw over it, so I think Ill just leave it be for now. Ill post a couple pics tonight.


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