# Do you clean the glass on your smoker door (if it has glass)



## uncle eddie

I have an MES 40.  

I got tired of cleaning the glass by about the 3rd use.  

I am wondering if you clean your glass door or not.

Here's a pic of what mine looks like after a year of use.  













IMG_1094 (1).jpg



__ uncle eddie
__ Jun 17, 2016


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## worktogthr

hahaha I have never done it.  Not once.  I am lazy and the food that comes out still tastes good so I allow that to justify my laziness.  I just pretend I have the one without the window haha


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## chef jimmyj

Yep...Me too. Saw real quick that seeing things smoke is like watching Paint Dry. Never bothered cleaning the window again. Besides, I think Bearcarver had a thread that showed a clean window lets the Sun shine in and raise the smoker temp. I got a built in Sun Shade.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






...JJ


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## SmokinAl

I keep mine clean, but I only use my MES for cold smoking or low temp smoking for sausage.

So the window never really gets dirty.

If it does I just clean it with rubbing alcohol, & it cleans up real easy.

Al


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## GaryHibbert

Clean it??  That's why I made sure my MES did NOT have a window.

Gary


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## Bearcarver

I clean mine before every use----Takes a Max of 2 minutes.

Never have to open my door to see if there are any problems happening.

Would never want another MES without a window, like my first one.

I can even see how my AMNPS is doing.

Bear


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## bdskelly

About once a year I'll take a flat razor blade and scrape  the gunk off the glass while the smoker is still warm.

LOL  I soon found out that the 2 most useless things on my MES was the glass door and that little light inside.   The glass over that light is so coated with gunk  that there is no way it is coming back!    Oh yeah  running a close third place of most useless is the meat probe.  LOL 

B


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## bdskelly

Bearcarver said:


> I clean mine before every use----Takes a Max of 2 minutes.
> 
> Never have to open my door to see if there are any problems happening.
> 
> Would never want another MES without a window, like my first one.
> 
> I can even see how my AMNPS is doing.
> 
> Bear


Bear

What would be a good cleaner for real heavy gunk and not leave after odor or taste?  My old MES could probably use  a good bath. b


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## Bearcarver

BDSkelly said:


> Bear
> 
> What would be a good cleaner for real heavy gunk and not leave after odor or taste?  My old MES could probably use  a good bath. b


If it gets heavy, a razor blade works best---Like a "Widget". I found a bigger & heavier tool at Lowes (Similar to a Widget, but HD).

Then any grease cutter & Paper Towels can easily get the rest. I just use Windex, but I make sure the door is open all the way, so no overspray goes inside.

BTW: I don't bother with the light either----Or the built in probe.  They could have saved the money on those things.

Bear


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## joel11230

Flat razor blade takes it right off.  I rarely clean mine though. I kind of like leaving it alone cause to me it means it's good and seasoned.


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## lovethemeats

I clean mine every once in a while. But thats for pictures  for here. The only time I clean is when the build up gets too much. I am weary of putting any type of chemicals in the smoker. I use a scraper and remove the loose stuff in the unit so it doesn't get on the food I'm smoking. The one thing I keep clean is the racks the food sits on.


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## candurin

I clean mine after every smoke.  The ONLY parts of my smoker that gets cleaned are the grates, temp and limit sensors and the glass. 

I use a magic eraser to remove the build up and then use a towel and white vinegar as a final rinse/wipe.

I like the idea of glass to see the smoke pattern and verify everything looks good without opening the door.

I've got the SAMs club mes40 gen2.5.


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## oregon smoker

i found with mine i spray the glass with Apple Cider Vinegar and it wipes right off.

Just My Two Cents...

T


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## Bearcarver

Oregon Smoker said:


> i found with mine i spray the glass with Apple Cider Vinegar and it wipes right off.
> 
> Just My Two Cents...
> 
> T


I'll have to try that---Always looking for a Better Mousetrap!!

Thanks,

Bear


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## uncle eddie

Oregon Smoker said:


> i found with mine i spray the glass with Apple Cider Vinegar and it wipes right off.
> 
> Just My Two Cents...
> 
> T


Hmmm...will give this one a try.  I probably will need to use the razor blade though.


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## oregon smoker

Uncle Eddie said:


> Hmmm...will give this one a try.  I probably will need to use the razor blade though.


You will be surprised how well ACV will cut the coating , you may have to spray it and let it soak in to help soften it (then use the blade if needed). FYI place some paper or towels below the door to catch the drips


Bearcarver said:


> I'll have to try that---Always looking for a Better Mousetrap!!
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bear


John, the worse that happens if you get over spray in the box it just will add flavor to the next smoke 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





T


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## Bearcarver

Oregon Smoker said:


> John, the worse that happens if you get over spray in the box it just will add flavor to the next smoke
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Yup---That's why your way interests me. Overspray would not be a problem.

I will be trying it.

Thanks,

Bear


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## oregon smoker

john, I think you will like it. Let me know what you think ...good or bad, Tom


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## lovethemeats

Just warm it up some and it helps with the smoke if its really thick. I've used plain hot water and the heat helps break it down.


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## candurin

And just to share the love...













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__ candurin
__ Jun 20, 2016


















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__ candurin
__ Jun 20, 2016


















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__ candurin
__ Jun 20, 2016






This was after a weekend of various smoking.  Just before putting the cover on.


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## lovethemeats

Dang. You can see thru all of the glass. Looks like you did a good job on the glass. Did you clean the little internal light glass cover to. I did mine once. Next smoke and it was back to smoked glass.


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## candurin

I don't think I've ever used nor cleaned the light.  But, I took a quick peak and it's almost spotless.  But, the light is on the outside of the smoker when the door is closed.


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## uncle eddie

candurin said:


> And just to share the love...
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> __ candurin
> __ Jun 20, 2016
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> This was after a weekend of various smoking.  Just before putting the cover on.


Please come over and show me how to do mine


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## Bearcarver

candurin said:


> I don't think I've ever used nor cleaned the light. But, I took a quick peak and it's almost spotless. But, the light is on the outside of the smoker when the door is closed.


Mine looks just like yours.

When I was using my Gen #1, I cleaned the inside light a couple times, and that was a losing battle.

With my set-up & porch lights, I don't need a smoker light.

Bear


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## lovethemeats

Yes. I gave up cleaning it. I use my flashlight if I need to look in at it. Kind of a dumb idea to have one built on the inside. I can see a oven having one but not a smoker.


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## b-one

I don't have one but would not clean it if I did.


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## mosparky

Clean mine just before each smoke. It's a part of appeasing the she beast. She has gotten me some stuff over the years that I really didn't realize just how nice the stuff was and therefore haven't taken very good care of them. Things are a bit different now. I discovered just how nice a Weber Kettle really is along with a few other things. I try to take far better care of my toys.

 A bucket of hot water and dawn with a dobie pad and it pretty much wipes clean. I would do it after a smoke but it's too hot, it's late and I'm hungry. Gives me something to do while I wait for the AMNPS to get right.


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## Bearcarver

mosparky said:


> Clean mine just before each smoke. It's a part of appeasing the she beast. She has gotten me some stuff over the years that I really didn't realize just how nice the stuff was and therefore haven't taken very good care of them. Things are a bit different now. I discovered just how nice a Weber Kettle really is along with a few other things. I try to take far better care of my toys.
> 
> A bucket of hot water and dawn with a dobie pad and it pretty much wipes clean. *I would do it after a smoke but it's too hot, it's late and I'm hungry. Gives me something to do while I wait for the AMNPS to get right.*


Exactly !

When I'm ready to eat, I don't want to be cleaning my window. I clean it before each smoke.

And if I want to use a razor blade first, it works better after it has cooled.

Bear


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## uncle eddie

I tried the apple cider vinegar last night...it does work, but I gave up as there was a year of smoke on it.


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## Bearcarver

Uncle Eddie said:


> I tried the apple cider vinegar last night...it does work, but I gave up as there was a year of smoke on it.


Yeah---If you let it go a long time, it's best to use a razor blade, like a Widget, on it first.

Then it's easy to clean after that.

Bear


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## hillbilly jim

Back in the spring, my wife gifted me with a 44 inch Masterbilt propane smoker. The main door has a window in it. I use a high grade oven rated stem thermometer, so being able to see it requires keeping the window clean.

Disregarding that, if she's willing to spend $400 on a nice smoker for me, I think it behooves me to show her some respect by keeping it clean. Not only the window, but the whole cabinet gets a wipe down after each use.

The five burner stainless steel Kenmore gas grill she gave me for Fathers' Day a coupla' years back looks like it's brand new because I keep that clean, too.


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## Bearcarver

Hillbilly Jim said:


> Back in the spring, my wife gifted me with a 44 inch Masterbilt propane smoker. The main door has a window in it. I use a high grade oven rated stem thermometer, so being able to see it requires keeping the window clean.
> 
> Disregarding that, if she's willing to spend $400 on a nice smoker for me, I think it behooves me to show her some respect by keeping it clean. Not only the window, but the whole cabinet gets a wipe down after each use.
> 
> The five burner stainless steel Kenmore gas grill she gave me for Fathers' Day a coupla' years back looks like it's brand new because I keep that clean, too.


You're a Good Man, Jim!!! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## uncle eddie

I was bored so, on a whim, I grabbed my putty knife.  And this...(from original post) 













download.jpg



__ uncle eddie
__ Aug 6, 2016






turned into this in about 10 minutes...













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__ uncle eddie
__ Aug 6, 2016






All that was needed was putty knife, elbow grease, and a hand-vac to suck up the little specs that did not fall onto the cookie sheet I put below the door.


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## oregon smoker

Nice Job!! It looks great.
Tom


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## Bearcarver

Uncle Eddie said:


> I was bored so, on a whim, I grabbed my putty knife.  And this...(from original post)
> 
> turned into this in about 10 minutes...
> 
> All that was needed was putty knife, elbow grease, and a hand-vac to suck up the little specs that did not fall onto the cookie sheet I put below the door.


Yup---Clean as a Whistle!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## frankly

Been using a little bit of white vinegar on a paper towel before, or a few hours after, each smoke and the glass cleans right up. My last smoke was 10.5 hours at 275F and it was a bit harder to clean up so not sure if the higher heat helps bake the smoke on worse.  I'm finding that the moisture that coats the glass is more of a vision inhibitor in the first few hours of smoking and then the smoke coating itself sets in...

As candurin posted previously, I clean those important certain parts (grates, temp and limit sensors), and also the rubber door seal, and it is little effort to hit the glass at the same time...


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## Bummed

I use a mixture of 2 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part Dawn original blue in a spray bottle. Works real good spraying down the grates too. I use it for stains in clothes and just about anything that needs a good cleaning.


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## zekester

_hey guys I use newspaper damp'n dip it in some ash with the glass cold that's how we clean our wood burner glass door  so one would think it would clean it oh wipe dry with dry newspaper zekester..._


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## Bearcarver

zekester said:


> _hey guys I use newspaper damp'n dip it in some ash with the glass cold that's how we clean our wood burner glass door  so one would think it would clean it oh wipe dry with dry newspaper zekester..._


You mean like this???

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/113467/cleaning-mes-window-without-any-chemicals-at-all

Bear


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## zekester

yep that's what I'm talking about and there's your dinner.... zekester


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## Bearcarver

zekester said:


> yep that's what I'm talking about and there's your dinner.... zekester


LOL---If you mean the Eggs---They're 5 years old now!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Still look pretty good though!

Bear


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## dogman60

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__ dogman60
__ Aug 15, 2016





Eddie save yourself alot of time and extra effort using razor blades and solutions to clean the glass door on your MES . Go to your nearest West Marine and pick up a  spray bottle of Tuff Nuf cleaner . It will remove anything off of your smoker door in about 15 seconds . The product was designed in the Keys to remove the toughest stains and grease off of anything in the Marine Enviroment.
It is bio degradeable and leaves no residue . It is a very very strong 
Product - nothing quite like it - no acid. I restored a MES recently and use the product to completely degrease before refinishing. While you at WM
Pick up a pack of plastic razor blades 
Inexpensive and handy when scraping other parts of your smoker ....
Dk


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## sigmo

On the one hand, I'm relieved to find that I'm not the only one who has basically given up on keeping the light and the glass clean inside of my MES-40!

On the other hand, the posts showing shiny, sparkling-clean MESs make me feel guilty! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I may have to try the razor blade method along with some of the other suggestions.  Mine will be the ultimate test of various cleaning methods because it's on there THICK!  You might say that my window is well seasoned.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I tried to keep the glass in my MES clean for a while after I got it, but it gets bad so fast that I sort of gave up on it, and, like others, just pretend I don't have a window on the unit! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





And the internal light is even worse.  Yet it was nice to use when the unit was brand new!  At this point, you can't tell if it's on or off.

I'll put cleaning the MES window on my list.  Somewhere below mowing the lawn, oiling the swamp cooler bearings, and fixing that toilet that STILL leaks even though I replaced the flapper!


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## Bearcarver

Sigmo said:


> On the one hand, I'm relieved to find that I'm not the only one who has basically given up on keeping the light and the glass clean inside of my MES-40!
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> On the other hand, the posts showing shiny, sparkling-clean MESs make me feel guilty!
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> I tried to keep the glass in my MES clean for a while after I got it, but it gets bad so fast that I sort of gave up on it, and, like others, just pretend I don't have a window on the unit!
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> I'll put cleaning the MES window on my list.  Somewhere below mowing the lawn, oiling the swamp cooler bearings, and fixing that toilet that STILL leaks even though I replaced the flapper!


The heck with that goofy light !!

I clean my Door glass before each use, but I haven't touched the Gen #1 light in years.

My new #2.5 has the light outside, but my front porch has better lighting, and I very seldom smoke at night.

LOL---My Son & I fixed both of my toilets, and this is the first time they ever worked right. I was proud of myself---I actually found all the parts on the Internet, and my Son helped swap them out.

Bear


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## dogman60

The MES i just restored had 3 years of build up on the glass. The smoker has to look right as it is part of my backyard set up - the larger smoker I use is for big gatherings the MES for everyday use . The window on the MES is kept clean so guests can  check it out and see what's going on inside . There is a definite cool factor when smoking . Folks like to watch the thing work.
The little light is crazy although MES replaced that and 
The board at no charge when I contacted them about parts . The newer boards are sealed with more 5200 than the older models which had  none so any leaks corupted the circuit board . Again you will be shocked with a couple squirts of Tuff Nuf on the glass will do . I also clean the interior cabinet temp sensors . 
Dk


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## sigmo

Bearcarver said:


> The heck with that goofy light !!
> 
> I clean my Door glass before each use, but I haven't touched the Gen #1 light in years.
> 
> My new #2.5 has the light outside, but my front porch has better lighting, and I very seldom smoke at night.
> 
> LOL---My Son & I fixed both of my toilets, and this is the first time they ever worked right. I was proud of myself---I actually found all the parts on the Internet, and my Son helped swap them out.
> 
> Bear


Well, I have to admit that I put off doing the toilet work yet again.  ;)  I know I'll have to remove the tank from the stool, and last time I had to do that on a toilet, the bolts were so corroded that I had to use a cut-off disk on a Moto Tool to grind the heads off of the bolts reaching down inside the tank.  Hopefully this one will not require that!  But I'm still feeling lazy about the whole thing.

The light is kind of silly, but I just gotta see it go again, you know?  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






dogman60 said:


> The MES i just restored had 3 years of build up on the glass. The smoker has to look right as it is part of my backyard set up - the larger smoker I use is for big gatherings the MES for everyday use . The window on the MES is kept clean so guests can check it out and see what's going on inside . There is a definite cool factor when smoking . Folks like to watch the thing work.
> The little light is crazy although MES replaced that and
> The board at no charge when I contacted them about parts . The newer boards are sealed with more 5200 than the older models which had none so any leaks corupted the circuit board . Again you will be shocked with a couple squirts of Tuff Nuf on the glass will do . I also clean the interior cabinet temp sensors .
> Dk


I think mine had at least 3 years worth, too.













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






I thought I'd try a few things, but the first one to try was some TSP (trisodium phosphate) in warm water.  I used about a tablespoon of TSP in about a cup and a half of warm water, putting it into a serving bowl and using a scrub brush meant for cleaning bottles or cups.

I slopped the stuff onto the window several times and let it work on things.  It started taking it off immediately, so I kept at it for minute or so.  Then I got impatient and took out the razor blade widget and scraped pretty much everything off.  The razor blade alone might have done the job, but the TSP really was dissolving the gunk, so it helped a lot.  Finally, I scrubbed over the whole window with more of the TSP solution and the bottle brush.

Then I got the garden hose and gently washed off the inside of the door.  But I was careful to not get any inside of the smoker itself.

It really did a good job, and was a lot less work than I'd anticipated!













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






All of this was done at about 10pm, so it was dark outside.  The light for the photos is just from the porch lights I have.  I give the camera incredible marks for it's low-light capabilities.  You'd think these were taken in daylight, but they were all shot available light with just two 60W equivalent LED floodlights in a typical porch light fixture, one aimed this way, and the other off to the far side of the deck.

I highly recommend that if you do try the TSP, you wear rubber gloves, grubby clothes, and good eye protection.  I've used it for many years prepping interior paint for new paint, and have, in the past, not worn gloves. But it dries your skin out something fierce!  However, it's fantastic for grease-cutting.  What reminded me to try it for this was a website talking about restoration of houses after they've suffered a fire.  They recommended Trichloroethelene and TSP.  I opted for the TSP, but I'll bet the TCE would also kick butt on it.  I just didn't want to use something as toxic as that for a number of reasons.

TSP is what used to be in laundry detergent many years ago before they banned "phosphates" because runoff from it acts as a nutrient in waterways and can lead to excessive growth of algae.  Of course, phosphorus is one of the three main plant nutrients, and any fertilizer you have will almost certainly contain quite a bit.  You've got your N, your P, and your K.  Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.  The big three.

I hosed the deck down well afterwards, too.  Any runoff from that will only serve to fertilize my lawn and nearby trees and bushes.  It's not nice to your skin, but no worse than any fertilizer I might apply as far as the yard goes.  If you have a NICE deck, I'd recommend doing this somewhere else, though.  I could imagine the dissolved smoke goo leaving a nasty stain on wood or concrete, etc.  My deck is not a thing of beauty, so I wasn't worried about it!  :)

It will be nice to see through the window again!

I can see why you like being able to see into the smoker and have your guests see into it, too.  It really will be neat to see the smoke moving around.  I think I'll use it to help diagnose air flow patterns as I work on some improvements to my MES now.  It really will be nice to be able to see inside again!

I couldn't resist giving the light a bit of love, too.  I just took off the window and then took out the bulb, too.  Both were well covered with gunk.













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016


















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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






I mixed up more of the same TSP and water solution:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






Just soaking the glass assembly for a few seconds was already getting the goo off.













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016


















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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016


















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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






It came out pretty good.  The glass is frosted, and the frosted side is out.  I can see how they wanted to diffuse the light, but having the frosted side out isn't a wise plan.  It just provides a rough surface for the smoke gunk to really stick to.  Not that the inside was much better!  The whole thing is not sealed in any way, so smoke gets all over the bulb and everything else, too!













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






Back in place, ready to test out.













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






There!  See how beautiful it all is now?  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





It's actually pretty funny, but in the dark, lit only by the porch light, it doesn't look so bad.  But when I'm looking at the photos, I can see how dirty it all is!  I almost never do any smoking in the day.  It's always at night.  So I never really see how grubby things are.













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






I guess I could've cleaned the OUTSIDE of the window, at least!!!!

Maybe I'll do that, and wash the outside of the smoker after I get that toilet fixed.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I didn't clean the snap-disk overtemp switch nor the sensor housing for the control sensor.  They're well "seasoned", but the dark coating may actually increase the thermal emissivity of the surfaces and make them respond faster than if they were all shiny!

Ask my wife if I come up with good excuses for being lazy.


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## Bearcarver

Looks Great Sig!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Now if you do it every time, it won't be so hard !!

Thanks for the report !

Bear


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## sigmo

Thanks, Bear!

Time will tell if I have the discipline to keep it clean or not.  ;)

But I like having the window back, so I may well keep up with it now.


On another note:

Re-reading this thread, I see that a lot of people say they don't like or trust the meat probes in their MESs.

But when I used my dry-block thermometer calibrator and precision laboratory reference thermometer to test various thermometers I have, I found my MES's meat probe to be very accurate over a wide range of temps.

So I use it as a meat probe sometimes,  and other times as an accurate way to read the true air temperature at various locations inside the MES.

I hope people are using proper methods to thermally couple their reference thermometers to their other probes or thermometers when testing their calibrations.

If they are, and their MESs' meat probes really are off, that is a shame.  My MES itself is off.  But not its meat probe.  I must've just gotten lucky in that regard.

Tabbed in.


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## Bearcarver

Sigmo said:


> Thanks, Bear!
> 
> Time will tell if I have the discipline to keep it clean or not. ;)
> 
> But I like having the window back, so I may well keep up with it now.
> 
> 
> On another note:
> 
> Re-reading this thread, I see that a lot of people say they don't like or trust the meat probes in their MESs.
> 
> But when I used my dry-block thermometer calibrator and precision laboratory reference thermometer to test various thermometers I have, I found my MES's meat probe to be very accurate over a wide range of temps.
> 
> So I use it as a meat probe sometimes, and other times as an accurate way to read the true air temperature at various locations inside the MES.
> 
> I hope people are using proper methods to thermally couple their reference thermometers to their other probes or thermometers when testing their calibrations.
> 
> If they are, and their MESs' meat probes really are off, that is a shame. My MES itself is off. But not its meat probe. I must've just gotten lucky in that regard.
> 
> Tabbed in.


I don't know about other Peeps, but I don't have an easy way of checking my MES meat Probe.

I'm not going to carry Boiling water from my Kitchen to my Smoker on my front porch, and I'm not going to carry my Smoker into my Kitchen.

The probes & cables are also easier to clean in the Kitchen Sink than on the front porch.

I have two Mavericks that are always accurate & easy to check, clean & use.

However, That's just me,

Bear


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## dogman60

I personally think anything connected to the MES control panel is suspect so I use a thermo. To check internal temps .
I have a brand new control panel and sensors 
With the upgraded wiring and my internal cabinet and probe temps are still off by 15 degrees . On the masterbuilt forum this problem is commonly discussed  . The probe always showing the reading with higher temps .


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## sigmo

Bearcarver said:


> I don't know about other Peeps, but I don't have an easy way of checking my MES meat Probe.
> 
> I'm not going to carry Boiling water from my Kitchen to my Smoker on my front porch, and I'm not going to carry my Smoker into my Kitchen.
> 
> The probes & cables are also easier to clean in the Kitchen Sink than on the front porch.
> 
> I have two Mavericks that are always accurate & easy to check, clean & use.
> 
> However, That's just me,
> 
> Bear


I used a dry block calibrator that I built a number of years ago to test mine.  But that's something most folks probably don't have lying around the house.  ;)

It was made to be somewhat portable so I can use it to calibrate various probes and thermometers.  But it does need 120VAC power to operate. The cable on the MES's meat probe is not very long, but I was able to just set the calibrator on a chair next to the MES and make it reach out into one of the wells in the calibrator.













p2018584366.jpg



__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






Inside of the unit is a machined aluminum cylinder with openings for various probes and a central "well" that can be filled with oil for calibrating liquid-in-glass thermometers:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






I have a band heater wrapped around it to provide fairly even heating of the aluminum block:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






Teflon pieces are bolted top and bottom to provide a means of mounting the block in the enclosure without coupling too much heat away from the block:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






That's mounted in the enclosure of the unit:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






And then insulated to keep the heat where I want it and make the whole thing more steady and even:













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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






Then it's all wired up to a PID controller that uses a precision RTD sensor that is mounted in a hole going up from the bottom, sitting right next to the central "well".  There's a solid state relay to actually switch the power to the heater as commanded by the controller.

I should bring it out and test that probe again and also do all of my kitchen thermometers again, too.

But something any of you chefs (we're all chefs, aren't we?) might consider is one of those immersion circulators so you can do sous vide cooking.  And once you have one of those, it's a simple thing to have a fairly decent stirred water bath with temperature controller that you can use for testing various thermometers over a wide range of temperatures.

It's a handy tool that's affordable enough for most of us smoking meat folks, I think!

Not to drag this even further off topic, but my wife and I have been really loving steaks done in the sous vide, and then pan seared for a minute or so on each side.  We just make them up ahead of time with the spices and herbs we like, some butter and olive oil, and then vacuum seal them and freeze them.  Then we pull one out, put it into the sous vide for a couple of hours, and when we're ready, we take it out and sear it briefly, and there's the best steak we've ever had!

Here's the circulator I got:














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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016


















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__ sigmo
__ Aug 16, 2016






It's a newer version than some of the negative reviews were reviewing.  It's been great.

You can see how it would be pretty easy to set up a circulated, temperature-controlled water bath with one of these, and use it for testing calibration on various thermometers and probes.  It may not be laboratory-grade, but it's plenty good for food thermometry!


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## Bearcarver

That's Cool, Sigmo!!

And way over my head !

I've basically only been a Woodworker; Cabinet Maker, Trim Carpenter, Deck Builder, and lastly Chainsaw Carver (See Below):

*Why They Call Me "Bearcarver":  *  

Link:

*A Bear from Log to Finish*

And assorted Bears

Bear


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## rabbithutch

Yes.  Before using if I was lazy after the previous use or after, when I clean the grates.


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## sundown farms

I clean it about every other smoke. I wipe on roughly 1 part Dawn to 2 parts water and let it soak. Then take a straight razor in a holder to cut the heavy stuff off. Then spray the glass with water+ACV and rub it until I have enough off that what remains is hard to find. I have used Windex to cut the last of the film then used the water+ACV to take off the Windex. Maybe takes 5 minutes but that is greatly offset by the time saved on waiting for the MES to warm back up after opening it to see how things are going. I think it was Chef JJ said every time you open it add 20 minutes to the cook. I believe it. So, cleaning it makes the cook time shorter and there is a cost benefit as the reduced cook time reduces the beer and wine that is required.


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## sigmo

Sundown Farms said:


> I clean it about every other smoke. I wipe on roughly 1 part Dawn to 2 parts water and let it soak. Then take a straight razor in a holder to cut the heavy stuff off. Then spray the glass with water+ACV and rub it until I have enough off that what remains is hard to find. I have used Windex to cut the last of the film then used the water+ACV to take off the Windex. Maybe takes 5 minutes but that is greatly offset by the time saved on waiting for the MES to warm back up after opening it to see how things are going. I think it was Chef JJ said every time you open it add 20 minutes to the cook. I believe it. So, cleaning it makes the cook time shorter and there is a cost benefit as the reduced cook time reduces the beer and wine that is required.


Hah! 

But I think you're right.  If you can avoid opening the door, that's a benefit, for sure.

More good reason to keep the window clean, I guess.  :)


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## sigmo

Bearcarver said:


> That's Cool, Sigmo!!
> 
> And way over my head !
> 
> I've basically only been a Woodworker; Cabinet Maker, Trim Carpenter, Deck Builder, and lastly Chainsaw Carver (See Below):
> 
> *Why They Call Me "Bearcarver":  *
> 
> Link:
> 
> *A Bear from Log to Finish*
> 
> And assorted Bears
> 
> Bear


Wow!  That is fantastic.

I've always admired people who can draw, paint,or sculpt.  When I try to draw an animal, it comes out looking like something you'd see on the refrigerator of the proud parent of a five-year-old!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





And it's really neat that you can do it with a chainsaw!

Art envisioned by someone can never be seen by anyone else unless that person is also a skillful craftsman, and often, a clever inventor, so they can transform their vision into reality!  I think that's what makes an artist.


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## Bearcarver

Sigmo said:


> Wow!  That is fantastic.
> 
> I've always admired people who can draw, paint,or sculpt.  When I try to draw an animal, it comes out looking like something you'd see on the refrigerator of the proud parent of a five-year-old!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it's really neat that you can do it with a chainsaw!
> 
> Art envisioned by someone can never be seen by anyone else unless that person is also a skillful craftsman, and often, a clever inventor, so they can transform their vision into reality!  I think that's what makes an artist.


Thank You Sigmo!!

I wish I could still do it, but it's now one of the Million things I can no longer handle.

I often see old trees along the road, and think---"Aw Man--I could make a really neat Big Foot out of that, or a Gorilla, or another Bear !!"

Bear


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## sigmo

Bearcarver said:


> Thank You Sigmo!!
> 
> I wish I could still do it, but it's now one of the Million things I can no longer handle.
> 
> I often see old trees along the road, and think---"Aw Man--I could make a really neat Big Foot out of that, or a Gorilla, or another Bear !!"
> 
> Bear


That's too bad.  We all lose the ability to do things just at the time of life when we'd likely be the best at it!  I heard a saying once:  Youth is wasted on the young!  :)


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## pm0084

Just clean my glass on the MES 40...soapy water from a spray bottle and a razor blade.

Quick and easy...scraped of in nice strips.

The soapy water spray acted as a good lube for the glass and razor blade. 

Now I will get to see the smoke and a juicy pork butt I will be smoking Friday night for Saturday.


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## Bearcarver

pm0084 said:


> Just clean my glass on the MES 40...soapy water from a spray bottle and a razor blade.
> 
> Quick and easy...scraped of in nice strips.
> 
> The soapy water spray acted as a good lube for the glass and razor blade.
> 
> Now I will get to see the smoke and a juicy pork butt I will be smoking Friday night for Saturday.


Sounds like a Great Plan!!! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## uncle eddie

Have not cleaned the glass for 3 smokes since the smoker really never cooled down.  The smoke looked like a heavy dew on the glass.

I used a Clorox brand wet wipes (about 6 of them) and it came right off.  I wiped it down with water-wetted paper towels after to remove any of the wet wipe residue.

Just another option to throw out there...


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## sigmo

Since I did the thorough cleaning earlier, I have done three or four smokes, and the glass was getting hard to see through again.  So I got some cheap vodka and put some on a folded up half a paper towel, and gave it a going over.  Then I got a fresh half a paper towel and did it again.  That got it right off.  The alcohol dissolves the smoke residue easily.

But it's kind of messy in a way because as the alcohol evaporates, it leaves the sticky smoke residue behind on your fingers and on the glass.  Like using any solvent on a greasy substance, it just dilutes what you're trying to clean off, and then leaves a residue at that diluted concentration.  So you need fresh bits of paper towel with fresh vodka on them until you get as much of the goo off as you want to bother getting.

It's like those "swiffer" cleaning mop things for your house.  They're fine for grabbing large particles of dirt, or pet hair, etc.  But for anything sticky or that dissolves in the water, or even makes a very fine suspension (like fine dirt that just makes mud), they just dilute it a bit and smear it around, leaving a thin film of whatever it was spread out more evenly on the floor.

The only way to clean up something soluble using a solvent (like using water on sugar) is to either flood the area and hose it away or use a REAL mop and mop bucket and use fresh water repeatedly until you reduce the concentration of the solute (mud, sugar, etc.) to the level where you're satisfied.  Because, in the end, you're just diluting whatever it is and smearing it around at that lower concentration.

For nasty stuff, I use two mop buckets.  One has the wringer in it and starts off empty, and the other one is just a bucket of fresh water to dip the mop in.  That way, you're at least reducing the concentration of whatever it is more rapidly because the "fresh" water isn't being polluted by what you wring out of the mop.  Some still gets transferred, but it cuts down the number of moppings required by a lot when you do it that way.

My wife makes wedding cakes.  And when she mixes a large batch of frosting, powdered sugar gets everywhere.  She was buying those "Swiffer Wet Jet" gadgets but was always disappointed that the floor just got universally sticky when she tried to clean up the sugar.

I showed her what was going on, and now she's a fan of the two bucket mopping (with a REAL mop) technique, too!  :)

That's kind of how the vodka experiment went.  Yes, it dissolves the smoke goo.  But the best it can do is reduce the concentration of the goo and spread that around universally.  Then you need a fresh chunk of paper towel and more vodka.  Two or three goings-over are required to reduce the concentration to an acceptable degree.

I think the reason I preferred the TSP in water was that it emulsifies the greasy smoke residue, and then you can rinse that emulsified goo off with plain water from the garden hose.  And that's not nearly as precious as the Vodka!


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## bushrod

Why would anybody want to clean off all that seasoning and goodness?


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## sigmo

bushrod said:


> Why would anybody want to clean off all that seasoning and goodness?



Only the window, man!  Only the window.  ;)

I hadn't done it for years, myself.  But thanks to this thread, I gave it a try a few weeks ago.  It has been nice, I must say.

It is useful to be able to peek inside to see how the smoke is moving around.  It gives me valuable clues about how the air and heat are getting distributed, too.

And since I've been making some modifications to the smoker lately, it has proven to be handy for analyzing what is going on with the door closed.

Plus, it is fascinating to watch, too, for me or any guests as well.

But other than the window, I have never cleaned the inside of my smoker.  Yet.

Tabbed in.


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## Bearcarver

Sigmo said:


> Only the window, man! Only the window. ;)
> 
> I hadn't done it for years, myself. But thanks to this thread, I gave it a try a few weeks ago. It has been nice, I must say.
> 
> It is useful to be able to peek inside to see how the smoke is moving around. It gives me valuable clues about how the air and heat are getting distributed, too.
> 
> And since I've been making some modifications to the smoker lately, it has proven to be handy for analyzing what is going on with the door closed.
> 
> Plus, it is fascinating to watch, too, for me or any guests as well.
> 
> But other than the window, I have never cleaned the inside of my smoker. Yet.
> 
> Tabbed in.


Exactly !!!

Bear


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## uncle eddie

OK - tried a new method.

This glass is after 2 smokes from last weekend including a 15 hour brisket and 3:2:1 ribs 

I used:

Clorox wipes (10 of them)
Windex and paper towels for light residue
wet paper towels to remove any chemical residue
this took all of 5 minutes from first pic to final pic













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__ uncle eddie
__ Sep 24, 2016


















IMG_1295.jpg



__ uncle eddie
__ Sep 24, 2016


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## palladini

I use a Plastic Bucket, fill it with warm water, add some dish soap and take that out to the smoker. I then go to my shed, retrieve an recycled Ice cream Pail, it contains everything I need to clean My Smoker, window included. Found in the bucket are a a Dollar Store Steel Wool dish cleaner, a sponge covered in a courser material, again dollar store purchased and a sponge. The only thing I need is my water hose form the outdoor tap.  And a Little elbow grease and 20 minutes from start to finis to clean the entire Masterbuilt 30 inch smoker with a window in the door.













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__ palladini
__ Oct 20, 2016


















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__ palladini
__ Oct 20, 2016


















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__ palladini
__ Oct 20, 2016


















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__ palladini
__ Oct 20, 2016


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## mdgirlinfl

I have used ceramic/glass cook top cleaner and pads for my oven glass I would think it would work well on the smoker window as well.  

Thanks for the notes that others have not cleaned the inside of their smokers. It saves me from asking as I was honestly unsure (and I prefer less maintenance, lol)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## econbassman

+++1 on Magic Eraser, a bucket of water, and couple paper towels to dry, two minutes post smoke and looks like new.


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