PID mod on other smokers? larger option?

[meatloaf]

So it seems like the way to go on this website is MES with PID.
Does anyone have other recommendations specifically for sausage.. my issue is that 10lbs is a very small amount of sausage to do at a time... But it looks like the pellet grills dont go lower than 180f? Some look like they say 150? The new navigator series 6 from pit boss may actually go as low as 130 but i dont think its for sale yet so there are no reviews.
Whats your guys recommendations for larger amounts of sausage....anything that can do 20-30lbs at a time?.... eventually I will build a smoke house but that is a few years out.
Thanks

 

[tallbm]

So it seems like the way to go on this website is MES with PID.
Does anyone have other recommendations specifically for sausage.. my issue is that 10lbs is a very small amount of sausage to do at a time... But it looks like the pellet grills dont go lower than 180f? Some look like they say 150? The new navigator series 6 from pit boss may actually go as low as 130 but i dont think its for sale yet so there are no reviews.
Whats your guys recommendations for larger amounts of sausage....anything that can do 20-30lbs at a time?.... eventually I will build a smoke house but that is a few years out.
Thanks

Hi there and welcome!

I think the MES40 (40 inch digital version) rewired and using a PID controller may be your best bet.
If you remove the light and fasten some angled aluminum up top on the left and right side of the MES to make holders, you can then use untreated 1 inch oak dowel rods to hang sausage in the MES.

I have something similar going on here without removing the light. I wish I had thought to remove the light and do the approach I suggested to you because it would give me more height for more sausage but this pic is like 25 pounds worth of sausage with room for more since I'm just using the center of the smoker vs filling from front to back with smaller links. These big chubs are 5.7 inches diameter!

I hope this info helps!

 

[JC in GB]

So it seems like the way to go on this website is MES with PID.
Does anyone have other recommendations specifically for sausage.. my issue is that 10lbs is a very small amount of sausage to do at a time... But it looks like the pellet grills dont go lower than 180f? Some look like they say 150? The new navigator series 6 from pit boss may actually go as low as 130 but i dont think its for sale yet so there are no reviews.
Whats your guys recommendations for larger amounts of sausage....anything that can do 20-30lbs at a time?.... eventually I will build a smoke house but that is a few years out.
Thanks

If you have some knowledge of electronics, check out my thread on how to make your own PID controller. That might help you out.

PID Controller Tutorial and Build Information

Good day all. It was suggested that I start up a PID controller tutorial thread. Sounded like a good idea to me so, here I am. What is a PID in the first place? P - Proportional I - Integral D - Derivative These parameters describe gain formulas. Gain determines how fast and how hard your...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

JC

 

[dr k]

Hi there and welcome!

I think the MES40 (40 inch digital version) rewired and using a PID controller may be your best bet.
If you remove the light and fasten some angled aluminum up top on the left and right side of the MES to make holders, you can then use untreated 1 inch oak dowel rods to hang sausage in the MES.
View attachment 714685

I have something similar going on here without removing the light. I wish I had thought to remove the light and do the approach I suggested to you because it would give me more height for more sausage but this pic is like 25 pounds worth of sausage with room for more since I'm just using the center of the smoker vs filling from front to back with smaller links. These big chubs are 5.7 inches diameter!
View attachment 714686

I hope this info helps!

Looks exactly like my Mes 40 with the flipped heating element. That mod for even heating and not baking the insulation in the right rear corner, mailbox mod and PID are fantastic. That reminds me I need to get my back up heating element prepped in case my current one fails. I cut the aluminum flat mounting bracket in half length wise so the two bolt part goes back in place after clamping the conductor with vise grips that is welded to the male 1/4" spades and bend them 180* the opposite direction to get the legs into the original opening without modifying the opening. The ground bolt, nut and wire are in the same position when flipped but I used a longer bolt with an extra nut that is inside the element access wire area to hold the element level above the rails on the Gen 1 Mes 40. Hopefully this 2015 all SS box and door lasts so I just need to replace elements as they fail but one hasn't yet unlike the oem controllers that the PID replaced. The plastic trim on the top and bottom of the door on the other hand cracks from heat on pretty much all the models that eventually need reattaching but that's much better than rust.

You may have to enlarge the photo to see the cut mounting bracket. I used a heavier Dremel cut off wheel but it was easy to cut. My Mes 30 800 watt element doesn't need to be flipped which was the one I got for free in the middle of Covid on FB Marketplace. It had a fried thermal safety switch lug. I had it running in 30 minutes with a dedicated power cord with 1/4" lugs to bypass all electronics just to see if the element heats when it ohmed correctly which is a nice back up/element testing power cord. Once folks know to access that thermal safety snap disk switch with a Dremel cut off wheel if no access was built in the smoker, they'll never buy a new electric Mes smoker again. Just heating elements. I can't believe how many people keep buying new electric MB smokers on FB MB groups when the $2.00 Chinese part fails because there's no access to it. Some throw themselves under the bus, "I'm on my sixth Mes.........." That makes investing in a plug and play WS-1510ELPM Auber PID very inexpensive and you unplug the compact unit in 15 seconds, leaving the sensor in the smoker and store it in your HVAC home to keep it out of the outdoor humidity/rain when not being used. I have a back up multi purpose RTD sensor for the PID as well. Modding is inexpensive with help here on SMF threads with titles that you automatically watch/get notified on new comments when you comment on the thread or the forum you select to watch and get all threads and comment notifications. Buying new smokers is expensive with no help on FB where there are no forum thread titles to revisit as content just scrolls away to never be found again.

 

[meatloaf]

Than

Hi there and welcome!

I think the MES40 (40 inch digital version) rewired and using a PID controller may be your best bet.
If you remove the light and fasten some angled aluminum up top on the left and right side of the MES to make holders, you can then use untreated 1 inch oak dowel rods to hang sausage in the MES.

That looks great! Ill see what I can do! :)

 

[meatloaf]

If you have some knowledge of electronics, check out my thread on how to make your own PID controller. That might help you out.

PID Controller Tutorial and Build Information

Good day all. It was suggested that I start up a PID controller tutorial thread. Sounded like a good idea to me so, here I am. What is a PID in the first place? P - Proportional I - Integral D - Derivative These parameters describe gain formulas. Gain determines how fast and how hard your...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

JC

Thanks!!

 

[JC in GB]

Thanks!!

You are quite welcome. Hope this helps you out in some way.

JC