MES 40 GEN 2.25?

rraczyla · Oct 12, 2015

Hi all,

I originally had a gen 1 that after a month would randomly shut off. Masterbuilt's great customer service sent me another gen 1 that unfortunately shut off within 30 seconds of plugging it in for the first time. I thought perhaps it was my electrical and gave up smoking for awhile. Finally with winter coming I decided to accept their initial recommendation and received a gen 2. This is now my third unit since April and with all the negative comments on gen 2s I didn't have high hopes.

It turns out my model number is 20075315 and has the vent on the top left not on the side. Additionally the temp control is in the center. It still has the dreaded drip pan but it slides in and out.

Any ideas on how to mod it to be more like gen 1? I still have all the gen 1 parts. Today I unscrewed the shelf mounts in the gen 1 to see if they aligned with the gen 2 screw holes so I could replace and have a holder for gen 1 water pan but unfortunately they did not. I dont feel like screwing new holes in the gen 2. Maybe I can simply remove bottom shelf in gen 2 and put the gen 1 water pan in its place?

Thank you

rraczyla · Oct 12, 2015

Another thing to note is thus far this unit has not shut off at all....crossing fingers. I did one seasoning and one 4 hour smoke. Temperature swings were pretty bad though.

pc farmer · Oct 12, 2015

The 2nd gen will never be like a 1st gen. Bearcarver uses a 2nd gen with good results thou.

Bearcarver · Oct 13, 2015

rraczyla said:
Hi all,

I originally had a gen 1 that after a month would randomly shut off. Masterbuilt's great customer service sent me another gen 1 that unfortunately shut off within 30 seconds of plugging it in for the first time. I thought perhaps it was my electrical and gave up smoking for awhile. Finally with winter coming I decided to accept their initial recommendation and received a gen 2. This is now my third unit since April and with all the negative comments on gen 2s I didn't have high hopes.

It turns out my model number is 20075315 and has the vent on the top left not on the side. Additionally the temp control is in the center. It still has the dreaded drip pan but it slides in and out.

Any ideas on how to mod it to be more like gen 1? I still have all the gen 1 parts. Today I unscrewed the shelf mounts in the gen 1 to see if they aligned with the gen 2 screw holes so I could replace and have a holder for gen 1 water pan but unfortunately they did not. I dont feel like screwing new holes in the gen 2. Maybe I can simply remove bottom shelf in gen 2 and put the gen 1 water pan in its place?

Thank you

My new Gen #2.5 seems to be even better than my 5 year old Gen #1.

As for the Gen #2, if I had to try to use that one, I would try what you're thinking about--------Remove the slanted drip plate & water pan.

Then put the bottom rack in & put a Pan like the Gen #1 Water pan on that bottom Rack.

Then I would do some tests, like checking the balance of heat from left to right.

Bear

rraczyla · Oct 13, 2015

Thanks bear. I asked about the gen 2.5 as my replacement but I would have had to pay 168 in additional costs. With all the issues I had with the gen 1 I didn't want to pay any additional amount. I will give your advice a try and report back results

rraczyla · Oct 14, 2015

If I go this route where should I place the amnps?

Bearcarver · Oct 14, 2015

rraczyla said:
If I go this route where should I place the amnps?

I'm still experimenting on that.

I tried it on the bottom rack, which is fine until the AMNPS gets going real good----Then it affects the MES heat sensor a bit.

So I would have to say, down in the bottom left, but up on something like a wire cage or stand to allow good air flow to it.

Or if you want to place it on the bottom rack, put it all the way on the left, so it's not right under the MES heat sensor.

Bear

daricksta · Oct 14, 2015

Bearcarver said:
My new Gen #2.5 seems to be even better than my 5 year old Gen #1.

As for the Gen #2, if I had to try to use that one, I would try what you're thinking about--------Remove the slanted drip plate & water pan.

Then put the bottom rack in & put a Pan like the Gen #1 Water pan on that bottom Rack.

Then I would do some tests, like checking the balance of heat from left to right.

Bear

Bear, I just saw a MES 30 Gen 2.5 at Home Depot a couple of nights ago. It had the same slanted drip pan as the Gen 2 but it was much smaller. The chip tray also looks much smaller than the Gen 1. I think you own a MES 40 Gen 2.5 but what's your input?

Bearcarver · Oct 14, 2015

daRicksta said:
Bear, I just saw a MES 30 Gen 2.5 at Home Depot a couple of nights ago. It had the same slanted drip pan as the Gen 2 but it was much smaller. The chip tray also looks much smaller than the Gen 1. I think you own a MES 40 Gen 2.5 but what's your input?

If it had a slanted Drip Plate with a small water pan hanging from it, it wasn't a 2.5, it was a Gen #2.

Bear

floridasteve · Oct 14, 2015

Bearcarver said:
I'm still experimenting on that.

I tried it on the bottom rack, which is fine until the AMNPS gets going real good----Then it affects the MES heat sensor a bit.

So I would have to say, down in the bottom left, but up on something like a wire cage or stand to allow good air flow to it.

Or if you want to place it on the bottom rack, put it all the way on the left, so it's not right under the MES heat sensor.

Bear

This prompted me to finally post the plans for the tray I use to elevate my AMNPS alone with some thoughts on where to put it.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236334/homemade-stand-for-amnps-in-mes-smokers

daricksta · Oct 14, 2015

Bearcarver said:
If it had a slanted Drip Plate with a small water pan hanging from it, it wasn't a 2.5, it was a Gen #2.

Bear

I didn't say yours had one. What I saw at HD was a Bluetooth MES 30 on legs with the new blue front controller that stands up. In fact, it looked just like this:

mb.jpg

daricksta
Oct 14, 2015

In fact, it WAS this,Model # 20072415! Here's the drip pan and chip tray I was talking about:

inside.jpg

daricksta
Oct 14, 2015

See? Slanted drip tray or whatever it's called. And smaller chip tray.

bmaddox · Oct 14, 2015

rraczyla said:
If I go this route where should I place the amnps?

I believe @TJohnson recommends setting the AMNPS over the hole in the left side of the gen2 drip tray and putting the little water bowl on the floor to allow air to flow up into the AMNPS. I have not tried that on my gen2 since I have a mailbox mod.

Don't give up on the gen 2. I have used mine a lot and I have never taken anything out and thought that it cooked unevenly.

Bearcarver · Oct 14, 2015

daRicksta said:
I didn't say yours had one. What I saw at HD was a Bluetooth MES 30 on legs with the new blue front controller that stands up. In fact, it looked just like this:

In fact, it WAS this,Model # 20072415! Here's the drip pan and chip tray I was talking about:

inside.jpg

daricksta

Oct 14, 2015

See? Slanted drip tray or whatever it's called. And smaller chip tray.

Rick,

That's not a Slanted Drip Plate that would make it a Gen #2.

That is a "Water Pan". I like to call it a "Split Level Water Pan".

But when you said "Slanted Drip pan", that automatically becomes a Gen #2.

The thing on the floor in your pic above is a Drip pan.

The thing you're showing in the pic above the chip burner is the "Water Pan" (Mine has one just like that)

The thing we call the slanted drip plate or pan is the stupid thing in the Gen #2. It slopes from high on the right to low on the left, and comes with a little Water pan hanging from it.

Bear

daricksta · Oct 14, 2015

Bearcarver said:
Rick,

That's not a Slanted Drip Plate that would make it a Gen #2.

That is a "Water Pan". I like to call it a "Split Level Water Pan".

But when you said "Slanted Drip pan", that automatically becomes a Gen #2.

The thing on the floor in your pic above is a Drip pan.

The thing you're showing in the pic above the chip burner is the "Water Pan" (Mine has one just like that)

The thing we call the slanted drip plate or pan is the stupid thing in the Gen #2. It slopes from high on the right to low on the left, and comes with a little Water pan hanging from it.

Bear

Bear, I just zoomed in on it and now I'm seeing the split level water pan. I now see how the chip burner cover slants under it. That's what I mistakenly called the drip pan. What's the reason for that design?

Bearcarver · Oct 14, 2015

daRicksta said:
Bear, I just zoomed in on it and now I'm seeing the split level water pan. I now see how the chip burner cover slants under it. That's what I mistakenly called the drip pan. What's the reason for that design?

Not sure which you're asking about:

If You Mean------The slanted Drip plate in the Gen #2 was supposed to catch drips, so they could run downhill to the little water pan. That worked, but many users (not all) found that slanted drip plate caused the heat to be trapped under it, and the heat would stack up & move uphill to the right, before seeping out on the right side, causing the right side to be hotter than the left. At least these were my findings.

If you mean Why the Split level water pan------I told them I would get rid of that slanted Drip plate & get a full width water pan like the Gen #1 had. So I guess in order to get more smoking rack room above, they made the water pan split level to get every last little bit of room they could get above the Water Pan.

Bear

daricksta · Oct 15, 2015

Bearcarver said:
Not sure which you're asking about:

If You Mean------The slanted Drip plate in the Gen #2 was supposed to catch drips, so they could run downhill to the little water pan. That worked, but many users (not all) found that slanted drip plate caused the heat to be trapped under it, and the heat would stack up & move uphill to the right, before seeping out on the right side, causing the right side to be hotter than the left. At least these were my findings.

If you mean Why the Split level water pan------I told them I would get rid of that slanted Drip plate & get a full width water pan like the Gen #1 had. So I guess in order to get more smoking rack room above, they made the water pan split level to get every last little bit of room they could get above the Water Pan.

Bear

Your split level water pan reply answered my question. Thanks! But there's still a small slanted drip plate above the water pan. That's how I see it.

smokingearl · Oct 15, 2015

this a a gen 2

gen2.jpg

smokingearl
Oct 15, 2015

Bearcarver · Oct 15, 2015

daRicksta said:
Your split level water pan reply answered my question. Thanks! But there's still a small slanted drip plate above the water pan. That's how I see it.

That's just a little cover for the chip burner, and it doesn't hurt anything.

Look at the pic "SmokingEarl" just posted, and you can see the slanted Drip Plate in a Gen #2, and how it could be a problem with heat flow.

Bear

daricksta · Oct 15, 2015

SmokingEarL said:
this a a gen 2

gen2.jpg

smokingearl

Oct 15, 2015

Thanks, SmokingEarl.

daricksta · Oct 15, 2015

Bearcarver said:
That's just a little cover for the chip burner, and it doesn't hurt anything.

Look at the pic "SmokingEarl" just posted, and you can see the slanted Drip Plate in a Gen #2, and how it could be a problem with heat flow.

Bear

Yes, sir. I saw it loud and clear!

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