Help...MES 40 and Maverick 732...BIG Difference in temps!

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chef jimmyj

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May 12, 2011
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Ok, Seasoning up my new MES and Maverick. Did a Boiling Water test on the Mav', the Food Probe was 4* over Boiling Point, the BBQ Probe was 2* over BP...Close enough for me.

I fired up the MES at 275*F it took 45 minutes for the internal Meat Probe to reach 250*F, it was 35*F outside, no wind, and the Probe temp reading stayed there +/- 2*...  So I stuck both Mav' Probes thru the exhaust vent and and set the MES Temp to 225*F and waited one hour...

MES

Set temp...225*F

Probe Temp...198*F

Maverick 732

Food Probe...241*F

BBQ Probe...250*F

So by this The MES probe is off by 52*F!...Is the problem the Controller, the Probe or Both?

The Mav Food probe read 2* higher in Water so in Hot air they are 11* apart, any idea why they are this way?

Suggestions as to my next move?

Thanks...JJ
 
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Stock therms are notoriously inaccurate.  Some more than others.  I am sure MES users will be here soon, and I bet they have differing results.

I always use at least one if not two probes in my pit.  One would be the 732 pit probe (slow acting but pretty accurate) and the other being a trusted meat probe used to monitor pit temps.

Here is a general pic which does not address the 732 pit probe, but you will get the idea.  Just a way to get a temp probe in the pit at meat level. One of the probes is in the meatloaf at upper right. Stick therm on standby.  LOL  Note holes drilled at different levels, not that it makes a bunch of difference:

75ebc9b1_SecondSmokeonCG009.jpg
 
JJ I got no clue what to tell you. If ya checked the 732 probes in water and they were good I'd trust them. I have damaged a probe cord before though but knew right way it was bad. recheck your thermometers is only advice I have.
 
JJ if you just dropped the probes through the vent hole in the top of the smoker and left them dangle there they were in the nitrous right hand hot spot. This would explain why they were reading higher than the included Mes probe. People place a heat shield 12x12 tile on top of the chip housing to help equalize the temps in there smoker. A quick search will show you this mod and it is a 3 dollar fix. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/82158/a-fix-for-the-mes-temp-problem-maybe  Hope this helps ...Len
 
My MES 30 temps inside the smoker run on an average of 25 degrees higher on my maverick 732 then what the controller says, but that also depends on where you place the probe, like gotta race says that back right corner is hotter.... but I also get alot of diferrence if I don't place the maverick proble close to the MES probe.

and those maverick probes seem to give off weird temps if they are touching any metal inside of the smoker  so don't just lay it on the rack, the little clip that comes with it seem to let it work ok
 
Thanks guys! That will give me something to look into during the day. I have a Tile I can use and I can see if one of the Maverick probes is touching metal, that may account for the difference between the two Mav' Probes...JJ 
 
I may have to delete that post, before too many people find out our secrets!...JJ
 
Hey JJ

I have (3) MES 40's, and they all vary in temps from the Maverick ET-732

The food probe in the MES seems to be OK, but the temp controller is off as much as 20°

Some of this depends on where you place the ET-732.

Check the temp on every and know that the right rear corner is a "Hot Spot"

If you pull your chip pan out about 1 1/2", some of the heat radiates out the front of the chip pan housing, rather than just out the back.

The tile thing works too, but be careful, because all this heat can concentrate in a small area, and the back or door can overheat.

Enjoy!

Todd
 
It is a good thing that the smoker is hotter than the controller says it is. This means that you could set the controller at 275 & the smoker would really be at 300. Perfect for poultry. The opposite would be the controller is set at 275 & the smoker was only 250, that would be bad.
 
I have the same problem. I contacted customer service hoping that I could swap out the controller and fix the problem. They told me to cut the power cord off, remove the serial plate from the back and ship it to them under there return authorization number. The also said keep EVERYTHING from the unit. They indicated they have to send me a whole new box (without the door) and then I have to field strip and replace the parts into the new box.

I haven't done this yet. I don't really want to"REBUILD" a brand new unit.

I haven't been impressed with the MES 40 since I got it. (Temp problems, lack of smoke ring, and lack of smoke flavor). It will probably be used for smoking cheese with an AMPS in the future and I'll stick to my stick smokers.

One other thought about and MES 40. I purchased mine through Sams Club and paid $300. If I had purchased it directly from Masterbuilt it would have cost closer to $400. You can buy a cheap oven for a kitchen for around that price. My point is, I don't see this as a very good product overall.

It would be worse for you if the unit read 275° and was actually 300°. You could burn your house down.

Good Luck!

EDIT- I forgot to mention that one of the racks touches the thermostat probe sticking into the inside of the unit. That can't be good. I actually did a smoke without that rack in and far better results when it came to a more consistant temp.
 
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argghhh I think my food probe just shorted out, it seems to read ok then boom it drops 70 degrees and then comes back up to normal, and I have 10lb of bacon in there smoking and no replacement probes, I guess that will teach me to be under prepared
 
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