Back Wires of MES 40 burning up

pote05

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Dec 27, 2010

159

10

Joetown, MO

• Nov 5, 2012

• #1

I got my MES40 for Christmas 2010...   Since then I have replaced the wires and connectors on the back of the MES at least 4 times.. Wiring gets really brittle and connectors fall off of the element burnt up..

Contacted Masterbuilt twice with all the info, Ser #, Mdl #, etc... Never heard from them at all... Unit works great when the wiring stays good and I really love my smoker...   Just wondered if anyone else has had any issues with this.. Last time got some wire from an appliance repair shop. So far it has lasted 2 months. 

Thanks, have a great one...

BR

 

deltadude

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 3, 2008

1,529

37

Sacramento Area

• Nov 5, 2012

• #2

You need high temp wires, 14 gauge or 12 gauge.  Hopefully you latest wires from the appliance store will work.

Here is a link to just one of the several threads on rewiring, hope it helps.

 

daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Nov 12, 2010

27,123

4,979

Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Nov 5, 2012

• #3

BR, evening...... You need to clean the terminal ends of the element with a SS wire brush and/or sand paper to remove the oxidation.... then when sliding the crimps on the element, pinch the connectors, with side cutting pliers, about 5-10 thousands so the fit is very very tight.... You may have to slide the connectors on using 2 pair of pliers but that will insure a good connection.....   High amperage occurs at a bad connection site and burns stuff up......  Or solder the wires to the element..... 

 

pote05

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Dec 27, 2010

159

10

Joetown, MO

• Nov 5, 2012

• #4

Have done all of that, even took a drimel tool and cleaned them up really good. Also used heat shrink on the connections.. They still didn't last 6 months. Know a little about electrical connections, I'm a Electric utility sales engineer.. The last time got high temp wire and connectors, so far so good... Mainly just wondering if anyone else was having any problems like this.. Thanks everyone for the feedback so far..

 

daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Nov 12, 2010

27,123

4,979

Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Nov 5, 2012

• #5

I installed a dimmer switch on my element to reduce the heat in the smoker....  I figure that reduces the amperage flowing to the element and will reduce the chance of "burning the wiring" which it has.... No problems.... better control of temps in the smoker..... Win, Win....at least for me.... You might want to try that approach.....  The MES 40 does not need 1200 watts to maintain temp..... My MES 30 does not need 800 watts to maintain temp.....  Just a different approach that I tried......     Dave