Issues with MES

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Personally I don't do any of the sand or bricks, because I don't open my door during the smoke, and I don't get the big temp swings. I also don't want all that extra frozen sand or ice cold bricks to have to heat up while I'm preheating my smoker & starting my smoke. But maybe that's just me.

Bear
Do you keep the water pan inside the MES at all when you smoke, Bear? If so, do you just leave it empty and covered with foil?
 
 
You're working with the better digital Masterbuilt Bear. We're dealing with the analog, which is a whole diff. animal. This is my 1st time using sand & it does seem to help lessen the swings. I've been smoking about 6hrs. now & as I bump up the temps. my swings are consistently 2-3 degrees either side of my set temps. instead of the usual 5 or 6. All I did was fill and foil the water pan & place it in the disposable drip pan. I'll fiddle & come up with something better in the future smokes.
I also noticed in my MES 30" digital Gen 1 that temp swings haven't been a problem. I get temp drops only when I open the door to turn or mop meat or if my AMNPS has gone out and I need to relight it.

I was advised by Todd to use the water pan as a heat sink. He said if I put water in the water pan I'd be steaming whatever I was smoking. He also rightfully said it's the humidity from that steam that snuffs out the AMNPS.
 
 
Do you keep the water pan inside the MES at all when you smoke, Bear? If so, do you just leave it empty and covered with foil?
Yes & Yes.

I cover it with foil to make it easier to clean, and I always keep it in there, because the book tells you too, and the smoker was designed with it in, and changes air flow if it is removed. The water pan in the Gen #1 keeps the heat from the element from hitting the meat too directly.

Bear
 
 
Beats me? I'm smart enough to do all my smoking in the summer and vacuum bag and freeze. Because I'm dumb enough to spend all my free time in the winter sitting in trees like a frozen squirrel waiting for a deer to walk by so I can smoke him with the bow then smoke him again in the summer!
LOL---Been there--Done That---So many times!!

Bear
 
 
Yes & Yes.

I cover it with foil to make it easier to clean, and I always keep it in there, because the book tells you too, and the smoker was designed with it in, and changes air flow if it is removed. The water pan in the Gen #1 keeps the heat from the element from hitting the meat too directly.

Bear
THIS is why I like to ask you MES questions. I knew the book said to keep the water pan inside but I didn't think it had to do with air flow but it makes perfect sense, designwise. I also didn't think it acts as a kind of heat shield between the heating element and the food.

As for keeping play sand in it and then putting the foil over it, looks like it's up to whatever I want to do. I'm going to try an empty foiled covered pan this weekend and track temp swings, if any. As I said, they haven't been a problem with my unit if I kept the door closed, especially since my MES door doesn't have a window.
 
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