New MES Bluetooth Digital smoker

dr k · Aug 26, 2015

Brickguy221 said:
I guess I need to try the 2nd rack sometime when using only one rack and see how it works for me in my Smoker.

I get intrigued when I read posts, then get locked in and have to solve dilemmas asap so I can move on, in order to expedite the next smoke. If you think you've managed enough time for a simple smoke like ABT"S, add another hour . Especially when your the only performer with no help. You've seen those three stooges one man bands with a dozen instruments. It's similar to prepping food while managing the 10+ minute AMNPS lighting and running a million probe wires through the top vent, then operating the Bear method of Mes heat stability as it reduces your stability. Then seeing no smoke from the Amnps because a gust of wind went by, but then see smoke and everthing is fine and then realize that you have to open the damn smoker door because you forgot to do something. I'm glad that never happened to me. Ha Ha!

-Kurt

dennispfaff · Aug 26, 2015

So I assumed correctly that they are heat sensors. Are both of them part of the heat sensors, or just the one on the right at looks like a dime?

dr k · Aug 26, 2015

dennispfaff said:
So I assumed correctly that they are heat sensors. Are both of them part of the heat sensors, or just the one on the right at looks like a dime?

Sorry I forgot to respond about that in my last post. The flat button sensor is the over heat shut off sensor. The toggle sensor is the Mes temp controller sensor.

-Kurt

dennispfaff · Aug 26, 2015

Dr K said:
Sorry I forgot to respond about that in my last post. The flat button sensor is the over heat shut off sensor. The toggle sensor is the Mes temp controller sensor.
-Kurt

Ok, thanks for that info Kurt. I learned something tonight. As you said, it would be easy to wipe those sensors after a smoke when I clean the glass.
Dennis

rhaugle · Aug 27, 2015

The pic below shows how I resolved my dilemma in my first sentence with my 40" Gen 1. Let the heat rise anywhere except past the Mes heat sensor out the vent (make the heat work it's way to the vent. That way it has to go past your food=cooking evenly.

CAM00577.jpg

dr k
Aug 26, 2015

-Kurt
[/quote]

Is this just a cookie sheet wrapped in foil? Looking in my phone so i cant get a big picture at the moment. Thanks.

mummel · Aug 27, 2015

Dennis looks like you are getting some nice use out of your smoker!

daricksta · Aug 27, 2015

Dr K said:
Some rotate top and third racks when using three racks for even heating.

-Kurt

I had given some thought to rotating them before I started smoking but then completely forgot about it. I just took out one rack at a time for foiling. I'm going to do the rotation thing the next time I smoke three racks. When I just use racks 2 & 3 both ribs come out evenly done.

dennispfaff · Aug 27, 2015

mummel said:
Dennis looks like you are getting some nice use out of your smoker!

Slowly learning, Mummel. My wife has been used to doing all the cooking in the kitchen. She is starting to enjoy a break - and enjoying stuff that I smoke!
Dennis

daricksta · Aug 27, 2015

Dr K said:
I get intrigued when I read posts, then get locked in and have to solve dilemmas asap so I can move on, in order to expedite the next smoke. If you think you've managed enough time for a simple smoke like ABT"S, add another hour . Especially when your the only performer with no help. You've seen those three stooges one man bands with a dozen instruments. It's similar to prepping food while managing the 10+ minute AMNPS lighting and running a million probe wires through the top vent, then operating the Bear method of Mes heat stability as it reduces your stability. Then seeing no smoke from the Amnps because a gust of wind went by, but then see smoke and everthing is fine and then realize that you have to open the damn smoker door because you forgot to do something. I'm glad that never happened to me. Ha Ha!

-Kurt

I've decided to do my food prep the night before a smoke. I usually don't because, well, I'm at my most laziness at night. But last Sunday when I smoked the 3 racks of ribs, it took me about an hour to trim the ribs and dry rub them. It takes time to pull the membranes off of 3 racks of ribs, at least it does for me. Then there was trimming the fat and making sure enough rub was applied. But I'm not the fastest prep cook anyway. It's a good thing I made up the dry rub two days in advance.

But what I've begun to do with one smoking just one hunk of meat like a brisket is first running the ET-733 probes down the top vent and clipping one to rack 2 and leaving the other one loose. Then I turn on the MES, setting the set point temp and cooking time. Then, while that's warming up I light the AMNPS and get that going. While those two things are happening I go back into the kitchen and prep the meat--trimming the fat and applying the rub. By the time I'm done the smoker's at the set point and the AMNPS is ready to be inserted into the MES. I do that, go get the meat, stick it in the MES and then insert the FOOD probe. And that's the name of that tune played by this one-man band ('70s TV show reference).

daricksta · Aug 27, 2015

candurin said:
I'd take that bet!!! I use my smoker way more than my oven (but not more than my grill).

Never cleaned my original 30" analog MES element in over 5 years. At 1500W that was the cleanest damn thing in the cabinet.

Unfortunately, Candurin, my bet wasn't with you. This is how I retain my massive financial empire. However, I admire that you use your smoker so much. I only use six or so times a year. And like (I think) I love using my grill more than my smoker. But I bet you use your grill more than I use mine, which I bet is a pretty safe bet. I own a Weber 22.5" One Touch Silver because in my opinion, grilling over charcoal briquettes is the only true way to grill.

Bearcarver · Aug 27, 2015

Dr K said:
You Have a GEN 3? Is it all glass with the heating element on top and the vent on the bottom with the controller on the left side!?........................... I bet Todd would have a tough time finding a place to put an AMNPS in that one. Ha Ha

-Kurt

OOOOPS---Brain Fart !! The "#" is on the same key as the "3"---My only excuse.

Gen #1---I fixed it---Thanks!!

Bear

mummel · Aug 27, 2015

dennispfaff said:
Slowly learning, Mummel. My wife has been used to doing all the cooking in the kitchen. She is starting to enjoy a break - and enjoying stuff that I smoke!
Dennis

How's your waistline? I need to start a whole new thread on that.......

daricksta · Aug 27, 2015

Dr K said:
I played with the AMNPS today smoking ABT's. This is the second smoke with my AMNPS in my 40" Gen 1. I have found that it will not produce smoke unless the chip loader is pulled out 1/2" so the black flange is barely outside the hole, so there is a crack all around the hole to let in air in the pic below. No other adjustments. I counted six holes in the chip tray housing (three in a triangle like in the chip loader and found three holes in a line hidden underneath the triangle holes, looking up from the drip pan.) It's not in the dump position because it won't turn in this position but it doesn't matter. With my deflector shown below all corners on the second rack from the top are identical temps except the front left corner at the latch is 12*F cooler (since it's furthest from the heating element and vent.) All is good.

CAM00659.jpg

dr k

Aug 26, 2015

With the deflector, heat rises up the door and all walls except the part of the back wall where the MES temp sensor is. When I baby step my smoker up with Bear's method I then set my MES @ 225*F and the MAV's low is 225*F to a high of 248*, averaging 236*F.

CAM00577.jpg

dr k

Aug 26, 2015

-Kurt

My brain's working slow this morning. Why don't you want heat rising past the MES temp sensor? I admit I haven't read all of Bear's method because with the MES 30 I'm satisfied with how it works.

dennispfaff said:
I just took two pictures of the inside of my 40 in BT smoker - one with a close-up shot. Are either of these 2 things I just now cleaned "heat sensors". And if so, should they be cleaned often?
Dennis

image.jpg

dennispfaff

Aug 26, 2015

image.jpg

dennispfaff

Aug 26, 2015

I think I responded to the wrong post. I meant to reply to Dennis.

daricksta · Aug 27, 2015

dennispfaff said:
I just took two pictures of the inside of my 40 in BT smoker - one with a close-up shot. Are either of these 2 things I just now cleaned "heat sensors". And if so, should they be cleaned often?
Dennis

image.jpg

dennispfaff

Aug 26, 2015

image.jpg

dennispfaff

Aug 26, 2015

I make it a point to wipe down both sensors before every smoke. I don't bother to clean the wall around them. I just take a damp paper towel and wipe off any filmy grime on the sensors. Sometimes I take a wooden toothpick and clean out the indented sections of the hi-temp cutoff switch (the round one) but usually just wiping it off does the trick. Cleaning both sensors every time I smoke is quick and cheap insurance against them malfunctioning.

dennispfaff · Aug 27, 2015

mummel said:
How's your waistline? I need to start a whole new thread on that.......

Why would you care about people's waistlines? Mine is just fine though for this 70 yr old guy since you asked. Playing golf 4-5 days a week keeps me fit.
Dennis

dr k · Aug 27, 2015

Rhaugle said:
The pic below shows how I resolved my dilemma in my first sentence with my 40" Gen 1. Let the heat rise anywhere except past the Mes heat sensor out the vent (make the heat work it's way to the vent. That way it has to go past your food=cooking evenly.

CAM00577.jpg

dr k

Aug 26, 2015

-Kurt

Is this just a cookie sheet wrapped in foil? Looking in my phone so i cant get a big picture at the moment. Thanks.[/quote]Yes. I cut it out with a Dremel cutting wheels.
-Kurt

brickguy221 · Aug 27, 2015

daRicksta said:
I make it a point to wipe down both sensors before every smoke. I don't bother to clean the wall around them. I just take a damp paper towel and wipe off any filmy grime on the sensors. Sometimes I take a wooden toothpick and clean out the indented sections of the hi-temp cutoff switch (the round one) but usually just wiping it off does the trick. Cleaning both sensors every time I smoke is quick and cheap insurance against them malfunctioning.

I use a tooth brush to clean the indented sections after wiping them with a wet paper towel and wipe a final time with the wet towel after using the tooth brush.

***Not, the tooth brush I use is one of those made for cleaning false teeth. They have a bit stiffer bristles than a regular tooth brush.

dr k · Aug 27, 2015

daRicksta said:
My brain's working slow this morning. Why don't you want heat rising past the MES temp sensor? I admit I honaven't read all of Bear's method because with the MES 30 I'm satisfied with how it works.

I think I responded to the wrong post. I meant to reply to Dennis.

Since our Gen 1's have the heating element, back wall Mes heat sensor and vent in a straight line in the right rear corner from the bottom of the smoker to the top vent, by design heat needs to be pushed to the opposite corners before it comes back to go out the ven. The back right corner gets much hotter than the others. The heat makes it around but it's much hotter in the right rear corner. People cooking Chxn say the Mes says 275*F (max) but Mav's read much lower in other corners, not actually getting to 275*F. Deflecting heat raises actual Mav temps more evenly to the far front left corner. I want the actual temp as close to the Mes contoller temp as possible, if not higher. Now when my MES controller reads 225*F = cycling temps between 225*-248*F on my Mav's. (236*F average.)
-Kurt

rhaugle · Aug 27, 2015

Hey guys,

did my first real smoke tonight... 3 racks of baby backs, and a whole chicken. All of them turned out great. Unfortunately my Maverick has not showed up yet, so I was having to trust the MES thermometers, aided by my quick read probe thermo. Pic of some ribs below... This is the only pic I got this time around... new born baby was a little demanding today! This was after the first 2 hours, before foiling. I promise more pics next time!

20150827_171253.jpg

rhaugle
Aug 27, 2015

This next pic I have a question about.. I noticed the big scorch mark when cleaning the unit. If I push on this area, it actually makes a "crunching" noise. Like the insulation on the inside got totally fried.. Does this happen to every MES in this area because its so close to the chip burner/heating element? Or is this a defect that I have in my unit? I got the 3 year warranty from Sam's club when I bought it, and I'm well within my 90 days from Masterbuilt still.

20150827_212741.jpg

rhaugle
Aug 27, 2015

Happy smokin!

Rhugs

mummel · Aug 28, 2015

I dont know. I would investigate that scorch mark further. If the insulation gets fried over time, your plastic will melt on the outside.

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