Arrrgh! My MES 40 burst aflame...

wbrian · Mar 8, 2015

So yesterday I was making ribs. At the 2-1/2 hour mark I went out to foil them. My A MAZ N was out so I was relighting it. While doing so (outside the smoker!), I heard an electrical buzz and the flame appeared in the back left bottom corner of the smoker! Glad I was there when it happened, as I saved the ribs from the burning rubber smell. I immediately Unplugged it and closed all the vents, etc to choke out the fire. Any ideas what might have caused this? Could it be fixable?
I miss my smoker already!!!

Thanks!
Brian

foamheart · Mar 9, 2015

Personally I would call Masterbuilt's 800 number and talk to tech support. Very first thing.

They are pretty good at what they do. Try 'em first.

BandCollector · Mar 9, 2015

Regardless as to what caused the problem this is a safety issue that Masterbuilt should be made aware of immediately.

Foamheart and I are on the same page with this one!

Good luck, John

wbrian · Mar 9, 2015

Will do. I'll call them today and post back what I hear...
Thanks!
B.

daveomak · Mar 9, 2015

Did you have anything in the smoker that blocked the heat from rising and out the exhaust vent... like a foil pan that covered the full rack, or a glazing tile to move heat, or a pan of lit briquettes to add smoke for a smoke ring in the bottom of the smoker....

All of the above will concentrate heat in the bottom of the smoker.... In the lower left bottom, there is an assortment of electronic controls to operate the smoker functions..... They have just been fried.....

mdboatbum · Mar 9, 2015

And here's another one. Hope people take notice, I see a lot of people leaving these things for hours and hours in garages and on porches. This is the 4th or 5th fireball MES I've seen.

BandCollector · Mar 9, 2015

Mdboatbum said:
And here's another one. Hope people take notice, I see a lot of people leaving these things for hours and hours in garages and on porches. This is the 4th or 5th fireball MES I've seen.

Are you referring to leaving a running MES unattended for hours and hours?

Bearcarver · Mar 9, 2015

This is why a Smart Bear will never do an all nighter & sleep with his smoker on the front porch!!

No Way !!!

I've said this a number of times, since I heard of an MES door flaming up.

It Aint Worth Losing Your House!!!

Bear

daricksta · Mar 9, 2015

I personally haven't read many stories about a MES flaming up but I wonder how common an occurrence it is not only with the MES but with any electric smoker--especially those made in China? Just wondering.

daricksta · Mar 9, 2015

wbrian said:
So yesterday I was making ribs. At the 2-1/2 hour mark I went out to foil them. My A MAZ N was out so I was relighting it. While doing so (outside the smoker!), I heard an electrical buzz and the flame appeared in the back left bottom corner of the smoker! Glad I was there when it happened, as I saved the ribs from the burning rubber smell. I immediately Unplugged it and closed all the vents, etc to choke out the fire. Any ideas what might have caused this? Could it be fixable?
I miss my smoker already!!!

Thanks!
Brian

First, what generation is your MES 40?

Second, it's not like the the AMNPS (if that's what you have) to go out after only 2 1/2 hours especially if you had filled the rows. Something's going on with your smoker as the fire attested to.

Did you call MB customer service yet?

bmaddox · Mar 9, 2015

Bearcarver said:
This is why a Smart Bear will never do an all nighter & sleep with his smoker on the front porch!!

No Way !!!

I've said this a number of times, since I heard of an MES door flaming up.

It Aint Worth Losing Your House!!!

Bear

Yep. I use mine in my garage and always smoke on days that I am home (and awake).

tjwheels · Mar 9, 2015

Mdboatbum said:
And here's another one. Hope people take notice, I see a lot of people leaving these things for hours and hours in garages and on porches. This is the 4th or 5th fireball MES I've seen.

This should be a wakeup call to anyone who uses their smoker close to combustible material. As a somewhat newbie (2nd year) and brand new to electric smokers I'm guilty of this myself, I do use my smoker in the garage. I haven't yet left it unattended for more than an hour due to the fact that I need to add chips every hour and now I never will. Good luck with your outcome.

daricksta · Mar 10, 2015

The primary reason why I never use my smoker in my garage is that I don't want everything inside my garage smelling like wood smoke, including our vehicles. I don't smoke as much as many other guys here because I wait for the good, warmer weather to come around. Since smoking can be an all-day exercise, why not do it on a nice day?

And there's the thing that if my MES 30 burst into flames it's outside and shouldn't set anything else on fire.

wbrian · Mar 10, 2015

Hi All!
Haven't been in touch with Masterbuilt, yet. I will tho. Been busy.
To answer somebof the questions, nothing in it to disturb air flow. I smoke right on the racks. No stones/tiles, etc... the unit is almost four years old. Fairly lightly used, overall. I keep it outside on my deck covered with a patio chair cover and a LG plastic bag under that. I did notice that there was a tear on the cover when I took it off. That may have had something to do with it, but that'd be weird 2.5 hours into the smoke, no? I only smoke when I'll be able to be home with it the whole time (or else someone else might drink my beers and smoke my cigars!!!).

Might just be "one of those things"- you've heard of Murphy's Law? I'm the Murphy they wrote it for!

wbrian · Mar 10, 2015

daRicksta said:
First, what generation is your MES 40?
Second, it's not like the the AMNPS (if that's what you have) to go out after only 2 1/2 hours especially if you had filled the rows. Something's going on with your smoker as the fire attested to.

Did you call MB customer service yet?

I'll be calling MN in the next couple days...
I'd only under half filled my AMAZN, and lit both ends, so it was working right.

Don't remember if it's a first or second generation mes40. I think it's 2nd... but I'll check before I call them, obviously...
Thanks for all the input!
B.

wbrian · Mar 10, 2015

MB not MN... dopey autocorrect!

wbrian · Mar 10, 2015

Oh, don't know why I wrote back left corner. It was the back right corner. (Same side as the door hinges are on...)

smoky mike blu · Mar 10, 2015

Wow! This is a wake up call for me. I left my MES on Saturday on my deck for two hours alone. Kind of scary now when you think of it. I guess we all need to be more careful with these. I was thinking of doing some all nighters during the week, but Bears right, it's just not worth it.
What sides the best side to place the AMAZN? On the left back side or the right back side? I thought the left back corner was the better place to place it?
Sorry about this Wbrian
Mike

Bearcarver · Mar 10, 2015

wbrian said:
Oh, don't know why I wrote back left corner. It was the back right corner. (Same side as the door hinges are on...)

If your door hinges are on the right side, it is a Gen #1 MES.

Bear

Bearcarver · Mar 10, 2015

Smoky Mike Blu said:
Wow! This is a wake up call for me. I left my MES on Saturday on my deck for two hours alone. Kind of scary now when you think of it. I guess we all need to be more careful with these. I was thinking of doing some all nighters during the week, but Bears right, it's just not worth it.
What sides the best side to place the AMAZN? On the left back side or the right back side? I thought the left back corner was the better place to place it?
Sorry about this Wbrian
Mike

Since yours is a Gen #1 MES, you should put your AMNPS on the little support bars in the bottom, to the left of the chip burner assembly. The AMNPS was designed to fit perfectly there in an MES 30 Gen #1.

Bear

Arrrgh! My MES 40 burst aflame...

Smoke Blower

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

Smoke Blower

Smoke Blower

Smoke Blower

Fire Starter

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Gone but not forgotten RIP

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