Masterbuilt not working properly

[Bearcarver]

 
The top frame (plastic) cracked on my 40", too. I called MB and they sent me a brand new door, no charge, way after the warrantee ran out. Excellent service!

Great !! 

Over the 7 1/2 years I've been here I've seen that kind of thing done many times by Masterbuilt.

Thanks for Posting that, Robb!!

Bear

 

[smoker21]

So I have a question to all who have cracked plastic. When not in use, where do yo keep it?

My gen 1, 40", is going on five years now and I've never had any plastic problems. Having said that, it does live in my garage when not in use.

JD

 

[tjnamtiw]

Mine lives in  the garage as well in Georgia and it has cracks everywhere. It was just lousy injection molded part design with stress risers.

 

[dr k]

So I have a question to all who have cracked plastic. When not in use, where do yo keep it?

My gen 1, 40", is going on five years now and I've never had any plastic problems. Having said that, it does live in my garage when not in use.

JD

My Gen 1 40 will be 2 yrs. Old in May. It has always been outside covered down to the chip loader for air circulation and under my house eve. The back faces south and chip loader side faces west. The hinge cover is falling apart as well as the top door trim. In the summer it's shaded most of the time.
-Kurt

 

[smoke n brew]

I have the propane powered M XL, and have sometimes wished I had a more set it and forget it (without mods from me) electric smoker. Even though I have seen the MES at deep discount off-season at Walmart, it appears a good choice I did not purchase the MES. For those that own one and don't belong to a great forum like this one, I do wonder how many how many are sitting in the corner of a garage somewhere collecting dust? I will say if I see one on CL for less than $50 I may give it a try.

 

[smoker21]

I have the propane powered M XL, and have sometimes wished I had a more set it and forget it (without mods from me) electric smoker. Even though I have seen the MES at deep discount off-season at Walmart, it appears a good choice I did not purchase the MES. For those that own one and don't belong to a great forum like this one, I do wonder how many how many are sitting in the corner of a garage somewhere collecting dust? I will say if I see one on CL for less than $50 I may give it a try.

I have both. The electric is set it and forget it for the most part, but it needs a bunch of help in the smoke part. The XL 44, needs a way to control temp. Neither are perfect. But the electric with a pellet burner is pretty darn good.


JD

 

[Bearcarver]

7 1/2 years ago, My first MES was an MES 30. I had it 3 years, before I got my Gen #1 MES 40. I sold the MES 30 for $50, and that guy still uses it today.

I used my MES 40 Gen #1 for 5 years, and still works fine, but I have a Gen #2.5 now for 2 years, and it works Awesome.

The newest one had a cracked piece of trim (From Shipping) on the top front. I took a picture of it & told them about it, and they sent me a replacement part.

All of them spent their whole turn on my front porch, under roof, with the cheap stock cover, and only got wind blown rain or snow on the cover.

They all survived Wind, Sun, Cold, heat, Humidity, and very little rain & snow, and were never affected.

I don't use the built in chip burner on any of them. I only use my AMNPS & my AMNS for creating Perfect Smoke.

Bear

 

[beedee]

Man, you guys are making me think twice about purchasing a Gen 1 MES 30. It's great to read all the real world stuff that has been going on with the MES brand. Refreshing to read their c/s is good when it comes time to contacting them.

I'm brand new to the smoke world so I was considering a MES 30, not so sure anymore though.

 

[ssajn]

My 30 lived under a water proof cover for a few months and has never been exposed to the weather. Since I got my 40 they both have been stored in a shed.

I've sent an email to CS and am waiting for their reply. I'll give it a few more days and call if I haven't heard from them.

 

[Bearcarver]

Man, you guys are making me think twice about purchasing a Gen 1 MES 30. It's great to read all the real world stuff that has been going on with the MES brand. Refreshing to read their c/s is good when it comes time to contacting them.

I'm brand new to the smoke world so I was considering a MES 30, not so sure anymore though.

If you get either the Gen #1 or the Gen #2.5, any problem you could have is normally taken care of by Masterbuilt.

Those two are Awesome Smokers, especially for the low prices you can get them for.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

 
My 30 lived under a water proof cover for a few months and has never been exposed to the weather. Since I got my 40 they both have been stored in a shed.

I've sent an email to CS and am waiting for their reply. I'll give it a few more days and call if I haven't heard from them.

I never tried to Email them.

And I personally haven't had to call them for years, but it seems the majority of folks who do end up with good results.

Bear

 

[beedee]

If you get either the Gen #1 or the Gen #2.5, any problem you could have is normally taken care of by Masterbuilt.

Those two are Awesome Smokers, especially for the low prices you can get them for.


Bear

Thanks Bear. I will be keeping it covered in my garage when not in use. Do you think it is worth it to buy the 3 year warranty from WalMart for an additional $19.99?

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks Bear. I will be keeping it covered in my garage when not in use. Do you think it is worth it to buy the 3 year warranty from WalMart for an additional $19.99?

Probably a good idea.

I never would have been able to use it if I had one on any of mine, but for $19.99 for 3 years I think it's a good idea.

Only things wrong with any of mine were Damage from shipping, and they sent me the new parts.

And a 5 year old connector rotted off. That took a couple bucks & about 15 minutes to repair.

Bear

 

[ssajn]

Thanks Bear. I'll give them a call in the morning.

Dave

 

[pat in pa]

Well I received the new element and it still does the same thing.  Everything turns on and lights up except for the element. So I called Masterbuilt and the only thing they would do is send me a new box but it would cost me $200.  

 

[kino1161]

I purchased mine in 2013.  Recently, I can cut it on go, away and come back and it will be off.  Sometimes it will cut back on, sometimes not!  It is a crap shoot.  I called Masterbuilt and ordered a new heating element.  I put it on the other day and the smoker fired right up... no problems.  I was just testing it.  Well, yesterday I decide I am going to smoke some chicken real quick.  I fire it up and prepare my chicken.  I come back out in about 30 mins......nothing! It wouldn't even fire back up!  No power..dead!  Ruined my evening.  Today, when I got home from work, I go out, plug it in and she fires up as if nothing has happened!  It's been 20 minutes and it is still on.  What gives!  What can I do to fix this?  I have the 40" with the control panel on top over the door.  

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Well I received the new element and it still does the same thing.  Everything turns on and lights up except for the element. So I called Masterbuilt and the only thing they would do is send me a new box but it would cost me $200.  

That Sucks---I was hoping they'd fix you up.

When you ran it in the rain, that probably screwed it up. How long do you have that one?

Bear

 
I purchased mine in 2013.  Recently, I can cut it on go, away and come back and it will be off.  Sometimes it will cut back on, sometimes not!  It is a crap shoot.  I called Masterbuilt and ordered a new heating element.  I put it on the other day and the smoker fired right up... no problems.  I was just testing it.  Well, yesterday I decide I am going to smoke some chicken real quick.  I fire it up and prepare my chicken.  I come back out in about 30 mins......nothing! It wouldn't even fire back up!  No power..dead!  Ruined my evening.  Today, when I got home from work, I go out, plug it in and she fires up as if nothing has happened!  It's been 20 minutes and it is still on.  What gives!  What can I do to fix this?  I have the 40" with the control panel on top over the door.  

Sounds like the Gen #2 they sent me to test:

First I plugged it in, but didn't turn it on.

Then 10 minutes later I noticed it was on.

So I turned it off.

Then when I was ready to turn it on, it wouldn't come on.

Replugged it in, tried to start a couple more times---Nothing.

So I was about to give up, and I slapped the top of the box, right next to the front control unit, and it came on.

Anyway I managed to do all my testing over the next couple days, and found it to be a POS.

I gave my report & they were going to send me a new controller.

I said not to bother, after the results of my testing the Gen #2 is just as good to me not running as it is running.

I went back to my Old Gen #1 for another year or so, until the Gen #2.5 came out.

I have the Gen 2.5 MES 40 for about 2 years now, and it is even better than my Gen #1 was!!!

This thing is Freaking Awesome!!!

Bear

 

[tallbm]

 
Well I received the new element and it still does the same thing.  Everything turns on and lights up except for the element. So I called Masterbuilt and the only thing they would do is send me a new box but it would cost me $200.  

Sounds like either your element, element wiring connectors, or the controller solid state relay are busted.  You would need to pull some things apart to check.  My money would be that the wiring connectors and/or the element at that point has corroded away.

 
I purchased mine in 2013.  Recently, I can cut it on go, away and come back and it will be off.  Sometimes it will cut back on, sometimes not!  It is a crap shoot.  I called Masterbuilt and ordered a new heating element.  I put it on the other day and the smoker fired right up... no problems.  I was just testing it.  Well, yesterday I decide I am going to smoke some chicken real quick.  I fire it up and prepare my chicken.  I come back out in about 30 mins......nothing! It wouldn't even fire back up!  No power..dead!  Ruined my evening.  Today, when I got home from work, I go out, plug it in and she fires up as if nothing has happened!  It's been 20 minutes and it is still on.  What gives!  What can I do to fix this?  I have the 40" with the control panel on top over the door.  

Because you mention that one day it was "No power dead!" could it be possible that your outlet is being problematic?  Have you tried it on a completely different set of outlets like in the garage or on the other side of the house?

If it is not the outlet it seems that there is a problem with power getting to your controller.  if this is the case then the problem is either in the controller unit on the top of the smoker or with the circuit board at the bottom of the smoker where the power chord plugs into when you take the back off.  A replacement top controller is a simple change if MB will send you one.

If the circuit board at the bottom of the smoker has an issue then I'm afraid you are probably in rewire and PID controller territory.  It is actually not as bad as it sounds and will give you steady temps with an MES.  You would need to start using an AMNPS though for smoke but if you already do then no biggy.  Anyhow the AMNPS is an upgrade over the onboard smoking mechanism so another win.

Hope this info helps :)

 

[pat in pa]

Thanks Bearcarver. They didn't even offer me a discount on a new one.

TallBM

They sent me two brand new element kits which had new connecting wires which I installed. Could you walk me through the controller solid state? Where to get one and how to replace it. Thanks

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks Bearcarver. They didn't even offer me a discount on a new one.

TallBM

They sent me two brand new element kits which had new connecting wires which I installed. Could you walk me through the controller solid state? Where to get one and how to replace it. Thanks

Wrong guy on fixing them---I can use them, but the only fix I ever did was to replace a connector that had corroded off.

A lot of guys here can help you though, such as:

Sigmo

Dr K

TailBM

And a lot more, but not me.

Bear