1800W element for MES40?

[Blunderbuss]

Hi all! Been a while, but I've cleaned out my old smoker and I'm ready to rock again. I never did finish 2 mods I intended to, so I figured nows the time to finally add a 2nd damper to the other side of the top (I have a MB20074719) and to upgrade the heating element. I'm using the Auber wireless PID that is rated for 1800W, so my question is: has anyone done an 1800W replacement heater on these guys? I'd like to recover temp faster after I open the door (already have some foil lined tiles and a drip tray full of sand, but it still loses so much heat on me). Thanks!

 

[JC in GB]

Hi all! Been a while, but I've cleaned out my old smoker and I'm ready to rock again. I never did finish 2 mods I intended to, so I figured nows the time to finally add a 2nd damper to the other side of the top (I have a MB20074719) and to upgrade the heating element. I'm using the Auber wireless PID that is rated for 1800W, so my question is: has anyone done an 1800W replacement heater on these guys? I'd like to recover temp faster after I open the door (already have some foil lined tiles and a drip tray full of sand, but it still loses so much heat on me). Thanks!

1800 watts is the max output of a standard 120VAC home outlet. I would be concerned about breaker trips running so close to the max output current.

You could use 4 of these to make a 1600 Watt heater. You would have to confirm that the element would fit in your smoker. These are 400 mm length elements and run off of 120 VAC.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804144992523.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.61.64725c340of2Uo&algo_pvid=cbfda3f1-e681-4192-abb2-f25171e62bcd&algo_exp_id=cbfda3f1-e681-4192-abb2-f25171e62bcd-30&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2166.65%2143.32%21%21%2166.65%21%21%402103228816939278303211892e6a04%2112000028786082257%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=kl7DaW84xGK8

You may also want to consider converting your smoker to 220 VAC. You would be able to run twice the power in the same space. Not sure if this would be feasible as you would likely have to run your own 220 VAC outlet from your breaker box to run it.

JC

 

[cmayna]

Why are you opening the smoker's door during smoking? Do you have temp probes in the meat, giving you readings without having to open the door? This is one drawback of having a electric smoker and thus why I never open mine during operation. I know,,,easier said than done.

 

[Blunderbuss]

Why are you opening the smoker's door during smoking? Do you have temp probes in the meat, giving you readings without having to open the door? This is one drawback of having a electric smoker and thus why I never open mine during operation. I know,,,easier said than done.

This is to get back to temp after I put the food in. I let the smoker heat up for 2-2.5 hours, open the door to load the food, and immediately lose a lot of heat - it then takes a while to get back to the set point.

 

[Blunderbuss]

1800 watts is the max output of a standard 120VAC home outlet. I would be concerned about breaker trips running so close to the max output current.

You could use 4 of these to make a 1600 Watt heater. You would have to confirm that the element would fit in your smoker. These are 400 mm length elements and run off of 120 VAC.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804144992523.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.61.64725c340of2Uo&algo_pvid=cbfda3f1-e681-4192-abb2-f25171e62bcd&algo_exp_id=cbfda3f1-e681-4192-abb2-f25171e62bcd-30&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2166.65%2143.32%21%21%2166.65%21%21%402103228816939278303211892e6a04%2112000028786082257%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=kl7DaW84xGK8

You may also want to consider converting your smoker to 220 VAC. You would be able to run twice the power in the same space. Not sure if this would be feasible as you would likely have to run your own 220 VAC outlet from your breaker box to run it.

JC

Ahh ok, good feedback thanks. I will keep it lower, as 220 VAC isn't an option for me. The stock heater is 1200W, so maybe I can find a 1500 or 1650 W element that will fit the MES40. Anyone happen to have a link to one they know works?

 

[cmayna]

What temp are you running at?

 

[Blunderbuss]

What temp are you running at?

Never higher than 225, but actual settings depend on what I'm cooking of course. When I do a good job loading the food fast, I lose maybe 30-40 degrees and recover internal temps in about 45 min. If I do a bad job and it's cold outside, I've lost as much as 80 degrees and it's taken hours to recover.

 

[MJB05615]

Never higher than 225, but actual settings depend on what I'm cooking of course. When I do a good job loading the food fast, I lose maybe 30-40 degrees and recover internal temps in about 45 min. If I do a bad job and it's cold outside, I've lost as much as 80 degrees and it's taken hours to recover.

I've been using my MES 40 Gen 1 for a long time. I also rarely go over 225-235 cook temp. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get up to 225 upon initial startup. When I open the door throughout the cook I lose 15-40 degrees, but once the door is closed it gets back to 225-235 in no more than 10 minutes. I'm using the Auber PID, not wireless, I think it's a 1510 model? Maybe there's some other issue you're having? Can you use a seperate thermometer to check the accuracy of your internal pit temp? Start there and see if anything is wrong.

 

[Blunderbuss]

I've been using my MES 40 Gen 1 for a long time. I also rarely go over 225-235 cook temp. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get up to 225 upon initial startup. When I open the door throughout the cook I lose 15-40 degrees, but once the door is closed it gets back to 225-235 in no more than 10 minutes. I'm using the Auber PID, not wireless, I think it's a 1510 model? Maybe there's some other issue you're having? Can you use a seperate thermometer to check the accuracy of your internal pit temp? Start there and see if anything is wrong.

What are your PID settings? Maybe mine aren't aggressive enough if you recover in only 10 min...

 

[MJB05615]

What are your PID settings? Maybe mine aren't aggressive enough if you recover in only 10 min...

I'll check, it's been 3 years since installing. I only use it manually, no offset or anything like that. I set for the pit temp I want like 225, hit set a second time, and it's done. I keep the Auber temp probe on the top shelf to the left of center. I haven't experimented with other locations. I also have another pit probe in there next to the Auber probe, and it's usually within 10 degrees of the Auber probe's readings. Let me see if I can find any other settings and let you know. I remember using the manual that came with it, but that was very long and drawn out. dr k was a big help when I installed it.

 

[dr k]

Some of us have flipped the element to center it because the 1,200 watt element burns the insulation in the right rear corner so a higher watt will be worse unless you get it out of the corner in open air and a mailbox mod with pellets outside the smoker. A drip pan on the bottom rack covers the exposed element. I have the WS-1510ELPM Auber and the out of the box setting is P 7, I 600 and D 150. This setting takes forever and well as autotune. The fastest response is P mode P 1, I 0 and D 0. It'll cruise up to one degree full power below set temp, flash a couple times at 1/2 degree below, then off and over shoot a few degrees, but on the way down pulse 50% power 1/2 degree below set temp and full power 1 degree below set temp. It'll cycle a few times and over/under coasting settles one or two degrees around set temp as meat heats. This is with the Mes 40. I usually set to 260 if wanting to cook at 265 and reset PID to 265 on the up coast when it over shoots 265. I 'd rather do this than wait an hour let alone 30 minutes to get to set temp again. When you zoom in on the Mes 40 element pic you can see I cut the aluminum mounting bracket in half with a Dremel cut off wheel so the piece on the element legs is symmetrical to flip with the ground hole between them. I put in a longer ground bolt with an extra nut to hold the element in place on the inside of the element access. The other piece of the element bracket I put back in place with the stock screws to seal/hold the silicone gasket. I used vise grips to clamp the male spade to the conduction wire where they a welded together to gently bend 180 degrees to install into the element access, being flipped over. I use an aluminum disposable larger baking sheet than what is pictured and cut the lip off the pan and pinched the corners at the top to make straight walls, then fold the top point against one of the sides of the pan. Pull the pan 1/2" off the back wall for heating. $1 at the Dollar Tree. Slide pan a rung left or so on the bottom rack to even heating at second to top rack etc. No need to mod element with the Mes 30.

 

[Blunderbuss]

Some of us have flipped the element to center it because the 1,200 watt element burns the insulation in the right rear corner so a higher watt will be worse unless you get it out of the corner in open air and a mailbox mod with pellets outside the smoker. A drip pan on the bottom rack covers the exposed element. I have the WS-1510ELPM Auber and the out of the box setting is P 7, I 600 and D 150. This setting takes forever and well as autotune. The fastest response is P mode P 1, I 0 and D 0. It'll cruise up to one degree full power below set temp, flash a couple times at 1/2 degree below, then off and over shoot a few degrees, but on the way down pulse 50% power 1/2 degree below set temp and full power 1 degree below set temp. It'll cycle a few times and over/under coasting settles one or two degrees around set temp as meat heats. This is with the Mes 40. I usually set to 260 if wanting to cook at 265 and reset PID to 265 on the up coast when it over shoots 265. I 'd rather do this than wait an hour let alone 30 minutes to get to set temp again. When you zoom in on the Mes 40 element pic you can see I cut the aluminum mounting bracket in half with a Dremel cut off wheel so the piece on the element legs is symmetrical to flip with the ground hole between them. I put in a longer ground bolt with an extra nut to hold the element in place on the inside of the element access. The other piece of the element bracket I put back in place with the stock screws to seal/hold the silicone gasket. I used vise grips to clamp the male spade to the conduction wire where they a welded together to gently bend 180 degrees to install into the element access, being flipped over. I use an aluminum disposable larger baking sheet than what is pictured and cut the lip off the pan and pinched the corners at the top to make straight walls, then fold the top point against one of the sides of the pan. Pull the pan 1/2" off the back wall for heating. $1 at the Dollar Tree. Slide pan a rung left or so on the bottom rack to even heating at second to top rack etc. No need to mod element with the Mes 30.

Great stuff, thanks... I think the element flip is in my future. I'll try those PID settings, too!