A Mes Cave

[deltadude]

Thanks for answer all those questions....

Lots of good ideas

The Variable fan control is a great idea.


Illini I have a totally seperate question for you...

I have stated that if my heating element burned or wiring burned out, I would upgrade the element to a 1000watt element, and heavy duty wiring, plus a different controller. The main purpose of the extra heat would be for roasting chicken or crisping chicken skin. I am guessing the extra wattage will get the time up to at least 350 F.
Question. Do you think the cabinet can easily handle the extra heat?

 

[illini]

I have not ever had a failure and the 30" is going on 4 years of usage.
This summer the backs were removed and the 30" was in poor shape.
Am sure it was just about to burn the spade lugs out. The 40" was in
good shape but the lugs were cleaned and/or replaced as needed.

The 30" is so efficient that the heater does not stay on enough to give
an even wood burn so I always use the "contraption" on it with great results.
It is the one I use for cold smokes because of the smoke generation without the heat generation. It has its own heater to generate the smoke.

the 40" is much smoother in smoke generation since the heater is almost always on. The downfall of that is slow recovery after you load the meats in it. To counteract this problem I never open the door until the meat probes say the project is complete. Use a disposable foil pan on the lower shelf to catch the drippings and fill the water pan full and you can get by without foiling. Sometimes I refill the water pan if letting it run overnight if necessary.

Have thought about installing an additional heater to help get by the temp recovery problem in the 40".
If you go to a higher wattage heater the controller will not allow greater than 275* so it would need replacement also. Not sure about the cabinets ability to handle the extra heat but am sure the spade lugs would have to be removed and the wires silver soldered to the element and a larger wire size or there would be a melt down. Also the controllers relay would be at risk at the higher wattage.

Even though the mes is manufactured in China there are some engineering limits that would probably be effected. I think a booster element with separate power supply and regulation would be the way to go.

So if a person adds wattage you get back to the problem of the 30". Not enough on time for the element to be smooth in burning the wood!

Just my thoughts

 

[deltadude]

I have the 40" too.
All your points I agree with, actually in the post I made (in another thread) about replacing with 1000watt, I also mentioned using 2 stage, thus a 750 watt + 250 or 300 watt. The problem is, finding an inexpensive 2 stage controller. I haven't really looked for a 2 stage yet, as my original controller & elements are currently fine, "I think".

Recently I did 8 racks of ribs with an outdoor ambient of about 60 F, and it took almost 3 hours to get to temp. Even a separate 200 or 300 watt element & pwr supply with a timer would be good to solve similar problems.

 

[illini]

Recently I did 8 racks of ribs with an outdoor ambient of about 60 F, and it took almost 3 hours to get to temp. Even a separate 200 or 300 watt element & pwr supply with a timer would be good to solve similar problems.

For July 4th I put in 6 racks and had the same experience at 75 F ambient. The Taylor stem thermometers do indicate a higher temp during this time of recovery. They indicate as much as 40-50 degrees hotter. Then at the end of the recovery period the mes controller and the stem thermometer readings are much closer together. I wonder if the recovery period is very relevant to the meat at all since it is in the process of heating up. I go by the stems indication for setting the controller.

 

[harley]

Schwing!!!!! Very nice! Thanks for posting. Now all you need is a brass pole!!

 

[harley]

What are the dimensions?

 

[illini]

Hi, Harley

The concrete slab is 24' X 24'
the porch is 24' X 6'
This leaves 24' X 18' minus the wall thickness for the room.