Advice Please

[smokin vegas]

My Master Built Red Head electric smoker quit working. It is the size of a small frig front loading. Any ideas for converting to a wood burning smoker.

 

[Dave in AZ]

There are a ton of threads on smoker builds using pellet hopper you can buy, as well as new electric with auber PUD controllers. So you're just using that metal box. Over at meatgistics dot waltons dot com. I was gonna link a good one but recall owner doesnt like folks linking to info outside this forum, so folks try to find all info here. I have no idea what threads are here for smoker builds, probably a lot. Should be able to find them using SEARCH.

 

[PolishDeli]

Id not try to burn wood in one of those. There is no temp/air flow control. It's not built to see heat from a fire.

Good chance that you only need to replace the heating element. Is that a repair job you'd be willing to try?

If you want want a minimum-effort fix, you can dedicate the unit for cold smoking, and just add a mailbox mod.

 

[chopsaw]

Any ideas for converting to a wood burning smoker.

Don't . That smoker wont take the temps like said above .

My Master Built Red Head electric smoker quit working

First thing is to make sure you have power to the receptacle that it's plugged into .

If the receptacle is hot and it's showing no power at all , no readout on the controller , the first place I would look is in the back at the bottom to see if you have a burnt wire . UNPLUG the unit if you do this . Should be an access panel all the way at the bottom on the BACK of the smoker . Have to drill the rivets to get it off .
This is the access for the heating element .
Wire is burnt off the connection .

New connector installed and put back together .

That's a place to start .

 

[tallbm]

My Master Built Red Head electric smoker quit working. It is the size of a small frig front loading. Any ideas for converting to a wood burning smoker. View attachment 651272

I agree with the others. This smoker cannot handle actual flames. Why?
The insulation is spray foam insulation and will burn up and possibly catch fire with temperatures that flames burn at.


These units are not very complex to repair. So if you are up to the task and/or have someone that is handy then there are good chances you only have to replace a wire connector that has burnt up. Yep Masterbuilt uses cheap ones that corrode and burn away fast.

These connectors will do the job and are inexpensive:

https://www.amazon.com/Supco-T1111-Disconnect-Temperature-Female/dp/B0071NC5NO/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38HQN0SEUI07M&keywords=supco+t1111&qid=1671135105&sprefix=supco+t1111%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1

If the safety rollout limit switch has burnt up (it is cheap plastic) you can wire replace it with this exact 155C switch that is inexpensive:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q99KJWC/ref=twister_dp_update?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&th=1

There are more things that can be done if needed but this stuff is simpler if you or someone can check and repair if broken :)