Okay, this is exactly backwards to the other questions I've found here. I have a digital MES-30 with a busted digital control unit that I'd like to convert to an analog, dial driven unit.
Why? Background.
I live in Japan. I'm an American, long-term resident here. When I got this MES-30 digital I got it for the low, low shipped price of about $300 USD from Amazon's US site. However, those deals are gone now, the cheapest options are running (with shipping) around $500 bucks, which is more than I'm willing or able to spend.
Edit: Local replacements aren't possible. Japan just doesn't do smoking. There are some devices designed for cold-smoking small bits of food, but their interior capacity is usually a gallon or less. No way to cook a turkey or a roast in there. I've checked Amazon Japan, Rakuten, the sporting goods stores... just not happening.
It's well out of warranty. Going through Masterbuilt is probably not going to get me anywhere as it's 3-4 years old.
It lives on the balcony. This is the source of the problem. I do keep it covered, but it lives on my balcony and the cover has aged, developed holes, etc. Additionally, I have to admit to times I forgot to re-cover it and it was subject to direct rain. Any replacement is going to have to endure similar circumstances and will probably end up with the same result. This is entirely my fault, but something I have to live with.
I know the heating element is good. The last time I tried to use it it got up to around 200 degrees F over a while, then I noticed the temp dropping. When I went outside I discovered that it was powered down. I unplugged it and moved the food indoors to my oven. However, it has subsequently refused to power up at all. Plugged in, no beep. Push the power button, nothing. Bricked.
I've got a buddy with an electrician's ticket but I wanted to run the idea past this forum first. Would it be possible/safe/sane to rig it so that it goes to a dimmer switch or other temp control device and bypass the electronic thermostat entirely? Ideally I'l like to make a separate control unit so things went: Smoker-> cord with male plug->female socket on control unit->cord to wall socket. That way the control unit could be kept safe in the house when the smoker wasn't in use. Less ideal than full thermostat control, but I've got a couple of Maverick multi-probe thermometers so I could keep an eye out and finesse the temp as I went.
Insane? Doable? Thanks for your attention.
Why? Background.
I live in Japan. I'm an American, long-term resident here. When I got this MES-30 digital I got it for the low, low shipped price of about $300 USD from Amazon's US site. However, those deals are gone now, the cheapest options are running (with shipping) around $500 bucks, which is more than I'm willing or able to spend.
Edit: Local replacements aren't possible. Japan just doesn't do smoking. There are some devices designed for cold-smoking small bits of food, but their interior capacity is usually a gallon or less. No way to cook a turkey or a roast in there. I've checked Amazon Japan, Rakuten, the sporting goods stores... just not happening.
It's well out of warranty. Going through Masterbuilt is probably not going to get me anywhere as it's 3-4 years old.
It lives on the balcony. This is the source of the problem. I do keep it covered, but it lives on my balcony and the cover has aged, developed holes, etc. Additionally, I have to admit to times I forgot to re-cover it and it was subject to direct rain. Any replacement is going to have to endure similar circumstances and will probably end up with the same result. This is entirely my fault, but something I have to live with.
I know the heating element is good. The last time I tried to use it it got up to around 200 degrees F over a while, then I noticed the temp dropping. When I went outside I discovered that it was powered down. I unplugged it and moved the food indoors to my oven. However, it has subsequently refused to power up at all. Plugged in, no beep. Push the power button, nothing. Bricked.
I've got a buddy with an electrician's ticket but I wanted to run the idea past this forum first. Would it be possible/safe/sane to rig it so that it goes to a dimmer switch or other temp control device and bypass the electronic thermostat entirely? Ideally I'l like to make a separate control unit so things went: Smoker-> cord with male plug->female socket on control unit->cord to wall socket. That way the control unit could be kept safe in the house when the smoker wasn't in use. Less ideal than full thermostat control, but I've got a couple of Maverick multi-probe thermometers so I could keep an eye out and finesse the temp as I went.
Insane? Doable? Thanks for your attention.
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