Cleaning MES30

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Mtoth1982

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 7, 2020
8
2
Hi everyone,

I used my MES30 for the first time yesterday and smoked 3 racks of spare ribs. it went pretty well except the pellet tray I bought didn’t fit in the little space to the left of the heating element/wood loader so I used the wood loader instead.

While cleaning it I noticed that there is some charred stuff (I think grease) behind the whole wood loader/heating apparatus that I can’t seem to get to. Is this common? Should I worry about this or just let it burn off?

I noticed there was no in the external trap after cooking. Could that be because the smoker wasn’t level? ( I had it directly on my lawn)

any help is greatly appreciated!

matt
 
Zero need to clean anything after the 1st smoke.You're smoker will get MUCH more black in the inside over several smokes.None of this build up truly matters until it gets really built up and I use nothing more than a plastic spatula and good stiff nylon brush to knock down the excessive build-up.

As far as the tray goes your best bet is the left side of the bottom most rack,use a small foil pan like a tent over it to keep drippings from collecting on it,just make sure to leave enough room for air to circulate all the way around the tray.That or use the tube like I do,check the link in my signature.If you're a little ambitious you could always do the mailbox mod...just search it here or google.

More than likely the water pan collected all your drippings hence nothing in the drip pan.Btw no need to put water in the water pan just foil it as water in an MES makes nothing but a massive humidity mess which actually requires you to clean it on a much more regular basis,these things are so well insulated that water isn't needed.
 
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normanaj has you covered. The only time I clean my MES is when black flakes start appearing on the meat. Then I just scrape off anything loose and clean it up with my shop vac. The only things that get washed after every smoke is my drip pan, the probes for the remote therm, and the cooking grates.
Gary
 
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will get MUCH more black in the inside
Yup .
20180327_124825.jpg
 
Just watch that it is well charred carbon and not grease/creosote that might catch fire. Think the electrics with relatively low temps more at risk than kamado/charcoals/pellets that can achieve high temps and burn off. That happens with my PB electric. I clean it well after 4 or 5 smokes.
 
You're pretty well covered above, except to say the only MES that the AMNPS will fit to the left of the Chip Burner Assembly is the Generation #1, which was the current MES when the AMNPS was Designed & Built by Todd Johnson. There are two support rods to set it on.
The best place I've found for all the other ones that are worth talking about would be on the far right end of the bottom Rack, just above the Chip Dumper. Then you can pull the dumper out a few inches to allow more air flow to the AMNPS.

Bear
 
You're pretty well covered above, except to say the only MES that the AMNPS will fit to the left of the Chip Burner Assembly is the Generation #1, which was the current MES when the AMNPS was Designed & Built by Todd Johnson. There are two support rods to set it on.
The best place I've found for all the other ones that are worth talking about would be on the far right end of the bottom Rack, just above the Chip Dumper. Then you can pull the dumper out a few inches to allow more air flow to the AMNPS.

Bear
Bearcarver Bearcarver

How do you identify a "Gen 1" MES? I have this one (no longer sold AFAIK). I measured and the space to the left of the chip box appears to be big enough to house the 5x8x1.5 AMNPS. I have plenty of depth and height, and the width is pretty close to 6" so I think I'm good w/putting it there. Keeps it right by the heating element so that's probably helpful.

Masterbuilt 20070411 30-Inch Top Controller Electric Smoker with Window and RF Controller
1594139252105.png


1594139286063.png


Thanks!
 
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Bearcarver Bearcarver

How do you identify a "Gen 1" MES? I have this one (no longer sold AFAIK). I measured and the space to the left of the chip box appears to be big enough to house the 5x8x1.5 AMNPS. I have plenty of depth and height, and the width is pretty close to 6" so I think I'm good w/putting it there. Keeps it right by the heating element so that's probably helpful.

Masterbuilt 20070411 30-Inch Top Controller Electric Smoker with Window and RF Controller
View attachment 453010

View attachment 453011

Thanks!



That is an MES 30 Gen #1
I can tell by the hinges on the right---Open Left.
Support rods in the bottom, to the left of the chip burner Assembly.
Top Vent on the back, right, of the top.
The control box on top in the back.
The one in this picture is one of the newer Gen #1 units, because the control box is rounded on the corners.
The AMNPS was designed to specifically fit in that space on the support rods, and should clear by approximately 1/4" in the Gen #1 MES 30.

Bear
 
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That is an MES 30 Gen #1
I can tell by the hinges on the right---Open Left.
Support rods in the bottom, to the left of the chip burner Assembly.
Top Vent on the back, right, of the top.
The control box on top in the back.
The one in this picture is one of the newer Gen #1 units, because the control box is rounded on the corners.
The AMNPS was designed to specifically fit in that space on the support rods, and should clear by approximately 1/4" in the Gen #1 MES 30.

Bear
Excellent! For once it pays off to buy Gen 1! ;-)

It's funny, the pics on Amazon make it look much, much bigger than it is. Before I looked at the actual dimensions of the AMNPS, I was thinking it would fill up an entire rack in my smoker! :) It's supposed to arrive tomorrow, and I'll be using it smoking a pork butt on Monday. :D
 
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