Help needed for a newbie!

[Jwedd4685]

Hello everyone. New member and new owner of an electric smoker. It’s warm where I am today so I thought I’d give it the first timer try...and of course ran into problems right away.

Initially, I couldn’t even get the smoker, even on the lowest possible setting, to level out under 250 degrees. So I adjusted smoke times as needed, no problem. I loaded the water/wood tray with water and wood chips and opened the door to put them in. Temp dropped significantly, as expected by opening the door..I loaded the tray and closed/latched the door thinking the temp would shoot right back up. Well, I waited and waited and no matter how long I waited or how high I set the dial, I cannot, for the life of me, get this thing above 200 degrees. Am I doing something wrong? I currently have it set at the highest setting and I’m barely hitting 200 degrees. No way that wood/water tray obstructs the heat so much that I can’t get over 200 degrees, right? Am o doing something wrong??

Sorry if this has been covered, but I just found this forum and am in the middle of a smoke. Hoping to get some advice soon. Pretty frustrating first time. Not at all how I imagined this would be. Thank you for your responses in advance! Looking forward to learning from some vets in the smoke department!

 

[TNJAKE]

Hello everyone. New member and new owner of an electric smoker. It’s warm where I am today so I thought I’d give it the first timer try...and of course ran into problems right away.

Initially, I couldn’t even get the smoker, even on the lowest possible setting, to level out under 250 degrees. So I adjusted smoke times as needed, no problem. I loaded the water/wood tray with water and wood chips and opened the door to put them in. Temp dropped significantly, as expected by opening the door..I loaded the tray and closed/latched the door thinking the temp would shoot right back up. Well, I waited and waited and no matter how long I waited or how high I set the dial, I cannot, for the life of me, get this thing above 200 degrees. Am I doing something wrong? I currently have it set at the highest setting and I’m barely hitting 200 degrees. No way that wood/water tray obstructs the heat so much that I can’t get over 200 degrees, right? Am o doing something wrong??

Sorry if this has been covered, but I just found this forum and am in the middle of a smoke. Hoping to get some advice soon. Pretty frustrating first time. Not at all how I imagined this would be. Thank you for your responses in advance! Looking forward to learning from some vets in the smoke department!

What are you smoking? What is the highest temp you spoke of? How long since you closed her back up?

 

[fivetricks]

Radiant thermal mass.

The temp probe is right above the water pan area. You introduced a pan full of cold water to the unit. You also introduced cold metal in direct contact with the element via the chip tray.

Until those two things equalize in temps, the unit will remain very cool. Many of us with the MES use neither the waterpan nor the chip tray.

 

[ameskimo1]

Hello everyone. New member and new owner of an electric smoker. It’s warm where I am today so I thought I’d give it the first timer try...and of course ran into problems right away.

Initially, I couldn’t even get the smoker, even on the lowest possible setting, to level out under 250 degrees. So I adjusted smoke times as needed, no problem. I loaded the water/wood tray with water and wood chips and opened the door to put them in. Temp dropped significantly, as expected by opening the door..I loaded the tray and closed/latched the door thinking the temp would shoot right back up. Well, I waited and waited and no matter how long I waited or how high I set the dial, I cannot, for the life of me, get this thing above 200 degrees. Am I doing something wrong? I currently have it set at the highest setting and I’m barely hitting 200 degrees. No way that wood/water tray obstructs the heat so much that I can’t get over 200 degrees, right? Am o doing something wrong??

Sorry if this has been covered, but I just found this forum and am in the middle of a smoke. Hoping to get some advice soon. Pretty frustrating first time. Not at all how I imagined this would be. Thank you for your responses in advance! Looking forward to learning from some vets in the smoke department!

I'm not familiar with that particular smoker, or electric, but on a stick burner it sounds like it could be starved for air. Start with them wide open, then start closing the bottom a little once going to until you get the right air flow. My top vent is always wide open unless there is a wind or other weather issue where they need to be dialed back.

 

[smokerjim]

what type of smoker? what thermometer are you going by, don't trust the factory ones they are known to be off, as mentioned really no need to use water, I have a mes 30 and never used water

 

[Brokenhandle]

Also on mes smokers temps on the thermometer can be off by 25 to 50 degrees, mine always is...never pay attention to it. Use a tested one in ice bath and boiling water. Many can be bought for reasonably price

Ryan

 

[Tony chicago]

Hello everyone. New member and new owner of an electric smoker. It’s warm where I am today so I thought I’d give it the first timer try...and of course ran into problems right away.

Initially, I couldn’t even get the smoker, even on the lowest possible setting, to level out under 250 degrees. So I adjusted smoke times as needed, no problem. I loaded the water/wood tray with water and wood chips and opened the door to put them in. Temp dropped significantly, as expected by opening the door..I loaded the tray and closed/latched the door thinking the temp would shoot right back up. Well, I waited and waited and no matter how long I waited or how high I set the dial, I cannot, for the life of me, get this thing above 200 degrees. Am I doing something wrong? I currently have it set at the highest setting and I’m barely hitting 200 degrees. No way that wood/water tray obstructs the heat so much that I can’t get over 200 degrees, right? Am o doing something wrong??

Sorry if this has been covered, but I just found this forum and am in the middle of a smoke. Hoping to get some advice soon. Pretty frustrating first time. Not at all how I imagined this would be. Thank you for your responses in advance! Looking forward to learning from some vets in the smoke department!
[/QUOTE
The water is the culprit. If you must use water, try to boil it first. And be careful filling