I need a new rig!

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pi guy

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Dec 28, 2013
393
312
SE Michigan
I posted not too long ago about starting to hate my MES40. Well, I guess there was a reason it was misbehaving: it's basically dead now.
The cheap a$$ seven segment display has most of the segments out. And now the thing tells me it's heating but it won't even get the chips to smolder. So I guess it's time to mod it or buy something new (or both).
Money's tight, so don't really want to spend anything now. I'll have to wait until spring, but for the time being I'm looking for some more suggestions. In my last thread about hating my MES40 a few folks gave me some ideas. Anyone else care to help with some new rig recommendations? And some mods for the POS MES?

Thanks everyone!
 
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Let the enabling..... BEGIN! When my MES40 started acting up I went to a Pit Boss pellet grill and never looked back. More space more options for cooking and not terribly expensive.
 
Let the enabling..... BEGIN! When my MES40 started acting up I went to a Pit Boss pellet grill and never looked back. More space more options for cooking and not terribly expensive.
Any particular features to look for, or to steer clear of? I've only had an MES30 and this MES40 until now, and they were both about the same (electric, tiny wood chip tray, sketchy electronics, etc). And both lasted about as long.
 
You're pretty close to me, MES30 all day long on FB Marketplace here for $50 and 40s for $100. Got me a 40 for $100 and thing is barely broken in. Heck seen 30's on there NIB for $50. That's what I'd do if funds tight and no PID.
 
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PID controller is the cheapest way to go... SO MUCH BETTER than the MES controller ...
This is so true , but for some reason people steer clear of it .
mods for the POS MES?

You have a great smoker box design .
$150 dollar Auber plug and play PID controller
and a new element for 40 bucks and you will be amazed how well it functions .
You have the box , and You CAN'T buy a smoker for 200 bucks that will work as good .

You also might have a faulty limit switch in that one . You would have to set it to max , use a remote therm to watch temps . See if at some point it just falls off and stops heating .
Even at that , another couple bucks for a switch and you're set . Do the rewire and add the stuff as listed and there isn't anything else to fail .
 
I don't own a MES but I think the PID mod may be the cheapest way.

Other options may be to get a Lowe's card and do a 6 month or one year "same as cash" finance. I got my Camp Chef rig that way and had a year to pay it off without interest.
 
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Plus 1 on a pid addition! Unless you lived close to me... I'd love to get a 40 at a decent price, currently have a 30 with auber pid and love it.

Ryan
 
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Here is another vote to keep your current MES.

You can actually consider this an opportunity to upgrade your rig. If you replace the heating element, get a PID, and attach a mailbox mod, you'll be set. (I use a Masterbuilt Slow Smoke attachment, not a mailbox. The crucial thing is to decouple and separate your heat source and your smoke source).

Dropping a grand on a new rig still wouldn't get you set up nearly as good as the proposed upgraded MES.

I was gifted a brand new MES analog. I knew it was a POS out-of-the-box. So I did mods right away. Now it's great. Your MES40 would be even better.

Links to my write ups on the analog mod.


 
100% agree with the PID. You don't HAVE to buy an Auber, but it's money well spent. I didn't splurge for the wifi model and seem to still be alive so that's a few bucks you can save if you choose that route. I love my pellet pooper more now than when I first got it, but your MES is still a viable smoker, and the PID is far cheaper than any entry level pellet smoker that I'm aware of.
 
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M muddydogs
OP states "the thing tells me it's heating but it won't even get the chips to smolder."
That sound like a heating element gone bad.
Sorry, i didn't mean to suggest that MES heating elements need to be replaced by default.
 
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didn't mean to suggest that MES heating elements need to be replaced by default.
It's the way to go since he's having problems . I suggested the same thing above .
Rewire , new element and maybe a limit switch and he's has a great smoker upgrade for about $250.00 and should be good to go for a long time to come .
 
Other options may be to get a Lowe's card and do a 6 month or one year "same as cash" finance. I got my Camp Chef rig that way and had a year to pay it off without interest.
The enabling here is unreal! LOL Seriously tho, a pellet grill IS better for ribs/brisket/etc while the MES+Auber is better for running lower temp stuff like sausage. Yes the MES can do a good "hot" smokes but think a pellet grill bests it. I fought the urge to try a pooper a LONG time but finally caved after seeing Rich's results. chopsaw chopsaw . LOVE my Smokefire.

20241020_194231_resized.jpg
 
zwiller zwiller Damn Sam ! That brisket is money . A lot of great pellet grills out there but that SmokeFire does it all and does it well . Great smoke profile all on it's own too . Mine gets used the most out of all my stuff .

I recently added a smoke rod to it so I can hang sausage or hams if I want .
I'll smoke a roast in the morning , then crank it up and do steaks for supper .

Some closet pole hardware and an 1 3/4 dowel at Lowes . About 15 bucks .
20240420_124216.jpg
 
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I posted not too long ago about starting to hate my MES40. Well, I guess there was a reason it was misbehaving: it's basically dead now.
The cheap a$$ seven segment display has most of the segments out. And now the thing tells me it's heating but it won't even get the chips to smolder. So I guess it's time to mod it or buy something new (or both).
Money's tight, so don't really want to spend anything now. I'll have to wait until spring, but for the time being I'm looking for some more suggestions. In my last thread about hating my MES40 a few folks gave me some ideas. Anyone else care to help with some new rig recommendations? And some mods for the POS MES?

Thanks everyone!
I'm also on the bandwagon for buying an Auber PID. This one with the multipurpose sensor is the least expensive option that will definitely handle the electrical power pull of an MES40:

Do the simple rewire and slap this thing on it and you are ready to go.
If the high temp safety limit switch has melted down on you, you can cut it out and connect the 2 wire ends to work around it but WARNING: you would have now removed a safety switch device so understand that the smoker will not stop heating if it hits 305F smoker temp.

Now with that warning out of the way. You could leave it that way or replace it with another switch. You can usually get a 2-5 pack for less than $10 and I suggest you get a ceramic switch, not the plastic ones. I've melted down at least 5 plastic ones because they are so cheaply made and delicate. Also I used a switch that had a limit of 350F or so. This allows me to do chicken and turkey smokes at 325F smoker temp for less than 4 hours smokes. I never smoke that high for anything else and never over 4 hours. Max I go when not doing poultry smokes at 325F (4 hours of less), is a smoker temp of 275F since the insulation is rated to handle that temp no issue.
I've had no issue at 325F but I keep it 4 hours or less to not over stress the foam insulation.

Finally, a mailbox mod with the tray would allow you to burn pellets (cheap to buy) for up to 12 hours of perfect hassle free smoke.
I smoke pork butts and whole packer briskets over night while I sleep and let the remote thermometer tell me in the morning when to check for tenderness.

The PID holds temp dead on and my mailbox mod + AMNPS + really good pellets = 12 hours of smoked meat without me having to go do a thing until it is ready to pull out of the smoker. Heaven! :D

Oh finally, finally... for the cost of an Auber PID and a mailbox mod you won't be able to find a smoker at that cost, not a decent one. Also you won't find anything that performs this well for under $1k.
This work turns your old MES40 from a golf cart into a Ferrari. It really is a whole completely different smoker that can do any smoking application you can think of. It's only limitation is temps over 325F but who SMOKES food much over those temps anyhow and we have ovens for cooking things at higher temps than that without smoke :D

I hope this info helps :D
 
Contact Mes, about your element... I know you can't call them but reach them online. Not sure if they will do it for you or not but when I was having trouble with my mes 30 analog not keeping connected ( had to bungee strap the cord up to the handle) I contacted them and they sent new cord and element for free, and free shipping. Didn't even ask when I bought it.

Ryan
 
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The enabling here is unreal! LOL Seriously tho, a pellet grill IS better for ribs/brisket/etc while the MES+Auber is better for running lower temp stuff like sausage. Yes the MES can do a good "hot" smokes but think a pellet grill bests it. I fought the urge to try a pooper a LONG time but finally caved after seeing Rich's results. chopsaw chopsaw . LOVE my Smokefire.

View attachment 709607
I have both, a pellet grill and an MES. I'm smoking a pork butt right now on the MES because they taste better to me than the ones I have smoked on my pellet grill.
 
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