Is this normal?

[tdglamann]

I'm now 4 smokes into my new MES 40 and I am extremely happy.  I definitely plan on ordering an AMNS to top it off. 

I do have one question about my drain.  It sure appears to me that it is sloped up out the back of the smoker.  I have never had anything drain into the drip pan on the back, but then again there hasn't been much make it past the water pan.  Does this picture look normal?

 

[mballi3011]

Now it doesn't look normal to me but I'm a gasser and we don't have drains.

 

[SmokinAl]

No it's bent. I don't know if you should try to bend it back or just email that pic to Masterbuilt. I think I would email them first & see what they say.

 

[les3176]

What AL said... its bent for sure, call masterbuilt they might send you a new part. Nothing will drain out of that,grease will not run uphill!!!!

 

[tjohnson]

I remember those days

Looks kinda "Wanky", but probably still functions.  I very rarely get any drippings in the exterior drip tray, only time was when I made snack sticks, with a full water pan.

TJ

 

[tdglamann]

Well, I just got a response from Masterbuilt.  They said it did not look like it was bent enough to cause a problem.  I smoked ribs this weekend and they generated enough drippings to need the drip pan.  Instead of the grease dripping out of the drain, it ran down the bottom side of the tube and dripped between the smoker and drip pan.  Now I have a nice stain on my deck (the dog enjoyed trying to clean it up).  Masterbuilt says if it does cause a problem I would need to return it to the retailer because it would require a new body to fix.

I have tossed around the idea of putting a socket extension or similar into the hole and try bending it.  Any thoughts?  I hate to mess with returning it.

 

[SmokinAl]

I don't see how you could make it any worse than it is. I would try bending it, just go slow! A socket extension sounds like a good choice.

 

[tjohnson]

Go for it!

TJ

 

[tigerregis]

I don't think its bent. There is no deformation around its mountings. I think it was mounted upside-down and should be removed and remounted.

 

[eman]

I don't think its bent. There is no deformation around its mountings. I think it was mounted upside-down and should be removed and remounted.

 

[SmokinAl]

I don't think its bent. There is no deformation around its mountings. I think it was mounted upside-down and should be removed and remounted.

I disagree, they come straight out the back. they are not bent down when the are new. They're a perfect 90 to the box.

 

[alelover]

Can we get a front view pick of the drain. I like the remounting idea. Going down hill gotta be better than going uphill.

 

[tdglamann]

From what I remember you really can't see much on the inside.  The drip pan that fits in the bottom of the smoker slopes to a hole in the bottom of it which drains into a hole in the bottom of the smoker cabinet.  The tube is basically below the floor of the cabinet. 

I will try to post a pic of the inside tonight.  Life has gotten real busy with my sons baseball and my daughter graduating high school next week (man I feel old). 

 

[daveinga]

You should be able to fix that yourself if you can get access to the tubing and that's what I would do if possible.

If you feel old now, you'll feel ancient when those kids you're taking to sporting events start having kids of their own.  Trust me, been there, done that.

 

[alelover]

Yesterday I took my kid to daycare. Today she's emailing me from college wondering where her beef jerky package is.

 

[tdglamann]

Well, I tried the socket extension in the drain tube and I could not get it to straighten out.  When I would push down it would push up on the floor inside the smoker.  I finally received an email back from Masterbuilt and they said it did not appear to be bent enough to cause a problem and if I wanted it fixed I would have to return it to the retailer for a replacement smoker.

Last weekend I did 2 racks of baby-backs and 2 racks of spare ribs.  This produced enough drippings the drain was needed.  Unfortunately since the tube was sloped up it did not "drip" into the drip pan.  It rolled down the underside of the tube and down the back of the smoker right onto my deck.  I know have a really nice smelling stain on the deck.  I guess Masterbuilt was wrong. 

I ended up returning it to Cableas.  My new smoker is seasoned and waiting for the first smoke.

Thanks to all for your input.

 

[alelover]

The new one looks a bit straighter I guess?

 

[SmokinAl]

What do you mean you guess? Let's see it!

 

[beer-b-q]

We want pictures... LOL

 

[tdglamann]

Yes, the drain tube on the new one is straight out the back of the smoker.  I will try to get a picture tonight complete with the sunset and the dog's football in the background as per the original pic.