Larger Temp difference between MES 30 thermo and digital probe

[tbarreth]

I got my MES 30 for Christmas and I am doing my third smoke in it rite now.  Every time I have used it I use a digital thermometer clipped to one of the racks to monitor internal temps along with the built in thermometer that controls the heating element. I have noticed that there is a really big difference between the two.  As an example, for my current smoke I am doing a Butt to make pulled pork. I have the smoker set to 190 degrees, and it is holding pretty steady at what it thinks is 190, but the digital probe that I have clipped hanging from the bottom side of the top rack says the internal temp is holding around 230. This is what I want as I am trying to smoke between 225 and 240. 

Am I rite to trust my digital probe over the internal thermometer? After my seasoning smoke when I first noticed the issue I did test the digital probe in boiling water and it was accurate. Just not sure what to make of the large difference in temps.

Have others experienced this? Thoughts and advice welcome!

-Barret

 

[daveomak]

That's normal....  therms in 2 different zones report 2 different readings...  Until you spend a ton of money on an expensive smoker...

Dave

 

[torontoguy]

That's almost exactly like the difference I'm getting in my MES 30 (that I noted about in this thread: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/135142/seasoning-my-bass-pro-mes-30-couple-quick-notes)

All I can suggest is go by what your temp probe is reading as that's what I did and had flawless baby back ribs last week.

 

[pgsmoker64]

Hi Barret,

I have a rule...I never trust the thermometer on a smoker and always use a calibrated digital thermometer like a Maverick 732.

MES30s are notorious for temperature differentials.  If you trust the thermo on that thing you could wind up with some dry pork!

Just to give yourself piece of mind put your digital thermo probe in a pot of boiling water.  Your temp should be with a couple degrees of 212* F.

Good luck & Get Smokin'

Bill

 

[sound1]

The nature of the beast. Go with a known value, your remote probe, at the level or in the area where you meat actually is within the smoker. Adjust your temps to that.

 

[pwillie]

Mine does exactly the same thing and it is not uncommon for it to be off 50 or 60 degrees.  I rely completely on my mav. 732.  I don't care how much you spend on a smoker, the therms that come with them are a total waste and are nothing more than decoration.

 

[tbarreth]

Thanks for the info guys, good to know its not just me doing something wrong =).

Another question about digital probe placement.  I thought about clipping my probe to the underside of the rack that the meat is on near the center of the meat, thinking that this would give me a pretty accurate idea for what type of temperatures the meat is seeing.  But I also thought that grease from the meat running down and getting on the probe could mess it up, so I decided to place the probe above the meat instead.

Should I worry about grease dripping onto the probe or will it not really matter?

Thanks,

Barret
 

 

[linguica]

MES30s are notorious for temperature differentials.  

The nature of the beast. Go with a known value, your remote probe, at the level or in the area where you meat actually is within the smoker. Adjust your temps to that.

If Masterbuilt would print the above on the box and front door of their smokers 95% of the people who purchase one would be able to use it right out of the box without problems.

 

[torontoguy]

Thanks for the info guys, good to know its not just me doing something wrong =).

Another question about digital probe placement.  I thought about clipping my probe to the underside of the rack that the meat is on near the center of the meat, thinking that this would give me a pretty accurate idea for what type of temperatures the meat is seeing.  But I also thought that grease from the meat running down and getting on the probe could mess it up, so I decided to place the probe above the meat instead.

Should I worry about grease dripping onto the probe or will it not really matter?

Thanks,

Barret
 

Once in my 5 hour baby back smoke the temp QUICKLY dropped to 180* (quickly as in one second it's 225* and the next it's 180*) and my Maverick low temp indicator went crazy. I figured it was just an anomoly so I waited a few minutes and the temp shot right back to where it should be. Sure enough when all was said and done I checked the probe and had a single drip on it. I can only assume that temp dip was that drip onto the probe.

Having said all that I'd avoid drippings as much as possible :) 

 

[pgsmoker64]

Thanks for the info guys, good to know its not just me doing something wrong =).

Another question about digital probe placement.  I thought about clipping my probe to the underside of the rack that the meat is on near the center of the meat, thinking that this would give me a pretty accurate idea for what type of temperatures the meat is seeing.  But I also thought that grease from the meat running down and getting on the probe could mess it up, so I decided to place the probe above the meat instead.

Should I worry about grease dripping onto the probe or will it not really matter?

Thanks,

Barret
 

Barret - I clip mine on the top rack in the back and not under the meat.  The meat is a bit cooler than the smoker and may affect your temp reading.

Bill

 

[tbarreth]

Thanks for all the advice. Seems like I've got things going pretty well. In the long run I want to do something to help tighten the temperature curve while I'm smoking. It seems like I fluctuate between 220+/- to 240+/- rite now when the heating element turns on and turns off. I would like to get this down closer to a 10 degree window if I could. Any thoughts? I'm using an MES30.

As for the current smoke, things seem to be chugging along. I have had to relight my AMNPS several times, I am using it in a new mailbox mod I put together last night and I think it doesn't get enough airflow in the mail box to stay lit, but that is a problem for another post.  The butt seems to have just broken through a plateau around 154 and is up to 158 now. I will post photos later once it is done.

-Barret

 

[pgsmoker64]

Thanks for all the advice. Seems like I've got things going pretty well. In the long run I want to do something to help tighten the temperature curve while I'm smoking. It seems like I fluctuate between 220+/- to 240+/- rite now when the heating element turns on and turns off. I would like to get this down closer to a 10 degree window if I could. Any thoughts? I'm using an MES30.

As for the current smoke, things seem to be chugging along. I have had to relight my AMNPS several times, I am using it in a new mailbox mod I put together last night and I think it doesn't get enough airflow in the mail box to stay lit, but that is a problem for another post.  The butt seems to have just broken through a plateau around 154 and is up to 158 now. I will post photos later once it is done.

-Barret

Hi Barret,

My MES30 does the same thing, it's kind of the nature of an electric element if you think about it.  The controller determines when the element cuts in and out and actually 220 to 240 is not bad and if you do a lot of research you will see that while we recommend 225 we all know there are fluctuations especially with electric and charcoal smokers (I have both).  I don't think you can adjust the bias on your MES controller but I could be wrong.  It wouldn't hurt to give Masterbuilt customer service a call and let them know about your issues, they may have some suggestions.

You may not be getting enough air to the AMNPS - try cracking open the door on the mailbox.  If you don't have a vent cut into the door you may want to consider that.

Can't wait to see that pork!!!!

Bill

 

[sound1]

Isn't it a fun challenge to figure out your equipment? 

The Maverick folks say not to submerge the probes in liquid....I washed mine and the readings went crazy. Dried out in the oven and works fine and still within a couple degrees.

Vent holes...I found that a uni-bit works great, and allows you to step up the hole size in small increments to get that airflow just the way you like it.

You got this thing for Christmas, within 30 days you're making mods...yup..Welcome to your new addiction.

 

[tbarreth]

Haha, I made mods before I even seasoned the thing. I knew I was going to be using the AMNPS (also got it for Christmas).  I had the door to mailbox open a lot of the time, but the AMNPS sits pretty far back in the box so that the smoke flows nicely up into the pipe leading to the actual smoker.  I'm going to try putting a few holes in the bottom of the mailbox underneath where the AMNPS sits, this seems like it will help create a good draw of smoke going up into the smoker pulling fresh air up into the AMNPS.
 

 

[smokinhusker]

Yep you are addicted!!! My MES40 is anywhere from 10* to 30* cooler than the digital display says...I adjust and still smoke along!

 

[fuzzyfishin]

 My 40 is about the same. Got it for Christmas, used it three times and found each time that the heat was off about 30o. I also found the probe was way off also. I did get into contact with masterbuilt and have resolved the problem I hope. They are sending me the fix for my problems. Hope it works.

   Good Luck

 

[rambonyman]

This is an awesome thread!  I bought the newest MES30 a couple weeks ago.  I haven't checked the smoker temp yet I just assumed it was correct...yikes!  Although, some things I have noticed so far is that I can't keep the AMNPS lit even with the vent 100% open and the pellet loader pulled out.  This is with the AMNPS sitting over the hole in the drip catching pan.  I put the water dish that usually goes under this hole on the lowest rack right above the AMNPS to keep drippings from hitting it.  Any suggestions besides doing the mailbox mod?  Also, my attached meat IT probe seems to be way too high.  I put one of them analog meat temp gauges right next to it (same spot in the meat) and it was from 25 to 60 degrees lower than the probe throughout the cook.  I pulled chicken when the analog gauge said it was just barely done and it was just that.  The attached probe told me it was over 215degF!!!  Is there a way to calibrate this?  Thanks in advance for any suggestions!  I'm going to post my first two smokes with pics soon.  They both turned out good, but only because I realized things didn't seem right and grabbed my old analog temp gauge!