Masterbuilt 40" sportsmans elite electric smoker control panel question

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bbaker172

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Original poster
Dec 17, 2020
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I have a Masterbuilt model 20076015. I believe that my control board went out. After alot of searching, I have been unable to find one. Does anyone have a fix for this?
 
I have a Masterbuilt model 20076015. I believe that my control board went out. After alot of searching, I have been unable to find one. Does anyone have a fix for this?
Hi there and welcome!

@normanj has you covered.
If you can't find a part you can do a simple rewire (cut 4 wire ends, splice to make 2 wires) and get an Auber Plug and Play PID controller and your smoker will work better than any brand new MES that has ever been produced.
A PID controller will hold temps within 1-3 degrees of the set temp so no more swings :)
 
What are your symptoms? How do you know your heating element isn't what's bad instead?
 
Look here:https://www.appliancefactoryparts.com/

Or much better yet replace it with a PID if the control board really is the problem.

Talk to this guy tallbm tallbm
He knows his stuff.

Beat me to it. I was just about to recommend tallbm tallbm . I had the exact same problem, and he sorted me out and walked me through everything.
As for the appliance factory parts, if you buy through them, pay special attention to HOW they plan to ship your part. When I ordered a heat element, they said it was coming UPS. What they didn't say was that it was UPS's economy plan, that includes the USPS. They picked up my part, flew it to California, and put it in the mail--in the middle of a pendemic. It took a month to finally get here in Alberta.
Gary
 
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There's a lot of relay problems on these as well. Tallbm will want to know your precise symptoms too.
 
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One thing to check (if you already have please forgive me) is that the connections are good. I had bought a Sportsman's Warehouse MES 40 last year before christmas (okay, the wife bought it for me as my christmas gift). It worked great exactly 2 times. Then the third time I went out to smoke ribs, it wouldn't fire up at all. Being an IT guy, I always check Layer 1 stuff first (wiring and connections).

Outlet working? Check...Plugged in good? Check...Still nothing. So I got out my screwdriver and unscrewed the controller. Unplugged it, plugged it back in...MAGIC!!

Don't ask me what happened, maybe the ghost in the machine didn't want ribs (Bad Ghost! No Biscuit!) that day. Anyway, it fired up, and (Knock on Wood) has not given me any problems since. But, in the event it does die, I am looking into the PID thing you guys are talking about.

Take Care and Check Six!

McGyver
 
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One thing to check (if you already have please forgive me) is that the connections are good. I had bought a Sportsman's Warehouse MES 40 last year before christmas (okay, the wife bought it for me as my christmas gift). It worked great exactly 2 times. Then the third time I went out to smoke ribs, it wouldn't fire up at all. Being an IT guy, I always check Layer 1 stuff first (wiring and connections).

Outlet working? Check...Plugged in good? Check...Still nothing. So I got out my screwdriver and unscrewed the controller. Unplugged it, plugged it back in...MAGIC!!

Don't ask me what happened, maybe the ghost in the machine didn't want ribs (Bad Ghost! No Biscuit!) that day. Anyway, it fired up, and (Knock on Wood) has not given me any problems since. But, in the event it does die, I am looking into the PID thing you guys are talking about.

Take Care and Check Six!

McGyver
Thanx. Looks like my connections at the hearing element fried. Don't know though if that's why my controller doesn't come on yet.
 
Thanx. Looks like my connections at the hearing element fried. Don't know though if that's why my controller doesn't come on yet.
That's a common corrosion area. Lots of posts here about it. What do you mean by your controller doesn't come on? There is no display at all? No lights nor any sign of life?
 
That's a common corrosion area. Lots of posts here about it. What do you mean by your controller doesn't come on? There is no display at all? No lights nor any sign of life?
Nope. Nothing at all.
 
Look for a fuse. Probably on/BEHIND THE CONTROL PANEL
I'll look. I replaced the connectors at the heating element with stainless high heat connectors. Still Nothing at the controll pannel.
 
I'll look. I replaced the connectors at the heating element with stainless high heat connectors. Still Nothing at the controll pannel.

I think your controller may be gone OR you have some issues at the lower circuit board.
If you turn your MES to where you can get to the underside there is a riveted panel there. If you drill out those rivets (fasten back with self tapping sheet metal screws) you can get to the circuit bard.
There you can see if there is any damage, corrosion, or just burned up electronics.
If the connectors there are bad you can replace them but this isnt a common thing to occur in this area but has happened.
If it's obviously not the connectors (like it was in other spots for ya) then your controller and/or circuit bard has likely just crapped the bed which is the #2 most common issue with an MES.

At that point your best option is to do the simple rewire (cut 4 wire ends and splice to make 2 wires) and to use an Auber PID controller. Yeah it may cost you like $150 HOWEVER this change will give you an MES that beats any brand new MES that masterbuilt makes. The smoker becomes like 20X better then it ever could have been.

Here's the post on the simple rewire and a link to a no fuss Auber PID that will work out of the box, I hop this info helps

AuberPID:
 
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With the newer controller boards(located under the MES) no cutting involved. Bypass the relay with a simple jumper and use whatever temperature controller you want.
 
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