Masterbuilt electric project

[cmayna]

Mine is a WS-1510ELPM. No problems at all. Extremely reliable. Here’s a pic of my setup

 

[912smoker]

Sweet set up !

 

[Ringer]

Mine is a WS-1510ELPM. No problems at all. Extremely reliable. Here’s a pic of my setupView attachment 513564

So what is in the mailbox? Is it vented?

 

[jkc64]

I would recommend the 1510H-W. It is the most expensive one but I have an older one that you have to sit and click the buttons to program. I find this to be a PIA, had to pull out ther instruction sheet everytime I wanted to change something. Maybe there was an easier way but I didn't find it. The latest one I bought is a 1500H-W which I see is not available any more, looks just like the 1510H-W. I find it much easier to program and make changes from the app on my phone. I can also sit my lazy butt in the house and check the temps and progress on my phone. I never had a problem with the first one I bought just wanted the newer one with wi-fi.

 

[tallbm]

Ok... so Ive been looking at the different controllers on Auber's website. I've narrowed it down to two.

First the one mentioned above the $139 WS-1510ELPM Here and then the $199 WST-1510H Here. I noticed the $79 SMD-200A but after a brief read of the details it's not complete without the SSR so that's right out. Looks easy enough but I'm not going to build one. According to MES the heating element on my unit is 1200W so either will do the trick.

I see little difference in the operation of the two, just different types and number of of probes... PT100 vs PT1000 and the displays are different. Also, I noticed the ELPM is fused while the 1510H is not. Don't know why that is but hopefully my circuit breaker will handle that if the need arises. That and the 1510H has a plug for a smoke generator.

I'm leaning toward the 1510H simply for the probe options. My only question really is the reliability of these controllers and customer service. I see a 1 year warranty. Thoughts or good/bad stories relating to those issues?

So far I've never seen one fail. Customer service at Auber has been responsive over the phone. I had trouble with one of their thermocouples and they walked me through troubleshooting. Turns out the wires in the "plug" part were touching each other causing a bad reading. I just had to pus them apart and put some electric tape around them so they could never touch again and problem solved :)

 

[mr_whipple]

I would recommend the 1510H-W. It is the most expensive one but I have an older one that you have to sit and click the buttons to program. I find this to be a PIA, had to pull out ther instruction sheet everytime I wanted to change something. Maybe there was an easier way but I didn't find it. The latest one I bought is a 1500H-W which I see is not available any more, looks just like the 1510H-W. I find it much easier to program and make changes from the app on my phone. I can also sit my lazy butt in the house and check the temps and progress on my phone. I never had a problem with the first one I bought just wanted the newer one with wi-fi.

I gave the wifi version no thought at all as I didn't want it, but you do make a good point. I've never played with one of these but if there's a frustration level with navigating the settings that might push me to reconsider the wifi. I was going to get around to ordering one later today... think I'll read the instructions first to help me decide.

 

[cmayna]

So what is in the mailbox? Is it vented?

The pellet cage is in the mailbox. There are tons of threads on "Mailbox Mod". Check them out.

Back to the Auber setup, I have a variety of wireless thermometers to let me know what the current temp is while sitting in my kitchen, etc. The WIFI model might be a way for future buyers to consider. Very happy with my ELPM series. Very easy to program.

 

[tallbm]

I gave the wifi version no thought at all as I didn't want it, but you do make a good point. I've never played with one of these but if there's a frustration level with navigating the settings that might push me to reconsider the wifi. I was going to get around to ordering one later today... think I'll read the instructions first to help me decide.

The manual seems to have been written by a drunk 2nd grader hahaha. HOWEVER, once you sort out the button pressing you just write it down and then rinse and repeat. Actually understanding the instruction manual is much more difficult than programming the PID.

We can help you out but yeah if you want more simplicity then the wifi version with the app seems to do that for you... I don't have first hand experience with the wifi version or the app so ping those guys a bit more if you have questions about it :)

 

[mr_whipple]

Looks simple enough. Gonna pull the trigger on the 1510H. The wifi isn't interesting me at all.

 

[tallbm]

Looks simple enough. Gonna pull the trigger on the 1510H. The wifi isn't interesting me at all.

Glad you found you option!
Wifi to me is just kind of handy. No matter what you can't leave the smoker completely unattended. One strong wind causing a pellet flame up or one grease flame up inside the smoker and you burn down the house... or on the West coast you burn down the state if you are not nearby to handle it.

I think you'll enjoy the PID for sure :)

 

[mr_whipple]

Yea... not looking to start any wildfires! Hopefully this whole thing goes off as planned. Seems easy enough. Now I have to see if the ammo cans I have are big enough to be my mailbox... I know one is but its quite large so I don't think I want to use that. If not mail box it is.

Alright, Ringer... I'm done hijacking your thread

 

[Ringer]

Yea... not looking to start any wildfires! Hopefully this whole thing goes off as planned. Seems easy enough. Now I have to see if the ammo cans I have are big enough to be my mailbox... I know one is but its quite large so I don't think I want to use that. If not mail box it is.

Alright, Ringer... I'm done hijacking your thread

It's all valuable info, I'm doing the same thing.

Keep it coming

 

[hooked on smoke]

If you divide your total electric bill by your kwhs I'm at $.13/kwh. The Mes 40 is 1,200 watts so 1.2 kwh=$.15×24hrs=$3.75 without counting cycling off. So $2+ to run 24 hrs.

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the info. I need to find out what is raising my bill 20.00 a month. It's not consistent so that's why I thought I narrowed it down to my smoker. It seemed the spikes occurred the months after running it.
Hmm. Thanks again.

 

[hooked on smoke]

And Kurt's numbers are maxes. The 1200 W filament cycles on and off. Average power is probably 20% of that so about 3 cents/hr.
If you're seeing noticeable increases in your power bill, it's not due to a MES smoker, unless it has some real serious wiring problems.
These are great devices to have. There are cheaper versions, but the original is NRTL-listed:

Thanks, sorry I'm late getting back to you. I may have to look into this.

 

[dr k]

Thanks, sorry I'm late getting back to you. I may have to look into this.

People have mentioned checking out a kill a watt meter at the public library.

 

[Ringer]

Looks like the wifi model is on sale. I'll be going that route.

Anyone have a discount code?

 

[tallbm]

Looks like the wifi model is on sale. I'll be going that route.

Anyone have a discount code?

Nice! Sales are rare from Auber. I've never seen a discount code so I wouldn't hold out too long for one.
It's exciting that you will be part of the PID club soon :D

 

[Ringer]

Nice! Sales are rare from Auber. I've never seen a discount code so I wouldn't hold out too long for one.
It's exciting that you will be part of the PID club soon :D

I pulled the trigger.

It's probably ly overkill since I have a 30 and not a 40.

Is the bypass wiring the same on the 30?

 

[tallbm]

I pulled the trigger.

It's probably ly overkill since I have a 30 and not a 40.

Is the bypass wiring the same on the 30?

Yep the wiring is the same for a 30 as a 40. The good thing is your PID will support a MES40 should you decide to upgrade.

In my opinion, the best MES40 you can get is one someone is selling for like $40, giving away, or claims isn't working (controller died, etc.) and you just take to a car wash and wash out. Then you rewire and put a PID on it. That MES will be bullet proof once you rewire and change the connectors for good ones :)

Better than anything Masterbuilt makes brand new :)

 

[dr k]

Yep the wiring is the same for a 30 as a 40. The good thing is your PID will support a MES40 should you decide to upgrade.

In my opinion, the best MES40 you can get is one someone is selling for like $40, giving away, or claims isn't working (controller died, etc.) and you just take to a car wash and wash out. Then you rewire and put a PID on it. That MES will be bullet proof once you rewire and change the connectors for good ones :)

Better than anything Masterbuilt makes brand new :)

I saw 2 Mes 30 for $50 on FB Marketplace yesterday. One works fine and he threw in the other for parts or diagnose it to get it running. I did pick up a free 30 over a year ago and that OEM controller is fine. Had it running in 30 min after tracking down the fried lug on the roll out limit switch with a dremel cut off wheel. Bypassed it with a wire nut since I won't run them without a pit therm set to a range alarm. I like the no back removal on my 40 so no junction box built into the element access but had to make accesses in the 30 and 40 back panel to bypass the limit switches that'll just throw a wrench into a night smoke etc when it fails and opens at too low of a temp or completely fails like my free 30. I think the smoker was soaked or directly power washed the limit switch since the junction box for it behind the back wall was super rusted out and no access to dry it out. I do have a power cord I made with lugs on the hot and neutral to connect directly to the 30 element and wrap the stripped ground around one of the six access screws and tighten to ground the chassis, if the controller fails and need to use the PID till i do the no back removal on it. The power cord is an element tester since it isolates the element for anomalies when the element fails after heating a bit when it ohms correctly and no short when cold. So when the free 30 didn't heat I unplugged it, connected power cord and ground. It started heating the went directly to make an access in the back to check limit switch. Bingo. Looks like a scortch mark on the black rubber insulation and whats left of the lug in the rusty junction box.