MES 30 PID Temperature Issue

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rlp847

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 21, 2022
11
3
So I have a 2nd MES 30 that I got and the control board was bad so I rewired it from research done here and am attempting to use an Inkbird 106VH with it.

For whatever reason, with multiple k-type sensors when I do a boil test it reads 200.4, yet my 3 probes hooked up to my monitor read between 210.5-211.5. However, when I have the sensor in the smoker, and the probe placed very close to it and set it to 225, my probe reads out at like 307 yet the sensor is near 225 (after I get this figured out I will be able to tune properly I hope).

Do I have something hooked up wrong? If it were a consistent range that it were off I could adjust it (say 10.5 degrees based on the boil test), but if I were to crank the smoker I’d still be at like 297 or so.

I’m just very confused on what I need to do here, any help would be greatly appreciated. I did try to search, I really hope I didn’t miss the answer.
 
When you say "close to it", how close. I have seen inaccuracies when conparing probes at room temp when they are very close (like nearly touching). I believe this is due to (for lack of a better term) cross-talk. Not wanting to get too technical, but the processor in the controller is looking at the probe very often. This becomes like a radio signal albeit a low power one. If the probes are too close, they can interfere with one another. An inch or two gap between the probes should be sufficient to prevent this.
That's my best guess.
 
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Thanks for the reply! I’d had them an inch apart, and then actually thought the same thing so moved it so it was the same height but about 3-4 inches to the side of it. Wondering if I need to order another PID just to see, can always return the first if it’s defective. This thing really has me perplexed.
 
Did you make sure to set the sensor setting to type K. If you didn't the temp will read wrong, guaranteed.
Yep, definitely made sure it was set to K type. Think I am going to order another just to rule out a faulty unit.
 
Have tried both an Inkbird 106VH and a Mypin T4A, with different SSRs and different KType sensors and I am always off different amounts (massively) between freeze tests and my set point of 225. After putting it back together yet again, it’s doing an Autotune and it’s 104 on the PID and 182 on my standalone probe which is always within a degree. What am I doing wrong? This is maddening.
 
And when the PID hits 225, my probe is showing 313. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, if it were always like 10 degrees off it’s just a matter of adjustment. I’m completely not understanding what is happening here.
 
When people go the PID route, do they use the existing hole for the temp sensor, or is there a better place to mount? The KType
Sensors I’ve tried have all been the short stubby ones, I have a longer one coming as someone here I finally found had a similar issue and attributed it to the back with the stubby one acting like a heatsink somehow, hoping that’s the case. Just curious where everyone puts their sensor.
 
Most just route the probe lead thru the vent and clip/set it on a rack within inches of the meat.
I believe chopsaw chopsaw may have used the original hole, but not a stubby probe.
The heatsink theory might be correct in this case.
 
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Most just route the probe lead thru the vent and clip/set it on a rack within inches of the meat.
I believe chopsaw chopsaw may have used the original hole, but not a stubby probe.
The heatsink theory might be correct in this case.
Hopefully the longer probe solves it. I have all the wiring ‘neat’ and tidied up, fed through the hole up top into an enclosure with the PID, so if I can keep it through the existing hole that’d be great. I guess my other though would be to put a high heat grommet where the existing probe fed through and just run the cable/probe through there so I can really clip it where I want without going through the vent.

Thanks for your reply and $0.02 on the heatsink theory, really hope that’s it.
 
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I have an Auber , not the Inkbird . I use the probe from Auber that can be used in a smoker or SV . It's stubby . I'm not concerned with having a probe right next to what I'm cooking . I want a " General idea " of what the cook chamber temp is .
I drilled a hole in the center of the back . Top to bottom , side to side .
Used some original mounting hardware to install it .
Here's a link to the thread I did on it .
Like I said , mines an Auber . I have it dialed in . It doesn't exactly match a remote therm , but it's close . I drove myself nuts worrying about it . The more therms I checked against , the more readings I had that didn't match .
Then I realized that I had a smoker that had 30 degree temp swing over and under set temps , that now had some control to hold steady temps within reason . I stopped running chamber probes , because they are not going to match on an MES . To much going on in there .
Empty won't match full , and half full will be whatever depending on the day and where the meat is placed .
 
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I have an Auber , not the Inkbird . I use the probe from Auber that can be used in a smoker or SV . It's stubby . I'm not concerned with having a probe right next to what I'm cooking . I want a " General idea " of what the cook chamber temp is .
I drilled a hole in the center of the back . Top to bottom , side to side .
Used some original mounting hardware to install it .
Here's a link to the thread I did on it .
Like I said , mines an Auber . I have it dialed in . It doesn't exactly match a remote therm , but it's close . I drove myself nuts worrying about it . The more therms I checked against , the more readings I had that didn't match .
Then I realized that I had a smoker that had 30 degree temp swing over and under set temps , that now had some control to hold steady temps within reason . I stopped running chamber probes , because they are not going to match on an MES . To much going on in there .
Empty won't match full , and half full will be whatever depending on the day and where the meat is placed .
Well said and thanks. As long as I can get it close, I’ll be happy. You’re right about the original temp swings, easily 30 both over and under. Have another probe on its way, but tomorrow may take it and just run the sensor into the box just to test it out.
 
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Found a little time to get outside and dangle the sensor through the vent and have it on a probe tree with the probe I know is accurate. After the initial auto tune things are looking good so far.
E3D4B090-8E80-43BF-9269-F33830F6D72B.png
 
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After the initial auto tune things are looking good so far.
Nice . Once you get using it , it won't matter so much what the temp is as long as you know what it means . The results will speak for themselves . I agree you want it close , and it should be .

I have mine tuned to where it gets to temp and stays a steady on / off .

Just a comment on testing therms .
I've had them check good in boiling water , and in ice water .
One day I had my SV going @132 . Had the idea to check the water temp . Turns out one of my therms was almost 30 degrees off at that temp . Same therm checked good at boiling / freezing .
 
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Nice . Once you get using it , it won't matter so much what the temp is as long as you know what it means . The results will speak for themselves . I agree you want it close , and it should be .

I have mine tuned to where it gets to temp and stays a steady on / off .

Just a comment on testing therms .
I've had them check good in boiling water , and in ice water .
One day I had my SV going @132 . Had the idea to check the water temp . Turns out one of my therms was almost 30 degrees off at that temp . Same therm checked good at boiling / freezing .
That just blows my mind that it hit properly on both tests and was off still. I guess as long as the cooker and the probe are close I can feel okay.

I use a SV, assuming people are making their own though? May be the next project.
 
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