MES 30 Temperature Control

[sctdg35]

Just installed new temp control unit sent to me from Masterbuilt . This one is the control that was in a box and not like the one that they sent me smeared all over with silicone like a five year old built it .I am running a test on it right now and will get back with results as long as I don't get called away mid stream.

 

[themule69]

Glad to hear your up and smoken.

David

 

[sctdg35]

Well so far ,not good . Maverick 732 say's smoker internal is at least 20 degrees higher than controller say's it is . Very much like old setup . When smoker comes to set temp controller kicks back on after two degree drop from setting and also looses about five extra degrees in the process . Don't know how other electric smokers are but it seems to me that there should be no reason to have the temperature discrepancies that this thing has .Right now smoker is reading 276 and maverick is reading 300 . Granted ,all I have in it is an aluminum  pan of water and the water pan that came with it is filled half way . Oh yeah ,I did calibrate the Maverick with boiling water ,it' dead on .
 

 

[geerock]

Masterbuilt wants you to be happy that its not worse. The 40's can be off over 35 degrees. Dig this..... I bought my mes 40 in december. Used it 2 weeks when the controller decided to not shut the element off and the unit climbed to over 330 and the unit started to smell funny. They sent me a new controller..... same thing happened. Called and they were out of controllers (probably from so many defective ones) and had to wait 3 months to get one. Finally got one and it worked, although it was about 30 degrees off, for about 4 weeks and then would not get above 218. Called them and guess what? They told me it was out of warranty and would only sell me a new unit at a discount price. The only reason it was out of warranty was because I had to wait for the part from them. Masterbuilt can go and.....well, fill in the rest.

 

[sctdg35]

The saga continues !! After I came to the realization that temperature control in the mes is nonexistent I called Masterbuilt and explained to them what I was going through .The guy at Masterbuilt tells me he will send a box and call tag so I could send it back and they will refund my money . Only the money for the smoker but that will not address the money layed out to Lowes for the extended two year warranty . The reason I did not go back to Lowes is that they will probably give me the same model smoker I already have ,I will have to assemble it and in all probability it Will have the same problem . Which was confirmed by the guy at Masterbuilt when he said that  as far as they are concerned if  when you set smoker to 275 if it only goes to 255 it is perfectly acceptable . Also I purchased the Masterbuilt cold smoker attachment which I wouldn't be able to use on another smoker if I got the money back from Masterbuilt for the smoker . Basically Masterbuilt has a known problem with their smokers and they do not know how to fix it .Just look how long they have been on back order from their website . In theory the Idea is good but they can't make it work .And oh yeah the statements on this site that people have MES30's or 40's that recover temperature within 5 minutes is at the least hard to believe . The only way to use this thing is by having a Maverick 732 ,know that when you set your temp. if you want 225-235 you have to set control to about 195 in my case. From what I have heard with others it is exactly opposite and you have to set to the high side . Bottom line is and this sounds crazy but to get your MES to work right you have to spend another $185.00 and get an Auber PID . So lets do the math ,Mes average price ,depending on model $225.00 .Auber PID $185.00 plus shipping . Total price $410.00 approximately . For that kind of money you could get a very nice completely stainless well built smoker that works right out of the box . Just my thought for what it is worth and I didn't get into the temperature variations inside the smoker ,like 270 in one spot and 310 in another on the same rack . When smoker is set to 260!!! Going back to my old offset smoker is looking better every day . with that I know what to expect .

 

[gary kwong]

just wanted to chime in here, i just got the MES 30 and just did a temp test, MES reads 250, Maverick reads 275, thermopen reads 285...i know my thermopen is off a bit (forgot exactly how much) but its probably reading the same as the maverick. i confirmed the 25 degree difference by bumping the MES up to 75 and the maverick climbed up to ~300-305.

 

[sctdg35]

Well I finally packed it in with the Masterbuilt temperature exercise in futility . I bought a Chargriller Acorn Kamado  charcoal grill/smoker .Couldn't be happier .I did add an Auber temperature control and I am holding temperature better than the MES . The food that comes out tastes a lot better too ! The amount of charcoal it uses is unbelievably small ,actually amazing .The smoke quality (thin and blue) is right on the money . Bought it off the floor prebuilt at BJ'S  for $235 . How do they say it in Williamsburg Brooklyn?"Such A Deal".

But really it was a great move .Not to say that I will never use the MES but when you can jump over to charcoal from electric and have the temperature control the Acorn accomplishes without the typical expense of the ceramic Kamado's you got to go for it . There really is a big difference in the taste of what you cook on charcoal as opposed to electric . I started out with charcoal many years ago and now I'm going back .   Had one of those small Hibachi grills right outside my back door and when I came home from work at night I would shovel out hot coals from my wood stove (only burned Oak ,Ash and Hickory)and use them to grill up food ,instant  BBQ .My offset was a nightmare to control and that is why I went electric ,guess like a lot of things in life we go full circle .

 

[chuck41]

I have a similar problem.  Only if I REMOVE the controller from the unit the heating element still comes on continuously.  Don't know what the problem is, but it apparently is not the controller.  Must be a failed component or short inside the unit.  Will get out my drill and remove riveted on back Monday when I have some time and check it out.

 

[foamheart]

 
I have a similar problem.  Only if I REMOVE the controller from the unit the heating element still comes on continuously.  Don't know what the problem is, but it apparently is not the controller.  Must be a failed component or short inside the unit.  Will get out my drill and remove riveted on back Monday when I have some time and check it out.

You should call MES customer service, from everything I have heard they are square shooters.

 

[chuck41]

 
You should call MES customer service, from everything I have heard they are square shooters.

Thanks.  Will do so before taking the thing apart.

 

[foamheart]

 
Thanks.  Will do so before taking the thing apart.

Let us know what becomes of it so we'll know should someone else have your problem.