MES 40" lost it's heat ???

[billhilla]

I have a Masterbuilt 40" smoker that is probably 6 years old.  I fired it up last weekend and set it to 200 degrees.  When it was at 190 degrees, I opened up the smoker and put in a rack with salmon and another rack with chicken pieces.  The temperature dropped (as expected), but then continued to drop.  The red light stayed lit the entire time signifying that the smoker was heating but the temperature continued to drop.  After about an hour the temp was at 50 degrees inside the smoker, so I pulled the racks of salmon and chicken out and put them in the oven.

Does this mean the heating element is shot ?

Has anyone had this happen to them?

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Why is this posted in the Beef forum. This is about a MES and salmon.

Mods please move to appropriate place.

 

[daveomak]

The wiring to the heating element "probably" has corroded off....    Pull the lower small rectangular panel from the back of the smoker...   Clean the element end with an abrasive...  get to clean wire and solder the wires to the element...

 

[hoity toit]

 
The wiring to the heating element "probably" has corroded off....    Pull the lower small rectangular panel from the back of the smoker...   Clean the element end with an abrasive...  get to clean wire and solder the wires to the element...

what kind of solder? rosin core or  silver solder? mine corroded twice now and I was able to put new stakons on the wire but next time I will solder. bc the wire is getting short in length.

 

[billhilla]

Thanks DirtSailor...I'll give that a try.

 

[daveomak]

 

 
The wiring to the heating element "probably" has corroded off....    Pull the lower small rectangular panel from the back of the smoker...   Clean the element end with an abrasive...  get to clean wire and solder the wires to the element...

what kind of solder? rosin core or  silver solder? mine corroded twice now and I was able to put new stakons on the wire but next time I will solder. bc the wire is getting short in length.

Rosin core is fine...   clean everything really good...   tin the wires and element ends...  then solder...   Heat shrink can be slid on the wires prior to soldering...     There's no need to worry about heat from the element...  the heat doesn't start until several inches down the calrod  part... 

 

[hoity toit]

 
Rosin core is fine...   clean everything really good...   tin the wires and element ends...  then solder...   Heat shrink can be slid on the wires prior to soldering...     There's no need to worry about heat from the element...  the heat doesn't start until several inches down the calrod  part... 

Thanks Dave.