MES Baffle Experiment.

[marknb]

So you find the hot spot to be in the back right corner? I've always thought mine was the right front, but I'm just going by a few racks of ribs that were cooked a bit too much on that end on the lower rack, so I'm not too sure if it was the front or back because they get turned and moved around quite a lot during the cook.

 

[pignit]

Mine is definitly the right rear corner.

 

[reeko]

Pignit,

So, only unglazed tile I could find was a Natural Marble 6x6, all the Ceramic/Porcelin tiles were glazed that I found. Is glazing a problem?

Do you use anything to prop the back of the tile? When I tried to put the 6x6 in, and then adjusted it a little, it fell down behind the smoke tray. Or does the water tray help hold it (mine was not installed when I was trying out the stone).

So, I smoked some chickens this weekend without the stone, cheap dial thermometers indicated about 30 deg diff between Left and Right corners measured on the middle rack.

 

[pignit]

I couldn't find an unglazed tile either. The one I use is glazed. Not sure if that is good or bad but it's what I use. Mine is wide enough that it lays on top of the chip tray without any problem. Maybe lay a smaller piece on top of the first one directly over the chip tray to hold it in place to see if it helps you. Mine just sits there. Never had a problem with it fallin into the corner.

 

[ronp]

I think mine is glazed also. Get a 12x12 and if you need to cut it to size or have them cut it for you.

 

[Bearcarver]

OK guys, I tried this last week, when I made my BBB.
I put a piece of ceramic tile on the thin metal above the element, under the water pan. It was glazed & I had it cut to 6" X 12". It didn't seem to help, so I put the other half on top of it, and slid it over covering 8" X 12".
Then after awhile it started making a whooshing noise, and with every whoosh came a high-speed puff of smoke out of my top vent. It did this about 6 times until I got my fireplace glove out, opened the door, and pulled the tiles out. I don't know what that was all about, but I didn't want my MES to go into orbit.


Bearcarver

 

[scubadoo97]

I'm using two 6 X 6 unglazed quarry tiles. No wooshing at all. Just placed one in the back right corner and layed the other on top but displaced more toward the middle of the smoker.

 

[reeko]

So,
I was thinking that I could put a couple of metal screws in the back to support the back of my 6x6 marble tile. That or I could try putting a second tile like scubadoo97 to hold the back tile in place.

Does the water pan still fit above? Need to go home and check.

 

[pantherfan83]

I put a 12x12 unglazed tile in my 40" SS model and was very happy with the results. The sausages on the bottom-right showed no signs of excessive heat.

 

[pantherfan83]

Yes, I was able to fit it in there.

I also put aluminum foil around the water pan and the drip tray. It really made clean-up a lot easier.

 

[coryroc]

Can any of you guys post pics of your tile fix? Would be greatly appreciated.

 

[marknb]

FYI, I made 10lbs of Kielbasa this past weekend. 30" MES, I made the sausage into loops and hung them from dowels I have cut to width, just set them on the wires for the top rack. Anyways, its suggested you move your sausages around in the smoker during the smoke to even out the cooking. Max temp I was looking for was 152F, thermostat was set at 145F at the time, and I moved the back row to the front, and turned the dowels so that what was at the right was then at the left, back to front. I put the thermometer into that far left front sausage, formerly in the hot spot in the back, and the internal was 164F. Two sausages over, it was 138F.

Good ideas here, great thread!

Mark

 

[pignit]

I hope this helps. I had my dimensions wrong. It is 8 inches by 10 inches and just sits on top of the chip tray compartment.

 

[reeko]

Ah, that explains why my 6x6 keeps falling in back. I thought that picture looked like bigger than a 6x6.

 

[pignit]

Sorry Man!

 

[reeko]

No Worries.
I just picked up a 6x8 at Home Depot (glazed but oh well).
Gonna try to prop the back up with a piece of angle iron or something. Run it 8 wide across back.

Thanks for the help.

 

[reeko]

OK,
Just ran the 6 x 8 tile, but ran it 6wide and 8 deep on right side (since I was in a hurry and had nothing to prop the back up with. It kept falling if I went 8 wide.).
Before the tile, the right back was at least 50 degs higher.

Now I had temps like
Left Back 190
Right Back 180
Left front 185
Right front 175

So all in all not bad. Much better than it was.

 

[placebo]

That sounds to me like your chips in the chip tray may have actually caught on fire. My first MES did that a few times but my second one has been fine. Freaked me out the first time it happened. Had nothing to do with the ceramic baffle as I wasn't using one at the time.

I also picked up a 12X12 glazed ceramic tile from HD. I figure they must be baking that glaze on at temps well above 300 so there should be no problems using it in the smoker. First run with it worked great! Thanks all!

 

[fore check]

I have a 30", 800W MES and have *really* liked it since I got it for Christmas; I've used it 8 or 9 times in sub-freezing weather.

My question is regarding the tile heat baffle/sink mod. I just measured and a 12" square tile will fit, but it wouls come within 1/2" of the door when closed and leave about a 3" space (front to back) along the left side if placed as shown.

Why would this be a problem? Smoke would be directed to come up from bottom-left and exit top-right. Just curious as to the thinking behind cutting one down. Seems to me like more coverage would lead to more indirect or even heating.

Just looking for an edjumacation so I come home with the right size piece of tile because I'd like to do this mod.

Thanks!

 

[tjohnson]

Fore Check,

I've got the 40" MES with a 1200 watt element, and smoking without the tile caused 1/2 of my sausage to get done waaaay to quickly.

I put a $.99 glazed ceramic in and it cracked almost immediately from the direct heat. I ended up putting in a 12"x12"x1/2" granite tile and it's worked great ever since. Anything thicker than 1/2" interferes with the water pan.

I would start with the 12"x12" tile. If you don't have a tile cutter, some Home Depot's have one. Most tile shops have a tile saw and will cut your tile for free. Get one 12"x12" and have them cut a tile to 12"x8".


Todd