MES Rewire Simple Guide - No Back Removal Needed!!!

[biteme7951]

My MES40 Gen 1 finally gave up after many years of use. I Purchased the Auber WS-1510ELPM and installed per tallbm's detailed instructions. when I pulled the plate off the element compartment the terminals just fell apart when I touched them. Hmmm, maybe i should just put new terminals on that I purchased? Nope, I dug in and did the rewire and fired it up. I even flipped the element over and tore the chip tray out as I only use a pellet tray or tube in it anyway. I set it at 200 degrees and watched it climb quickly until it got closer to set-point then the rate of gain slowed until it hit 200 AND STAYED THERE! I would occasionally see a 199 or a 201 on the display but that is it over a 3 hr test run. The big test was Christmas eve when I preheated it at 230 degrees and loaded 2 rib roasts in it. once it got back up to 230 it never fluctuated one degree one way or the other, and believe me I kept an eye on it like a kid watching for Santa Clause. I am very impressed with the tight control it has on the unit and thank you tallbm for the simple instructions for the conversion.

Barry.

 

[Winterrider]

Just want folks that do the PID add-on to know It is not a cure-all for cold weather, I can attest to that trying to do a bird for xmas. It called for full power during the whole smoke when temp was at 14° with stiff wind. Could only get temps to 245° when set for 270°. I have done other smokes in some cold temps and it "does" hold within a few degrees when target temp is reached. If thinking about it , "get it"...

 

[Braz]

Just want folks that do the PID add-on to know It is not a cure-all for cold weather, I can attest to that trying to do a bird for xmas. It called for full power during the whole smoke when temp was at 14° with stiff wind. Could only get temps to 245° when set for 270°. I have done other smokes in some cold temps and it "does" hold within a few degrees when target temp is reached. If thinking about it , "get it"...

Sounds like time to invest in a welding blanket to wrap the smoker in.

 

[Winterrider]

Got insulated cover made and had wrapped in another blanket when I did that smoke. May look into one for future. Thanks...

 

[biteme7951]

Just want folks that do the PID add-on to know It is not a cure-all for cold weather, I can attest to that trying to do a bird for xmas. It called for full power during the whole smoke when temp was at 14° with stiff wind. Could only get temps to 245° when set for 270°. I have done other smokes in some cold temps and it "does" hold within a few degrees when target temp is reached. If thinking about it , "get it"...

The element will only put out so much heat regardless of the control used. The PID controller also adds about 4ft of "extension" cord to the unit. Any further extension cords will reduce the voltage to the element and the heat it can produce.

Barry.

 

[PAS]

Oh and I'd like to know where you can get one for 120 bucks. MES40 Bluetooth is a little more than that. I'd buy 2 more then.

This past fall Lowes had the MES 230G on clearance sale and a friend and I walked out with 3 of them for $119.99. each.

 

[dr k]

It's nice to have the recipe saving feature in the Auber PID program mode that it's defaulted to out of the box. I never used the saving recipes feature because I was spending too much time just in the program mode manually changing temps and times in stages to ramp up for salmon/sausage. I prefer not to set minutes of cook time for even one stage in program mode let alone up to the six available stages every smoke so I use the single stage mode to set temp only and it stays on till you shut it off and just change temps when your time alarm on your dedicated therm goes off. Kinda like setting the Mes to 24 hours max time and adjusting the temp as you want throughout that smoke.

Even setting the PID to on/off mode (P=0) like the way the Mes controller works, your eliminating most of the temp swing, having the controller sensor next to your food. My favorite setting is still P=1, I=0 and D=0. For the analog crockpot sous vide/yogurt setting Auber sent me a chart that shows P=4, I=0 and D=40. These settings are for the WS-1510ELPM.

 

[tallbm]

My MES40 Gen 1 finally gave up after many years of use. I Purchased the Auber WS-1510ELPM and installed per tallbm's detailed instructions. when I pulled the plate off the element compartment the terminals just fell apart when I touched them. Hmmm, maybe i should just put new terminals on that I purchased? Nope, I dug in and did the rewire and fired it up. I even flipped the element over and tore the chip tray out as I only use a pellet tray or tube in it anyway. I set it at 200 degrees and watched it climb quickly until it got closer to set-point then the rate of gain slowed until it hit 200 AND STAYED THERE! I would occasionally see a 199 or a 201 on the display but that is it over a 3 hr test run. The big test was Christmas eve when I preheated it at 230 degrees and loaded 2 rib roasts in it. once it got back up to 230 it never fluctuated one degree one way or the other, and believe me I kept an eye on it like a kid watching for Santa Clause. I am very impressed with the tight control it has on the unit and thank you tallbm for the simple instructions for the conversion.

Barry.

I'm glad my post could help!
Yeah having that tight control is awesome! No worries of temp swings ruining sausage or bacon by causing the fat to render out.

As for not reaching max temp I live in TX so I don't get very cold weather temps. Also I HAVE run into situations where the temp reading was lower than it should have been but that is usually due to airflow being directed around the PID probe via pan and meat arrangement OR a pan/cold meat resting against the PID prob causing false or low readings. This is why I run 2 additional rack level probes (left back and right front with my pid probe attached under the center of the rack) to give me a complete understanding of my smoker temps at rack/meat level :)

The PID controller is amazing but as with any smoker/system there is definitely the opportunity for user error and those are the tricks and quirks that have to be worked with hahaha

 

[REC TEC DEX]

Hi there and welcome!
I'm glad it all worked out for you! What PID did you go with after the rewire?

Well, at the risk of opening myself up to some mockery here - i didn't go with a PID. I'm going to give the Willhi WH1803A a shot. IF the reviewers were honest, they say it can hold temp within a degree or two. For $50, if it doesn't do the trick I'll find another use for it and buy the Auber.

 

[front sight]

Took a look at it. Specification say only goes to 230 degrees.

WH-1803A series temperature controller (AC110V available)

Specification:

1. Power supply: AC 110V ~ 220V

2. Measure range: -58 ~ 230℉ (-50 ~ 110℃)

3. Temperature resolution: 0.1

4. Accuracy: ±0.5

6. Slew range of temp controlling: 0.1 - 25(difference between turn-on degree and turn-off degree)

7. Control resolution: 0.1

8. Power consumption: less than 3W

9. Relay contact capacity: 15A

10. Store setting after power off: Yes

11. Compressor delay protection: Yes

12. High and Low Temperature alarm: Yes

13. Product size: 5.8in * 2.7in * 1.5in

 

[REC TEC DEX]

Yep - I saw that. I'm only planning to use the old MES for low-temp smoking. (ie-venison sausages, cheese, etc) I have a pellet grill for the rest.

When i get a chance to test it out I'll post an update

 

[tallbm]

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Well, at the risk of opening myself up to some mockery here - i didn't go with a PID. I'm going to give the Willhi WH1803A a shot. IF the reviewers were honest, they say it can hold temp within a degree or two. For $50, if it doesn't do the trick I'll find another use for it and buy the Auber.

REC TEC DEX" data-source="post: 1910341" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Yep - I saw that. I'm only planning to use the old MES for low-temp smoking. (ie-venison sausages, cheese, etc) I have a pellet grill for the rest.

When i get a chance to test it out I'll post an update

Hey if it works for what you want to do then that is fantastic, don't worry about what anyone else may think hahaha :D
I think the SausageMaker company sells units that are similar and don't go over 225F for the same purpose :)

 

[lovethemeats]

This past fall Lowes had the MES 230G on clearance sale and a friend and I walked out with 3 of them for $119.99. each.View attachment 383863

Sorry for the late response. But damn. That's a great deal with them. Wish I was paying attention to that. Kick myself hard. I feel stupid. Question? 6 shelves?

 

[lovethemeats]

Oh i see. Smaller different model. Thats why. I have a sportsman elite. 6 shelf. Well keep on smoking. Both of mine are good units. The Mes30 I have still has the same controller on it and the unit runs great. No issues. Buttons and face work good. Same element. Others have had issues with theirs. I guess it all depends on the parts and care when you break it down.
Well happy smoking with yours. Make same great things with them.
Rob

 

[tallbm]

Oh i see. Smaller different model. Thats why. I have a sportsman elite. 6 shelf. Well keep on smoking. Both of mine are good units. The Mes30 I have still has the same controller on it and the unit runs great. No issues. Buttons and face work good. Same element. Others have had issues with theirs. I guess it all depends on the parts and care when you break it down.
Well happy smoking with yours. Make same great things with them.
Rob

Yep, parts and care are just one area to consider.

I ran into the issue where my unit had like a 30-35F swing on temps and that bothered me.
See I do a wide range of smoking which includes sausage and bacon. When you do sausage and bacon you have to be concerned with getting temps too hot which then cause the fat to melt and render out. This is known as "fat out" and ruins the food (still edible but not enjoyable).
The temp swings were just too much of a risk and a scare for me, also I couldn't hit max temp of 275F in my MES before the rewire which was disappointing as well.
I personally had the philosophy that if I had a smoker then I wanted to be able to smoke anything in it. I don't like limitations that don't need to be there :D

Finally, if a unit malfunctions then the rewire + PID controller + AMNPS can not only save it but greatly improve the overall function :)

 

[chopsaw]

Bought the WS-1510ELPM . I love this thing . Always had good luck with my MES 30 , but what a difference this makes .
I'm finding shorter cook times so far . Guessing because no more falling temps .
Used it the other day to smoke a ham I cured . Temps in the 20's . Smoker set to 200 worked great .
Next day did a pork loin . Cold and windy again . Smoker set to 260 . Struggled to reach cook temp .
So running in PID mode , I set P=1 , I=0 , D=100 . No more struggle . Ran up to temp , with a faster recovery response .
Part of what you pay for with this model is the tuning / programming .
Skip the flow charts , Understand what each letter does and the number assigned to it , greater or lesser will increase or decrease the operation .

Also , may or may not know the the ambient reading on the sensor can be calibrated . Access code is 155 . Entered value is + / - whatever offset you need .
Starts at page 11 section 5.2 in the directions I have if you're interested .

 

[dr k]

When I read the directions before I bought it, in the description of what each paraneter did, regarding temp or time I saw P mode. I figured if the Mes controller is P mode (P=0, on/off mode regardless of what the other parameters are set to) P=1 has highest output for fastest recovery when I=0 and D=0. I'll just have to change D=0 to 100 and give your PD mode a whirl. I do like the 100% output right up close to the set point. The default setting and autotune came out of 100% output too soon. The no overshoot Sous Vide Crockpot is in PD mode as well. P=4, I=0 and D=40. It'll hold at or 1° below set point.

 

[Winterrider]

I figured if the Mes controller is P mode (P=0, on/off mode regardless of what the other parameters are set to) P=1 has highest output for fastest recovery when I=0 and D=0. I'll just have to change D=0 to 100 and give your PD mode a whirl. I do like the 100% output right up close to the set point. The default setting and autotune came out of 100% output too soon.

Kurt, I have mine set like yours. If you switch it up and find it works better with D=100, let us know. The PID is a game changer though.

 

[chopsaw]

I had mine set using the auto tune . Worked ok , but like yours came off full power to early . So I had it set at P=4 I=354 D=115 . Small over / under run . 4 degrees . Good by me , holds temp really well .

I only changed it to help get to cook temp , and have a faster recover time when the temps dropped and the winds came up .
Temps are back up today , 38* so I set it back to how it was . Just testing it out .

 

[tallbm]

Bought the WS-1510ELPM . I love this thing . Always had good luck with my MES 30 , but what a difference this makes .
I'm finding shorter cook times so far . Guessing because no more falling temps .
Used it the other day to smoke a ham I cured . Temps in the 20's . Smoker set to 200 worked great .
Next day did a pork loin . Cold and windy again . Smoker set to 260 . Struggled to reach cook temp .
So running in PID mode , I set P=1 , I=0 , D=100 . No more struggle . Ran up to temp , with a faster recovery response .
Part of what you pay for with this model is the tuning / programming .
Skip the flow charts , Understand what each letter does and the number assigned to it , greater or lesser will increase or decrease the operation .

Also , may or may not know the the ambient reading on the sensor can be calibrated . Access code is 155 . Entered value is + / - whatever offset you need .
Starts at page 11 section 5.2 in the directions I have if you're interested .

That is awesome! You are making full use of the Auber PID for sure!
It is so amazing how much improved everything is with just the rewire and upgrade to a PID controller. This is why I have no problem buying a used MES40 off craigslist for like $40-50 and slapping a PID on it. Makes for a better smoker than what MB provides at equal or lessor cost