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

[chopsaw]

Was just thinking...do you need to rewire at all if you just tell the smoker you want max temp internally? Won't that effectively bypass the controller by using it's own logic to force it to an always-on state?

On analog yes . On Digital no . The re wire also lets you keep the limit switch in the circuit . I had mine over run on Thanksgiving and it cycled on the limit .

 

[Blunderbuss]

got it, thanks! I'm doing my first smoke today, and as everyone has said the MES40 fluctuates with a 20 degree range. An Auber is starting to look nice... :)

 

[tallbm]

got it, thanks! I'm doing my first smoke today, and as everyone has said the MES40 fluctuates with a 20 degree range. An Auber is starting to look nice... :)

Chopsaw is correct. Most people's MES dont ever actually hit hit max temp and then it does a fluctuation. That would interefere with the PID's ability to take to max temp and to avoid fluctuations at the top end of the heat temp setting limit.

 

[Blunderbuss]

I was able to do a very simple and nondestructive rewire that leaves all the original functionality - the interior light, the door-open warning chime, even bluetooth (as useless as it is) and the original temp. sensor. The smooth white and braided blue cables are the plug and controller neutral, and are already connected to each other at the board - so I left them. Then, to remove the relay from the circuit (preventing the stock controller from doing anything to the heating element), I detached the braided red cable and used needlenose pliers to open its connection. I then fit it around the smooth black hot-plug cable and used the pliers to make sure it was solidly on there. By leaving the smooth black plugged into the relay, the rest of the box gets the power it expects; but the heating element also sees that full power, rather than sitting on the other side of the relay from it. If I ever want to undo this, all I have to do is slip off the red braided cable and put it back onto the relay post. No wire cutting, stripping, or wire-nuts required at all.

 

[tallbm]

I was able to do a very simple and nondestructive rewire that leaves all the original functionality - the interior light, the door-open warning chime, even bluetooth (as useless as it is) and the original temp. sensor. The smooth white and braided blue cables are the plug and controller neutral, and are already connected to each other at the board - so I left them. Then, to remove the relay from the circuit (preventing the stock controller from doing anything to the heating element), I detached the braided red cable and used needlenose pliers to open its connection. I then fit it around the smooth black hot-plug cable and used the pliers to make sure it was solidly on there. By leaving the smooth black plugged into the relay, the rest of the box gets the power it expects; but the heating element also sees that full power, rather than sitting on the other side of the relay from it. If I ever want to undo this, all I have to do is slip off the red braided cable and put it back onto the relay post. No wire cutting, stripping, or wire-nuts required at all.

Sounds cool! Let us know how it works out and what you make with your first smoke post mod :D

 

[TXsmokerinDFW]

I have a Masterbuilt SE model #20075515 and it stopped heating. I replaced the heating element but that did nothing. Masterbuilt suggested it was the control panel or the power control board, but you can no longer buy those parts anywhere. The control panel all works fine, I replaced the relay switch on the power control board, after doing that it now gets the "click" sound when powering up and setting the temp, yet still no heat. Multimeter shows the heating element(s) (I tried with both the old and the new) are getting power, yet still no heat. Any suggestions on what else to try, or should I go for this PID rewire I keep reading about?

 

[tallbm]

I have a Masterbuilt SE model #20075515 and it stopped heating. I replaced the heating element but that did nothing. Masterbuilt suggested it was the control panel or the power control board, but you can no longer buy those parts anywhere. The control panel all works fine, I replaced the relay switch on the power control board, after doing that it now gets the "click" sound when powering up and setting the temp, yet still no heat. Multimeter shows the heating element(s) (I tried with both the old and the new) are getting power, yet still no heat. Any suggestions on what else to try, or should I go for this PID rewire I keep reading about?

Hi there and welcome!

I common failure point is the safety rollout limit switch.
Now you may be getting power at first to the element but if the connectors are loose or failing at the safety rollout limit switch it will heat up and think the smoker temp is over 300F and cut power off to the element.

If you look inside your smoker against the back wall it will be a quarter sized circle sensor.
If you have an access panel to get to it, it will be in the same location but on the back wall of the smoker. Check that out. You can always wire around the switch to get by or replace with an existing . These EXACT ones are replacements. There are 2 styles and one style wont work at all this EXACT listing is the style that will work so dont let less expensive prices steer you to buy the wrong part:

Also use some hi temp connectors at the switch and at the heating element.
Check that out and let us know if that is the issue. If it is not then you can talk PID controller and rewire if you cannot find the current issue :)

 

[Blunderbuss]

Anyone have PID settings for MES40 + Auber WSD-1500H-W ?

 

[TXsmokerinDFW]

Hi there and welcome!

I common failure point is the safety rollout limit switch.
Now you may be getting power at first to the element but if the connectors are loose or failing at the safety rollout limit switch it will heat up and think the smoker temp is over 300F and cut power off to the element.

If you look inside your smoker against the back wall it will be a quarter sized circle sensor.
If you have an access panel to get to it, it will be in the same location but on the back wall of the smoker. Check that out. You can always wire around the switch to get by or replace with an existing . These EXACT ones are replacements. There are 2 styles and one style wont work at all this EXACT listing is the style that will work so dont let less expensive prices steer you to buy the wrong part:

Also use some hi temp connectors at the switch and at the heating element.
Check that out and let us know if that is the issue. If it is not then you can talk PID controller and rewire if you cannot find the current issue :)

The safety rollout limit switch was the culprit. The Amazon delivery arrived late Sunday morning, and within minutes, I had the MES up and running , even with the old heating element. Thank you for the info, I really appreciate it!

 

[tallbm]

The safety rollout limit switch was the culprit. The Amazon delivery arrived late Sunday morning, and within minutes, I had the MES up and running , even with the old heating element. Thank you for the info, I really appreciate it!

Glad that fixed the issue and you have more backups :)

 

[tallbm]

Anyone have PID settings for MES40 + Auber WSD-1500H-W ?

I don't but hopefully someone will reply with some settings :)

 

[lunchboxfl]

Ok so my MES30 is finally acting up so I decided to go full bore and get the AW-WST1510H-W controller. I need to do this wire re-work in order to use this correct. Also are there any here is what you should set etc. I have never used a PID, but from what people have been saying it is the way to go. Thanks for any input.

 

[tallbm]

Ok so my MES30 is finally acting up so I decided to go full bore and get the AW-WST1510H-W controller. I need to do this wire re-work in order to use this correct. Also are there any here is what you should set etc. I have never used a PID, but from what people have been saying it is the way to go. Thanks for any input.

Hi there and welcome!

Correct, you must rewire to your MES30 to use the PID.

Try it stock settings with your smoker empty and temp probe clipped under the center of the lowest rack (yes lowest rack). If it works fine then try a test smoke on something you can't mess up like a Pork Butt.
Season pork butt with Salt, Pepper, Onion, Paprika (no sugar) and set PID to 275F to see how it behaves at top temp.

If it doesn't initially work well with the pork butt then I would use chopsaw 's MES30 PID settings of " P=10, I=208 and D=210".
Doing a pork butt allows you a lot of time to see how it behaves and enough time to make adjustments and since it's a pork butt you won't mess it up as long as you keep going and you pull the pork butt when you can stab all over with a kabob skewer and it is tender (test at 203F internal temp of meat) :)

I hope this info helps!

 

[Buttinator]

My Masterbuilt 20075315 is as dead as Thomas Jefferson. Won't turn on at all. Masterbuilt support is of course worthless, and the controller is no longer made. Not having read anything, I opened the back panels and found some severely corroded connectors and fixed them, but now having read these threads, I realize they are the Heating Element connectors.

Anyway, I'm about to invert the smoker and access the panel (genius design guys, put the panel on the bottom and rivet it ). I'm assuming the wires are corroded like the Heating Element connectors. I'd like to test it before springing for a PID. But what else could it be? Pretty simple device if you bypass the motherboard, right?

I assume the AW-WST1510H-W is the gold standard these days? Definitely love the wifi idea so I can leave the house and keep tabs on things.

EDIT: Ok, obviously the 20075315 has some different wiring (and screws instead of rivets - I guess the MasterEngineers figured that one out ).



Think I found the failure point :



Looks like bypassing the control board could be done by just unplugging the plastic connectors and reconnecting the red and the black and white together? Would that leave the safety switch out of the loop?

 

[tallbm]

My Masterbuilt 20075315 is as dead as Thomas Jefferson. Won't turn on at all. Masterbuilt support is of course worthless, and the controller is no longer made. Not having read anything, I opened the back panels and found some severely corroded connectors and fixed them, but now having read these threads, I realize they are the Heating Element connectors.

Anyway, I'm about to invert the smoker and access the panel (genius design guys, put the panel on the bottom and rivet it ). I'm assuming the wires are corroded like the Heating Element connectors. I'd like to test it before springing for a PID. But what else could it be? Pretty simple device if you bypass the motherboard, right?

I assume the AW-WST1510H-W is the gold standard these days? Definitely love the wifi idea so I can leave the house and keep tabs on things.

Hi there and welcome!

Looks like you are well on your way to converting your MES from a golf cart into a Ferrari! :D
To answer your questions:

• But what else could it be? Likely just that your top controller unit died.
• Pretty simple device if you bypass the motherboard, right? Very simple. The rewire is cut ends off 4 wires then splice the correct ends to make 2 whole wires and now the plug feeds power to the heating element without any of the MES electronics in the mix :)

So with those answered here is a ton of other helpful info for you :)

There is another area where connectors often go bad but the problem is you may not have an access panel to it :(
It is the safety rollout limit switch. If you look INSIDE your MES and against the back wall about midway up (left side of smoker or center of smoker sometimes) you will see a round circle about the size of a quarter that is the safety rollout limit switch.

If you have a panel to it then awesome. If not.... you will have to pull the back off OR carefully cut a panel about 6.5inches tall and 4.5inches wide on the BACK of the smoker to access that switch from behind. The connectors fail here ALL THE TIME so having the panel is basically a must in my mind.

Get into that panel on the bottom (refasten with sheet metal screws) and see if anything is corroded or busted down there. It is uncommon for that control board to have issues but people have shown images of burned out components and corrosion there so it has happened.

If your top controller isn't working it is most often due to the top controller simply dying.

#1 failure point on an MES is the connectors at the heating element or safety rollout limit switch (controller still comes on but smoker won't heat)
#2 failure point is the top controller simply dies.

If your top controller is truly dead then the rewire and PID will solve it all for you.

As you are doing all of this investigation replacing the connectors at the heating element and safety rollout limit switch with hi temp connectors will do you well.
Also cutting a panel for the safety rollout limit switch will save you in the future as that switch is cheap plastic crap that WILL melt down on you at some point so easy access helps.

Get those connectors changed and investigate the bottom board but I think your top controller simply died on you. You are making your MES stronger with all of your work so far and if you have to go the PID route you will have a beast of a smoker!!! All of us PID guys would never go back :D

 

[Buttinator]

OK, I bypassed the control unit by connecting the molex-type connectors, and plugged it in, and the smoker heated right up.

Examining the control board, you can see what appears to be heat damage at the solder points for the lone MOSFET on the board, so yeah that MOSFET was probably fried:



Anyway, I'm looking at the AW-WST1510H-W PID so I have WiFi. Is that pretty much the top recommended PID?



Thanks!

 

[tallbm]

OK, I bypassed the control unit by connecting the molex-type connectors, and plugged it in, and the smoker heated right up.

Examining the control board, you can see what appears to be heat damage at the solder points for the lone MOSFET on the board, so yeah that MOSFET was probably fried:

View attachment 513413

Anyway, I'm looking at the AW-WST1510H-W PID so I have WiFi. Is that pretty much the top recommended PID?

View attachment 513414

Thanks!

Nice find on the damage to the board!

The top PID is the WS-1510ELPM but that's because it can handle an MES40 or 30, it's the lowest price, and it's simple.
Guys who get the Wifi version like the one you are looking at love it. Never seen a real complaint about it.

Speaking from experience in having a wifi PID, the wifi function seems way more useful than it is. You only need 1 pellet flame up to realize that you can never really leave the smoker completely unattended unless you want to risk burning down the house.
The wifi on my HeaterMeter PID wore out and it hasn't slowed me down one bit.
So armed with that knowledge you can understand that wifi isn't really as dynamic as it sounds.

The main thing is get what you know will make you happy. Guys love the wifi unit but don't burn your house down because you went out playing golf while smoking a pork butt and a gust of wind turned your pellets into a flame and then your smoker into a fireball :D

 

[lunchboxfl]

Do the new screws go all the way into the bottom of the smoker. Got the ones stated and they seem really long.

 

[chopsaw]

Those are to long . Should just go thru the flange .
You want 1/2 " or 9 /16 wafer head tech or a pointed would work .

 

[chopsaw]

lunchboxfl If you have some silicone use that to hold it in place . Couple dabs on each of the sides . If you need to get back in there , use a utility knife to cut it loose .