MES won't turn on?

[doughboysigep]

I have what I call a "hybrid" MES 30 - has the older style pan, drip tray, digital display but has a meat thermometer. I used it a week ago and went to fire it up today to have it not turn on. It beeped when plugged in, but wouldn't turn on. Any advice?

 

[Murray]

Is the outside temperature below freezing? If so heat the interior with a hair dryer.

 

[doughboysigep]

Thanks. Definitely below freezing (-10).

 

[daveomak]

Add some heat to the thermocouple... Hair dryer to the teet sticking out of the back wall... Keep it warm until the element can keep the temp up.... set the time and temp....

 

[Murray]

Kind of a dumb setup, it appears that the MES won’t start at 0C (32F) or colder.

 

[doughboysigep]

My newer model fired up without any issue. As did my old older model that I had to get back from a buddy I gave it to. However, they were popping my gfi outlet. Plugged them into separate circuits that help that issue.

 

[daveomak]

The Chinese don't realize we smoke food at cold temps....
Did you apply heat to get it to start ???? That's all it needs... When the thermocouple gets warm, the display will light up normal..... The element will come on, as long as you have the timer set and the heat set, and warm up the smoker...

Let us know if you've got it.... Dave

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I just stick an old hair dryer in on high heat for 3-5 minutes then turn it on when it's this cold out.

Course the power control unit went on mine and they sent the wrong part so I gotta call tommorrow about that..

 

[doughboysigep]

grabbed the hair drier, but never used it. was too busy scrambling around trying to get going. bit warmer now, gonna turn it on just to make sure it wasn't something else that was wrong. thanks for the help.

 

[daveomak]

Try the hair dryer...

 

[chopsaw]

Like to know if you got it workin or not . What was wrong ?

 

[doughboysigep]

warmer yesterday (above freezing) and same thing - beeped when plugged in, but no power on. put it away - will wait for better weather/more time

 

[daveomak]

doughboysigep said: ↑
grabbed the hair drier, but never used it. was too busy scrambling around trying to get going. bit warmer now, gonna turn it on just to make sure it wasn't something else that was wrong. thanks for the help.


Let me see if I've got this correct... We suggest you add some heat to get the smoker operating... You grabbed the hair dryer and didn't try our suggestions....

........

 

[doughboysigep]

like I said - I was busy scrambling to get going and had another smoker available. got the tip filed away and will try it next time I have an issue.

 

[doughboysigep]

forgive me for my insolence

 

[daveomak]

I have smoked meat at -20 F.... I had to put a small portable electric in my MES to get it warm enough to keep on trucking, but once it was over 32 F I kept it on and smoked stuff for a couple days... Not a problem...
The overtemp snap switch, has a lower limit also... Too bad... Sort of makes it a PITA to get going...

 

[Andrew C Hartsell]

Does anyone know what the Mes 130 B error code EAA1 is. Do I need to get the inside up to temp while it is on and beeping ...do I need replacement parts..just got this had it outside preseasoning it came back out hour later beeping with this error code.

 

[chopsaw]

You had it running and it threw a code ?
I think that might be faulty therm code . Did you have it set at 275 ? .
I'm thinking it shut down on the limit switch .

 

[Andrew C Hartsell]

Have had it inside since yesterday sitting in basement trying to get it going. Temps inside should surely be warm enough for it to start.

 

[chopsaw]

Did you read my replies? Was it running ?