MES30 acting kinda flaky

[tddeangelo]

I've had it for a few years, haven't used it super hard, but did a few smokes in it. I keep it on a covered porch, and until a couple months ago when a storm stole my cover, it was even under a cover. It doesn't get much weather on it so as it is.

So.... did a pork butt this past weekend. Found my temps were struggling. Ok, so I need to think about insulation, an elbow on my stack, etc.

I went to change the temp and bump it up. Pressed "+" a few times, it chirped and went dark. Like...did it just die?

Unplugged electric, replugged, it came back to life.

This happened a few times when I made adjustments.

Is the control unit on the way out? If so, what are my realistic options for it?

Thanks!

 

[Bearcarver]

My Goto Guy on this kind of thing is @tallbm.
I would PM him if he doesn't see this thread.

In fact I'll see if I can get him for you.

Bear

 

[tallbm]

I've had it for a few years, haven't used it super hard, but did a few smokes in it. I keep it on a covered porch, and until a couple months ago when a storm stole my cover, it was even under a cover. It doesn't get much weather on it so as it is.

So.... did a pork butt this past weekend. Found my temps were struggling. Ok, so I need to think about insulation, an elbow on my stack, etc.

I went to change the temp and bump it up. Pressed "+" a few times, it chirped and went dark. Like...did it just die?

Unplugged electric, replugged, it came back to life.

This happened a few times when I made adjustments.

Is the control unit on the way out? If so, what are my realistic options for it?

Thanks!

Hi there ttdeangelo. It sounds like something electrical is going out on you. Best speculative guess is the top controller but could be grounding out or the bottom circuit board is going out.

It sounds like it is time to move to an Auber Plug and Play PID controller which includes a very simple rewire job :)
In reality taking things apart and putting them back together is more complicated then the rewire but if you are prepared that won't be an issue, just a little more time while doing the work :)

With an Auber PID controller you will get superior control over your MES temperature control. If you don't use an AMNPS you will need to begin using one as the PID controller gets to your set temp and then in short intervals turns the heating element on and off to keep within about 2 degrees of the set temp. This means no extended element heat to burn up wood chips. The AMNPS is superior anyhow and like 99% of MES owners use it anyways :)

See here for a detailed post I did on MES rewiring to give you an idea of what I mean.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mes-rewire-simple-guide-no-back-removal-needed.267069/

Let me know if you have questions and are interested :)

 

[zwiller]

Flaky or intermittent sounds like a moisture issue. Run it hot a few hours and see if that will drive the moisture out. If you are adventurous or have a techie bud you could remove it and clean and dry with hairdryer etc. Seem to recall the panel can be purchased from MB and is reasonable if you have to replace.

Never really noticed it before but I do now but when you load a cold mass like a butt it takes the smoker some time to deal with it. I think this is typical but maybe you are just noticing it now.

 

[tddeangelo]

Hi there ttdeangelo. It sounds like something electrical is going out on you. Best speculative guess is the top controller but could be grounding out or the bottom circuit board is going out.

It sounds like it is time to move to an Auber Plug and Play PID controller which includes a very simple rewire job :)
In reality taking things apart and putting them back together is more complicated then the rewire but if you are prepared that won't be an issue, just a little more time while doing the work :)

With an Auber PID controller you will get superior control over your MES temperature control. If you don't use an AMNPS you will need to begin using one as the PID controller gets to your set temp and then in short intervals turns the heating element on and off to keep within about 2 degrees of the set temp. This means no extended element heat to burn up wood chips. The AMNPS is superior anyhow and like 99% of MES owners use it anyways :)

See here for a detailed post I did on MES rewiring to give you an idea of what I mean.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mes-rewire-simple-guide-no-back-removal-needed.267069/

Let me know if you have questions and are interested :)

Already have an AMNPS, so we're good there. I'll check this out and see if maybe this is the way to go. Thanks!

Flaky or intermittent sounds like a moisture issue. Run it hot a few hours and see if that will drive the moisture out. If you are adventurous or have a techie bud you could remove it and clean and dry with hairdryer etc. Seem to recall the panel can be purchased from MB and is reasonable if you have to replace.

Never really noticed it before but I do now but when you load a cold mass like a butt it takes the smoker some time to deal with it. I think this is typical but maybe you are just noticing it now.

This happened the first time several hours after I put the butt in the smoker, so I don't think that's necessarily the culprit. Could be that since I've been without a cover for a bit, maybe it got weathered more than I thought and got some water in there.

 

[tddeangelo]

Reading through the rewiring...it makes sense, but it seems kinda intimidating. I'm probably being overly cautious and making too much of the project, but it seems a bit daunting.

 

[chopsaw]

I'm with Zwiller . Sounds like moisture .

 

[tallbm]

Reading through the rewiring...it makes sense, but it seems kinda intimidating. I'm probably being overly cautious and making too much of the project, but it seems a bit daunting.

I totally understand your apprehension.

In all reality you could simply just cut and connect any of the black braided wires (3 or 4) with either of the non-braided wires (1 or 2) and it would be ready for an Auber PID Plug and Play controller. As long as you don't connect braided to braided or connect non-braided to non-braided, you should be fine on the rewire :)

Maybe that makes it less scary. The post was made to be the most ACCURATE as possible but in short what I just described is the minimal amount of effort to accomplish the rewire for an Auber PID :)

 

[chopsaw]

So are you bypassing the mes controller and the mes therm switch ? Is the limit switch still in the circuit ?
What happens if you do the re wire and plug the mes straight into the wall , I'm assuming nothing .

 

[tddeangelo]

I totally understand your apprehension.

In all reality you could simply just cut and connect any of the black braided wires (3 or 4) with either of the non-braided wires (1 or 2) and it would be ready for an Auber PID Plug and Play controller. As long as you don't connect braided to braided or connect non-braided to non-braided, you should be fine on the rewire :)

Maybe that makes it less scary. The post was made to be the most ACCURATE as possible but in short what I just described is the minimal amount of effort to accomplish the rewire for an Auber PID :)

It does...and it validates what I was thinking in reading the rewire write up.

My father-in-law has done some electrical work, and he's now retired. He also likes my sweet bologna. I see an opportunity here...

 

[dr k]

So are you bypassing the mes controller and the mes therm switch ? Is the limit switch still in the circuit ?
What happens if you do the re wire and plug the mes straight into the wall , I'm assuming nothing .

Connecting the smooth black power cord wire to a braided wire goes to the element or to the safety snap disk sensor then to the element. The other braided is connected to the white neutral power cord wire that goes to the other heating element leg. Yes the smap disk is used. Now plugging into the outlet is heating the element unplugged is off. So plugging into the PID the PID can give power directly to the element per the PID temp sensot next to your food.

 

[tallbm]

So are you bypassing the mes controller and the mes therm switch ? Is the limit switch still in the circuit ?
What happens if you do the re wire and plug the mes straight into the wall , I'm assuming nothing .

As dr k stated, with the rewire I just mentioned and the one in the other thread, the mes therm switch (safety roll out limit switch) is still in the circuit. One of the black braided chords runs up to the therm switch and then from the therm switch the wire runs to the heating element. The other black braided wire runs directly to the other prong on the heating element.

With the rewire completed, plugging into the wall will feed power to the heating element so it heats up, no other behavior. You unplug to stop the unit from heating up.

Also as dr k stated, with this rewire job you plug the MES into the PID controller (PID controller is plugged into the wall).
You enter a set temp like 225F into the PID controller.
The PID has a temp probe you put inside the MES.
Now the PID will read the temp inside the MES and if below the set temp (225F in this case) it will feed power to the MES until it hits the set temp, then cut off power to the MES.
The PID will then continuously cut power off/on to the MES to keep within about +-2 degrees of the set temp.

An Auber PID plug n play controller out performs the stock MES controller hands down, no competition, when it comes to holding a temp. That is it in a nutshell :)

 

[tddeangelo]

Ok, you guys know how to sell a guy on something....

I'm gonna have to do this. In my free time.... ha!

Actually, what I'm thinking is whenever I do my first cook on my OKJ, I'll likely need to be close to that for a while, and in the time I'm sittin' out on the porch, I can rewire my MES and install the Auber PID.

And the wife thought getting the OKJ would mean I'd be getting rid of the MES..... ha!

 

[tallbm]

Ok, you guys know how to sell a guy on something....

I'm gonna have to do this. In my free time.... ha!

Actually, what I'm thinking is whenever I do my first cook on my OKJ, I'll likely need to be close to that for a while, and in the time I'm sittin' out on the porch, I can rewire my MES and install the Auber PID.

And the wife thought getting the OKJ would mean I'd be getting rid of the MES..... ha!

Hahhahaaha.
That is a good use of the time.

Does your MES have 2 back panels or just 1 for the heating element?

If you are going to take the time to rewire it you may as well fix the next two problematic issues with an MES failing.
That would be switching out the existing electrical spade connectors with high temp ones.
The existing MES spade connectors are trash and usually corrode away causing failures.
Using these Supco T1111 connectors would do the trick.

 

[tallbm]

Also getting this should help when replacing the connectors on your rollout safety limit switch damage the tabs (making them wiggle). I've only managed 1 time out of about 5 or 6 to replace the safety rollout limit switch without damaging the tabs that the connectors go onto. So having a few backups is well worth it :)

This specific one has the metal frame attached rather than being loose, this is a crucial detail that I think I missed in the last job I worked on and luckily that was the one time I successfully replaced the connectors without damaging the existing rollout limit switch lol. This exact item should avoid my previous issues :)

 

[Bearcarver]

Dang, Tallbm!!
You make it so easy to understand that maybe I could even go to an Auber PID!!!
However my MES still works Great, so I guess I'll wait.
But if it quits, I'll be looking you up!!
Knock on wood---Hope I didn't just Jinx mine!!

Bear

 

[tallbm]

Dang, Tallbm!!
You make it so easy to understand that maybe I could even go to an Auber PID!!!
However my MES still works Great, so I guess I'll wait.
But if it quits, I'll be looking you up!!
Knock on wood---Hope I didn't just Jinx mine!!

Bear

Hahaha thanks!
When the day comes we can get you sorted out, lets just hope it takes a while to get to that day :)

 

[chopsaw]

Dang, Tallbm!!
You make it so easy to understand that maybe I could even go to an Auber PID!!!
However my MES still works Great, so I guess I'll wait.
But if it quits, I'll be looking you up!!
Knock on wood---Hope I didn't just Jinx mine!!

Bear

I'm in the same place . Sounds like a great mod , but mine works great and I know what does . Going on 6 years no trouble . Thanks for the replit's to my question guys .

 

[tallbm]

I'm in the same place . Sounds like a great mod , but mine works great and I know what does . Going on 6 years no trouble . Thanks for the replit's to my question guys .

Yeah if you are running find then I wouldn't fool with it.

I wanted to do bacon, sausage, jerky, etc, I couldn't get over 270F, and I had 35F temp swings that wouldn't cut it for things like sausage so I did my rewire and PID mod. If you don't fall into those categories then you are good to go for sure!

 

[Bearcarver]

Yeah if you are running find then I wouldn't fool with it.

I wanted to do bacon, sausage, jerky, etc, I couldn't get over 270F, and I had 35F temp swings that wouldn't cut it for things like sausage so I did my rewire and PID mod. If you don't fall into those categories then you are good to go for sure!

You don't take it much over about 310°, right?

Bear