MES40 problem

[hillbilly69]

Good morning everyone. This morning I was preheating my MES40 to do some baby backs and my smoker was only able to reach 185 degrees when set at 275. My element appears to be in good working condition as I am getting a good red glow from it. I know with these units there are temperature differentials but this seems a bit extreme so I can only assume I am missing something. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on the problem? Thanks.

 

[Bearcarver]

#1. Where are you getting that 185° measurement?
#2 With what Therm are you getting that reading?
#3. Is there anything blocking air flow above the Heat sensor on the back wall?
#4 Was the Sun out, and was the Window in the door facing the Sun?

Bear

 

[hillbilly69]

Hi Bear. I am using a Maverick Redi Chek and I have the internal temperature probe located on the middle rack, Using one of your recommendations, I did place a piece of piece of metal over the right side of the smoker to try and cook everything more evenly. As for the sun I would imagine it is a non-issue. The smoker is in a covered area and not exposed to the sun.

 

[Bearcarver]

Where I have my MES is on my covered front porch.
And the only time the Sun affects my MES 40 is in the Spring, Winter, and Fall, because then the Sun is low enough in the sky to shine through the Smoker door Window onto the sensor on the back wall, fooling the MES sensor into thinking the Smoker has reached the heat setting, and shutting it down at a lower actual Temp.
So when it's sunny out, I lean a piece of plywood on the front of my MES, except in the Summer when the Sun is high in the sky & can't get to my smoker window.

That Heat deflector doesn't hurt anything. Only things that cover most of the width of the smoker effect it. There has to be a couple inches of open area all around, and some in the interior area. This is usually when people cover too much with Foil Pans or foil.
I once had 2 foil pans on one rack, both 9 X 12, and my heating was all screwed up until I moved one.

Bear

 

[hillbilly69]

After having a closer look I think perhaps the metal plate I have covering the right side of the smoker may be a bit too big. I didn't realize there should be an inch of clearance on all sides so I will get it trimmed a bit and hopefully that will resolve the problem. Thanks Bear. As always, great advice.

 

[normanaj]

Looks like Bear solved your issue!

 

[Bearcarver]

After having a closer look I think perhaps the metal plate I have covering the right side of the smoker may be a bit too big. I didn't realize there should be an inch of clearance on all sides so I will get it trimmed a bit and hopefully that will resolve the problem. Thanks Bear. As always, great advice.

If that deflector plate is raised higher on the left than the right, it doesn't matter if the lower right end is close to the right wall, because the air flow will go uphill to the left, due to heat rising to the higher side of the deflector plate.
Anything laying flat on any of the racks has to have air flow space around it.

Bear

 

[hillbilly69]

Thanks again, Bear. I will experiment with placing something in the water bowl to elevate that side of the plate.

And thanks, normanaj. The plate seems to be the issue.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks again, Bear. I will experiment with placing something in the water bowl to elevate that side of the plate.

And thanks, normanaj. The plate seems to be the issue.

When I needed the defector plate in my Gen #1 MES, all I did was fold up a Foil pan into a bunch of folds to make it strong, and then bend it into a "V", and put that in the water pan upside down, to support the left end of the Plate. Then sliding it to the right would raise the left end, and sliding it to the left would lower the left end.

Bear

 

[hillbilly69]

Perfect. Great suggestion. Thanks.