Awhile back I gutted the inside of my gen 2.5 MES40 removing everything and then flipping the heating element to center it in the smoker. (original post here: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...s40-another-possible-mod.242544/#post-1728029)
I am now working on a a new project for this; an IoT PID. As part of my testing of my thermocouple probes and sending data to my webservices, I decided to run a full 1 hour temperature check across the smoker.
First, the setup:
I am now working on a a new project for this; an IoT PID. As part of my testing of my thermocouple probes and sending data to my webservices, I decided to run a full 1 hour temperature check across the smoker.
First, the setup:
- Smoker in the garage so no wind. Ambient temperature of 70 in the garage today.
- Three thermocouple probes in the smoker. Middle one is on an alligator clip connected to the center rack. Other two are meat probes so they are held by foil. All of these are highly accurate and calibrated within .75 degree accuracy.
- Smoker vent on the 2.5 is located on the top left back corner. Vent is wide open.
- Mailbox mod is attached with door closed. No smoke and nothing burning in the AMNPS. (Might run again with smoke but don't expect that to change anything.)
- Smoker is empty except for racks and bottom drip pan.
- Smoker temp is set for 250.
- As I already knew, the built in temp control is off. I used to think it was reading about 10 degrees too high but now I see it's about 20. Won't matter once I get my new controller finished :).
- Like others have notice, when heating up you get an early temperature spike. It appears to level off fully about 30 minutes in but I'm sure ambient temperature and wind would effect this.
- I know others have tested the temperatures across various parts of their smoker and this I think is clear now that gutting this thing and centering the element helps keep those temps closer across the entire unit. At the 46 minute mark you can see the bottom right was 227, middle was 224, and top was 221.