New MES --Help!!

[srkays]

Just got my new MES Digital Electrical (No window/No Bluetooth) Smoker.

Followed instructions on seasoning it.

1.  Set to 275F for 3 hours.

 

[srkays]

(Didn't finish the post...new to electric smoking)

2.  After 2 hours 15 minutes I added chips so it would smoke last 45 minutes.

After almost 30 minutes, I still DO NOT see any smoke coming out of the smoker.  Digital readout still shows around 275F.  Chips were dry hickory and cherry (mix). 

How long does it take MES to get one load of chips to start smoking?

I can see once they do start smoking it would be easy enough to add every 30 minutes or so to keep the smoke going...existing chip embers igniting/heating up new chips to smoke relatively quickly.

Is there a technique to get the chips smoking or does first batch of chips take an inordinate amount of time to start smoking.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Don't want to insult you but...Did you Dump the loader into the Chip Tray? Folks have neglected this and got no smoke. Look to see if the drawer was assembled properly, nothing between the coil and chip pan. Limit the amount of chips added to a dozen,1/2C...JJ

 

[srkays]

I confirmed chips were in the tray when I checked this morning.  No chip pieces laying around outside of the chip tray or on the bottom of the smoker.

Recap from seasoning effort last evening:

1.  Set temp and time:  275F for 3 hrs.

2.  With 45 minutes remaining, put a load of chips in the feeder and dumped in the tray.

3.  With temp still around 275F, I did not see any smoke until around 30 minutes after dumping chips in.

4.  After the 3 hrs were up, I added an addtional small amount of chips and restarted the MES at 275F for another 30 minutes to ensure I got steady smoke in the MES for 45 minutes.

5.  Shut down and let cool overnight.

6.  Inside of the smoker was fairly clean.  Not really any sign of smoke coating on the interior metal.

Checked the chip tray this morning and found the chips were 'blackened', still relatively the same size, i.e., very little ash.  So I assume the chips were burning/smouldering very slowly, much less than use to with my previous Masterbuilt 40" propane.

This sound normal to you?

 

[browneyesvictim]

A few things to consider...

On the control panel there should be a red light that comes on when the heating element is switched on by the thermostat. When the thermostat is satisfied the element will switch off and the light will go out. This is all normal. But realize that the element is what you are relying on to start the chips smoldering to produce smoke unlike you are used to with your propane smoker. Once the smoker is up to temp the element does not need to come on as much to maintain the heat, therefore the chips tend to not get going as fast AFTER the unit is up to temp. Try putting chips in earlier when the unit is coming up to temp and the light stays on to get your chips going quicker.

Many of us use a smoke generator such as an Amazen instead of using the chip tray and loader anyway. This is one of the benefits- is to avoid this above scenario and provide a more continuous longer controlled smoke.

Do you have an external thermometer you can use to verify the unit is actually seeing 275' such as a Maverick? Its good to know how accurate your smoker thermostat is anyway. There are some that have been known to be off quite a bit.

Leave your top vent wide open

Don't soak your chips

 

[srkays]

Appreciate the feedback.

I sent the company that makes the smoke generator that uses 'pellets' and asked a couple of questions.

If I remove the MES chip tray, can the metal smoke generator containing the pellets rest right on top of the MES heating coil?  And that said, could I also just wrap some chips in aluminum foil, punch some holes in it and set it on top of the heating coil?

Again, appreciate the quick feedback and techniques.

 

[browneyesvictim]

I just responded to your other thread you have going on the same subject. Don't put anything on your heating coil. Put the AMNPS on the rods to the left of the chip tray. No need to put any additional aluminum foil pouches in there if you are using the Amazen. Here is a pic. You can see the Amazen has burned all the pellets during a cold smoke. I had the square chip tray out but I did have a drip pan above it on top of the shield to catch the drips. If you don't use a pan, drippings will fall in your Amazen an it will go out.

Bucky-0000.jpg

• browneyesvictim
• Sep 2, 2016

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yes it is possible that the empty smoker was up to temp and held it well. The coil will not turn on until the unit sees a 10-15° drop from set point so the chips will take awhile to ignite in a hot smoker. It really takes several short smokes or a couple long smokes to see any appreciable color change on the walls. With the additional info, sounds like all is normal. You are good to go making your Q...JJ

 

[texas mathew]

Sounds like you might not be getting enough air flow. Do you have the flow dampener fully open? Maybe put a fan blowing at the chip loader. When I installed my Cold Smoke attachment, I noticed the flow decreased a little bit.

 

[srkays]

Is this an older MES 30" smoker?  Interior doesn't look like mine.

I have the latest one with the smoke vent back on the top rather than the side.

Also...I purchased the stand for the MES 30" (not the leg stand), and later found out it was not compatible with the latest MES 30".  The resized electronics bulge on the bottom of the smoker does not fit in the cutout at the top of the stand.  I sent it back and purchased the 'legs' stand, which also has rollers/wheels on one side while the one I returned didn't.

 

[srkays]

Sounds like I need to put the chips in prior to starting the MES 30".  That way the heating element will stay on until the unit reaches the desired temperature.  Or, I can always put the chips in chips in the chip feeder tube, hold one of those long BBQ butane lighters to the chips and get them heated and smoking prior to dropping them into the chip tray.

 

[srkays]

I appreciate everyone's response to my questions and concerns.  Appears I hooked up with a great smoker forum with some experienced folks that have gone through the learning curve.  Thank you

 

[browneyesvictim]

 
Is this an older MES 30" smoker?  Interior doesn't look like mine.

I have the latest one with the smoke vent back on the top rather than the side.

Also...I purchased the stand for the MES 30" (not the leg stand), and later found out it was not compatible with the latest MES 30".  The resized electronics bulge on the bottom of the smoker does not fit in the cutout at the top of the stand.  I sent it back and purchased the 'legs' stand, which also has rollers/wheels on one side while the one I returned didn't.

Yes. It is a new Gen 1 Masterbuilt Elite Digital 30 (Model 20070910) Top Controller. The vent does go out the top on this one also. But it sounds like you have a Gen 2 20070213 model and the configuration is a little different with an angled drip tray and water pan like this:

Masterbuilt yours.jpg

• browneyesvictim
• Sep 21, 2016

If I were you, I would place the lit AMNPS on top of the square hole in the angled drip tray, and take the water pan/catch pan out and set it on the floor below to catch any drips but allow better air flow for the AMNPS. But you will need to make a tent or some other cover on top of the AMNPS to keep the drips out of it

 
Sounds like I need to put the chips in prior to starting the MES 30".  That way the heating element will stay on until the unit reaches the desired temperature.  Or, I can always put the chips in chips in the chip feeder tube, hold one of those long BBQ butane lighters to the chips and get them heated and smoking prior to dropping them into the chip tray.

 
I appreciate everyone's response to my questions and concerns.  Appears I hooked up with a great smoker forum with some experienced folks that have gone through the learning curve.  Thank you

You're Welcome! Lots of good stuff here!