Problem with my MES 30

[smokinginmaine]

Has anyone ever had a problem where when you plug the smoker in, it begins to make a clicking noise in temp controller and will not fire up. Please tell me my smoker can be saved... it's only 2 years old. It's too young to die!

 

[daveomak]

SmokingInMaine, Morning.... I have not heard of that problem...  If you have the skills and tools, try to isolate the "problem"....

Has it been stored outside in the weather ??? If yes, then I am at a loss....   If no.....then....

First unplug the smoker... Remove the small cover plate at the lower back of the smoker and check the wiring on the element to see if it is corroded....  Then report back for more advice..... Dave

 

[fpnmf]

Clean the two sensors inside the smoker..

Are you using an extension cord??

Craig

 

[SmokinAl]

That's a new one. Be interesting to see what the cause is.

 

[smokinginmaine]

I'm pretty sure the problem was with the extension cord. Moved it closer to the house and plugged directly into the outlet with no problem.
 

 

[daveomak]

SIM, morning and glad you found the problem and got the smoker going again...  I hope it didn't take this long to fix it....  Being without a smoker for 9 months would be a terribly painful thing to endure...    Dave

 

[tennsmoker]

Good morning y'all,

the reason for my reply "is not" to dispute" the cord being the problem which it could have very well been!! bad cord...

I smoked a batch of trail Bologna starting at approx 1:30pm yesterday finishing about 10:30pm (IT 165) with my MES30 & an extension cord at least 50 feet long or longer and the smoker never stopped.

Now you ask why would I be using an extension cord (actually 2 plugged together) that long? Well I had no choice, #1 my MES30 is usually located on the main deck attached to the house and I smoke with a 10' exten cord all the time but the other half is staining the deck right now, so I had to move the grill and smoker to the small deck which is about 30 or 40 ft from the house, she wouldn't let me plug into the closet outlet (cord would go across the deck) so had to use the fartherest one away.

Well, I went around the world but I wouldn't think an extension cord length was not the problem. unless it was 2 or 3 hundred feet long!!

Smokinginmaine I would check that cord and let us know If in fact that was the problem!!

Al

 

[tennsmoker]

WOW!!  just noticed that Smokinginmaine originally posted this problem Dec 30, 2011 and answered it today!!

  I may have to wait 9 months, 4 hours and 17 min before I get an answer on that cord!!  

al

 

[tennsmoker]

I just had to go out and measure my extension cord that I used last nite on my MES30 & it was 150 feet long "one hundred and fifty" there were 3 plugged together. It was easy to measure because I am using it right now in the back yard building my smoke house running a table saw, jig saw and cutoff saw.

Hope this info helps when researching smoker's, extension cord's,  etc

Al

 

[deltadude]

Not all extension cords are equal.  I list in my new own tips not to use an extension cord, unless 12 ga, some 14 ga cords work fine too.  However some cords listed as 14 ga have not worked, I have one of them, it will not work it is 50' long.  Several have confirmed problems with extension cords, yet others say their MES works fine using a cord.  So best answer buy a 12 ga, they are NOT cheap, but you know it will work.  Best of all you can use that cord to run heavy equipment like a duty table saw.