safety roll switch

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$mok!ng

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 12, 2019
35
13
NE Michigan
So my MES30 has a safety roll switch that opens at 150C. which is just over 300F. since I am installing a auber PID do people commonly replace that switch with one that opens at a higher temp? Say 400F? I like the idea of having the switch in place but also want to get the most use out of this smoker and PID. I am sure the 800w heating element will struggle to maintain temps in the frigid winter weather, but she should hold her own during the summer. So is the box capable of internal temps of 350F without causing issues to the wires?
 
Mine sez 275 max but you will need another limit probably 25 degree higher than you want to run it if it is a 1 shot deal, if its auto reset when temp drops you could go lower, not sure what temp the insulation is rated too, I commonly see folks claiming 375 ect with their electric smokers but I have no clue other than my MES thats probably first generation
 
I had one of my MES get up to 325° + before I noticed it, and I could hear the insulation making Crinkling noises inside the walls. Not a good thing to take an MES above 300°.
There's a reason their control only goes to 2 75°.

Bear
 
Thanks for the replies. Interesting that neither normanaj or bearcarvers safety switch didn’t seem to work? Both those temps are over what the stock controller allows as well as the stock safety switch.
 
Thanks for the replies. Interesting that neither normanaj or bearcarvers safety switch didn’t seem to work? Both those temps are over what the stock controller allows as well as the stock safety switch.


The MES model that did it for me was the POS Generation #2 that they gave me to test drive. It went directly to my garage & is sitting there ever since, in case I need any parts for my Outstanding Gen #2.5.

Bear
 
So my MES30 has a safety roll switch that opens at 150C. which is just over 300F. since I am installing a auber PID do people commonly replace that switch with one that opens at a higher temp? Say 400F? I like the idea of having the switch in place but also want to get the most use out of this smoker and PID. I am sure the 800w heating element will struggle to maintain temps in the frigid winter weather, but she should hold her own during the summer. So is the box capable of internal temps of 350F without causing issues to the wires?

Hi there and welcome!

I'm one of the rogue guys that put in a switch that cuts off at 180c/356F... BUT I never go over 325F and I ONLY do 325F on my skin on poultry smokes which are fairly quick for the most part.

The longest poultry smoke I do is just under 4 hours at 325F for like a 20-22 pound turkey.
I put the smoker probe under the bottom rack of the MES and I have removed all of the element cover stuff in my MES, so my temps are read closest to the heating element as I can get and I get the fastest and best temp readings for tight temp control.
I would never place the probe higher in this 325F case because that would mean the lower part of the smoker was getting much hotter than 325F if the probe was higher up.

So it can be done but it takes using some good sense and discipline to not ruin the insulation in your MES. If this is not something you want to worry about following on a 325F smoke then it's best not to put in a higher than stock switch :)

I hope this info help.
 
Over time and getting to true 275°+ the Mes will swell and expand, cracking the top and bottom plastic door caps. My smokers have a slight pillsbury dough boy swollen look top and back. Lol
 
Interesting that neither normanaj or bearcarvers safety switch didn’t seem to work?

That's not necessarily true.It'll work when the built-in probe reads above 275 and that probe is built in to the back wall.

When I measure chamber temp I'm placing the probe right next to where I'll be putting food so as to get a truly accurate temp which is usually right in the middle of the chamber.

When my 30 is full I'm lucky if I can get it near 275.
 
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I had one of my MES get up to 325° + before I noticed it, and I could hear the insulation making Crinkling noises inside the walls. Not a good thing to take an MES above 300°.
There's a reason their control only goes to 2 75°.

Bear
Good reason to make sure your thermal cut-off switch is still incorporated with any control mod.
 
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