Smoking in the snow w/ MES + Maverick 733 (bad idea?)

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plume-o-smoke

Fire Starter
Original poster
Dec 9, 2014
46
20
OK, we have 3" on the ground and up to 9" yet to come. Windy by this afternoon. It's Superbowl Sunday and I have ribs to cook. How concerned should I be about snow messing w/ the electronics?

My plan is to put a plastic bag over the electric control unit on my MES gen 1 and cover that with a towel to keep the bag in place and discourage any meltwater from flowing under the electronic control unit. I will put another towel on top of the smoker to keep meltwater from collecting on top of the smoker. For my Maverick, the plan is to put a Tupperware bowl over it, set it on top of something to keep it elevated a bit. Toss a towell on top to keep it in place.

What do you think? Reasonable precautions, over reacting, not enough?
 
For some reason I think the instuctions said Do Not Use In the Rain, I don't use any power tool in the rain.(snow) The worst that could happen is you are going to be out a smoker and finishing your ribs on the grill or oven. IMHO
 
For future reference to other MES owners... The snow came. Lots of it. The smoke went off fine. The tupperware & towel may have been overkill, but it definitely kept the electronics dry. I'm still not sure how weather resistant these things are.
 
I don't have an MES but the last smoke I did when it was snowing out I did in the garage (with the door open of course) haven't had any problems with doing this. Well except my wife left her window open on her car a smidge and complained about the stale smoke smell in the car the next day. Note to self next time pull cars out.....LOL

I have read also that in the case of snow-and lack a garage. Find a large cardboard box that will completely cover the unit. when covered then put a large plastic trash bag over the box and cut out chimney for the smoke to escape-off to the side so any errant water/snow won't land on the unit. Also weight down the box in case of wind

The garage thing I have done. The box and plastic I have not. Try at your own risk. And as an electrician-Don't do the box and plastic in the rain. Period!

P.S. I have a CO2 detector in my garage to alert me when smoking there. I check it once a month. Never heard it go off while smoking yet.
 
I have a MES 40 that is 4 years old and has been outside on a covered porch or balcony the whole time. It get rained and snowed on all the time,depending on wind, and has never had a problem with the electronics. All this time it has been covered with a Glad Disposable Storage Container held down with a Brick. Nothing in nature can move it and water does not get under it. I don't remember the size but you can fit the MAV under it too...JJ

deep-dish1.png
 
 
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For future reference to other MES owners... The snow came. Lots of it. The smoke went off fine. The tupperware & towel may have been overkill, but it definitely kept the electronics dry. I'm still not sure how weather resistant these things are.
Glad to hear it worked out okay, I use mine in my shed when its cold and snowy.
 
 
I don't have an MES but the last smoke I did when it was snowing out I did in the garage (with the door open of course) haven't had any problems with doing this. Well except my wife left her window open on her car a smidge and complained about the stale smoke smell in the car the next day. Note to self next time pull cars out.....LOL
Or open her car window a little farther, and use it as a Cold Smoker????

Bear
 
 
I don't have an MES but the last smoke I did when it was snowing out I did in the garage (with the door open of course) haven't had any problems with doing this. 
I almost always run my MES in the garage. I don't have to worry about snow (thankfully) but down here in Florida you never know when a thunderstorm will roll in. I place the smoker as far to the edge of the garage as possible where it will still be dry then place a box fan in the garage to blow the smoke out. It works well and keeps everything nice and dry.
 
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