Sonny Scores a Smokehouse!

[SonnyE]

A new member here decided to give away his defunct MES 40 Gen1 Smokehouse.
So Sonny offers to haul it away. We texted and make a pick up time, and I was glad to haul it away.
It appears to have been a well loved and well used smoke box till the controller crapped for the second and final time.
That's fine with me. I had a cold smoker box in mind.
So as expected the controller on this good old smoker is belly up. But not the element....
Justin and I loaded it up and home it came.
I cleaned the window in the door with a single blade razor, steel wool, and Windex. Then went to work bypassing the defunct controls to run it with my Inkbird PID controller.
It hopped right to life, and I watched it find my cold smoking range real fast.
Right now it's soaking at a 100° C setting just to see how it goes. In time it made it up to temp. But there is a cold wind blowing outside.
I'm satisfied it will do with the Inkbird, and an AMNPS to do sm00ken.
Now I can smoken a Hambutt.
I want to tear out the tin trash from the chip feeder so it can simply have the Mod Box plugged in for the smoke source.


(At 98° C )

 

[gmc2003]

Nice score Sonny. I hope your thanked him/her.

Point for sure.
Chris

 

[SonnyE]

Of course, Chris.
He has a BBQ, and another smoker on his patio.
Didn't see it up close, but think it's a Propane item, or maybe a Pellet pooper.
But he wanted this old soldier to go to a good home.
It Has, and will be well loved here. Retired to cold smoking specialties.
It got a warm up today. Tomorrow after finishing touches, I hope to do my Disco's Back Bacon in it.
It even has a remote control, but the OEM control is Kaput. Still has a lot of good left in it though.
One Man's trash, is another Man's Treasure.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Sonny, glad to see you gave that smoker a good home.

 

[pc farmer]

Thats awesome Sonny. Rehabbin a smoker

 

[SonnyE]

Thats awesome Sonny. Rehabbin a smoker

Not much to it for me, Adam. And I already had the Inkbird PID ready
Today I plan to clean the shelves, strip out the chip feeder tin, and Smoke my piece of Disco' Back (Canadian) Bacon.
I'm pretty sure my Mailbox Mod will plug right into the MB Smokehouse, and away we go!

 

[runswithbeer]

what model inkbird is that. I have a brand new mes 40s I brought DOA. they are sending me a new controller, but I am ready to do the conversion right away.
RWB

 

[SonnyE]

what model inkbird is that. I have a brand new mes 40s I brought DOA. they are sending me a new controller, but I am ready to do the conversion right away.
RWB

Here Ya Go! Inkbird PID Controller, with 40 amp SS Relay and K Type Thermocouple.
I bought it off Ebay, then built it into a NEMA 4 PVC junction box from Lowe's.
I used a square receptacle because it would be easier to make the mounting hole in the box. But really, just a pigtail would work as well.
I wanted mine plug connected so I could move it from one to another items.

On the MES 40, underneath is a smallish box with 8 pop rivets. Drill out 7 of the pop rivets, rotate the cover and gasket out of the way to expose the control PC board.
Find a Black Box where the black wire from the OEM cord connects. There are only 2 wires, both black. Connect those 2 wires together.
Do NOT mess with the white wires! No need to. The white wires are the Neutral wires, but more importantly, they incorporate the Over Temp Klixon disc that is a safety device.

If you, or someone else, plugs the Smokers cord in without the PID, it will heat up uncontrolled until the over temperature disc snaps open and shuts off the neutral (White wire) side of the circuit.
The smoker will reach 325 to 400° F in this condition. NOT GOOD! It Bar-B-Ques the insulation and wiring. But is in the circuit to help prevent a fire.

Pop rivet the lid back in place, or use small machine screws and nuts. That keeps the electrics dry, and bugs out.

In testing, my MES 40 modified, achieved set temperature quickly. But at 100° C, it took some time. However, once reached, when it stabilized it operated in a very tight band, 98° C to 100° C. (208° F to 212° F)

 

[runswithbeer]

thanks, sonnyE, that is what I am looking for. I might have to bug you a few times with questions. i'll try to keep them short.
RWB

 

[SonnyE]

thanks, sonnyE, that is what I am looking for. I might have to bug you a few times with questions. i'll try to keep them short.
RWB

Ask anything you want and I'll explain it. These Masterbuilts are pretty simple.
PM's (Conversation) is a better way for me to see your message.
If you want to retain yours as a dual purpose, since a new controller is coming, do a switch across the relay I described.
Switch closed (ON) is bypass. Switch open (OFF) is normal (controller controlling the heat).
Better shown HERE where I modified my MES 30 for low temperature (Cold) smoking.

 

[buzzy]

Sonny nice deal for u & way to recycle. Helps slow now the growth of Magic Mountain. ( landfill). Score for sure!!