"Time" button on my 40" digital electric smoker not workin so it wont power on

[R Cubed]

The time set button on the cntrl panel has been a Lil bit reluctant bout responding to finger presses and has now decided to quit responding entirely. I've tried Gentle and rough, various sides etc. Have unplugged fer a minute several times to no avail.
Now the temp set button is showing signs of Goin down the same path.
Read about a PID upgrade but saw the $150 cost which is a little outta my reach @the moment, car went tits-up and I'm on a "fixed income" i.e. poor.
Took the two screws off the back of the controller before I was interrupted; honey, could you..., discovered that I'll hafta take sumthin else apart to disconnect it.
Sorry, I do tend to ramble,
My question to y'all is:
Anyone have probs with the buttons on the cntrl unit?
Any solutions, is it fixable w/out replacing/ upgrading? Work around(s)?
Thanx Fer takin the time to read and, hopefully, respond.

Thanx agin
Take care
Roger

p.s. is this the correct forum for this type of post?

 

[JLeonard]

We have lots of folks that use the MES that will be along to help ya out. As far as the right forum, if it needs to be moved one of the mods will be through and move it over.

Jim

 

[mosparky]

Might work from the remote if you have or can get one.

 

[tallbm]

The time set button on the cntrl panel has been a Lil bit reluctant bout responding to finger presses and has now decided to quit responding entirely. I've tried Gentle and rough, various sides etc. Have unplugged fer a minute several times to no avail.
Now the temp set button is showing signs of Goin down the same path.
Read about a PID upgrade but saw the $150 cost which is a little outta my reach @the moment, car went tits-up and I'm on a "fixed income" i.e. poor.
Took the two screws off the back of the controller before I was interrupted; honey, could you..., discovered that I'll hafta take sumthin else apart to disconnect it.
Sorry, I do tend to ramble,
My question to y'all is:
Anyone have probs with the buttons on the cntrl unit?
Any solutions, is it fixable w/out replacing/ upgrading? Work around(s)?
Thanx Fer takin the time to read and, hopefully, respond.

Thanx agin
Take care
Roger

p.s. is this the correct forum for this type of post?

Hi there and welcome!
It sucks to hear things breaking down on you. There might be an option I can think of for you though.

If you can find a MES replacement controller that would work but since the pandemic finding parts is damn near impossible.

You mention that a PID is a little too costly so that isn't immediately an option.

The only other thing I can think of is to use something like a Rheostat controller, but you would still need to do the simple rewire to your MES.

This one is like $21 on Amazon and the specs are enough to support your smoker:

https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Variable-Rheostat-Regulator-Motors-15A/dp/B0BXJ4HJ6Q/ref=d_sims_dp_d_dex_ai_speed_sccl_2_4/147-2716262-8520240?pd_rd_w=HlAQI&content-id=amzn1.sym.853a9a74-21fd-4238-bb8a-c69ad29e346d&pf_rd_p=853a9a74-21fd-4238-bb8a-c69ad29e346d&pf_rd_r=5THH9G64EK62D27XZ0XX&pd_rd_wg=LwsrV&pd_rd_r=2394328c-684f-4ffc-94d3-37eb30ca83b3&pd_rd_i=B0BXJ4HJ6Q&psc=1

You would need to use a bbq thermometer to measure the temp inside the smoker and then turn this knob (fiddle with it) until you got into your temp range. It would do the trick to keep you going but not sure how precise it will be to hit and hold.

I hope this info helps :)

 

[JC in GB]

The time set button on the cntrl panel has been a Lil bit reluctant bout responding to finger presses and has now decided to quit responding entirely. I've tried Gentle and rough, various sides etc. Have unplugged fer a minute several times to no avail.
Now the temp set button is showing signs of Goin down the same path.
Read about a PID upgrade but saw the $150 cost which is a little outta my reach @the moment, car went tits-up and I'm on a "fixed income" i.e. poor.
Took the two screws off the back of the controller before I was interrupted; honey, could you..., discovered that I'll hafta take sumthin else apart to disconnect it.
Sorry, I do tend to ramble,
My question to y'all is:
Anyone have probs with the buttons on the cntrl unit?
Any solutions, is it fixable w/out replacing/ upgrading? Work around(s)?
Thanx Fer takin the time to read and, hopefully, respond.

Thanx agin
Take care
Roger

p.s. is this the correct forum for this type of post?

If you can do basic electrical wiring, you can wire your own PID control set up for under $50.

For example:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255801084932883.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.21.cadd3d55Rnbjd6&algo_pvid=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a&algo_exp_id=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a-10&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%219.07%219.07%21%21%219.07%21%21%40210318b816914321811874231e203c%21-1%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=s5BzubdCvBP5

I use this type of controller for all my thermal control projects. They are readily available, work great, and are inexpensive.



More information here:

PID Controller Tutorial and Build Information

Good day all. It was suggested that I start up a PID controller tutorial thread. Sounded like a good idea to me so, here I am. What is a PID in the first place? P - Proportional I - Integral D - Derivative These parameters describe gain formulas. Gain determines how fast and how hard your...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

JC

 

[dr k]

These membrane switches delaminate in heat and humidity so for the rear mounted controller on Mes 30 and 40 I place it on top of the smoker away from the top vent's smoke and water vapor and I disconnect the two pin connectors and bring it inside just like disconnecting my plug and play PID Auber every smoke. These electronic boards with an opening in the underside of the controller don't have a conformal debris/water vapor coating. I have three OEM spare controllers I use on my Mes 30 that is from my Mes 40 bc the part #'s are identical for the controllers. All use a rf controller that just failed last week, only had one rf remote, so I'm with manual entering on the controller. One controller turns off when turning the light on. One controller turns off if hitting the meat temp probe button. The one I use regularly is fine so I'll just cull them as they fail since I have a good Mes 30 with getting to temp set with low over/under coasting on smaller smokes. I'll switch to the Auber plug and play PID when all controllers fail. Once you get a PID you'll never buy a new Mes. The Mes 30 was free on FB Marketplace and the thermal safety switch wires burned up and I had it running in 30 minutes after bypassing the toasted thermal switch. All electronics should come inside the a/c when warm from being used so the dry air has way less humidity to condense indoors vs a potential 70*+ dew point outside that'll have condensation on the PCB board in the controller, corroding and shorting traces so my light on one and meat probe button on the other shorts to off. I wouldn't even keep it in a detached garage. I'd get it in the a/c when warm from using it. This Mes OEMcontroller is five years old. The rf remote failed. The PID controller is five as well.

 

[R Cubed]

If you can do basic electrical wiring, you can wire your own PID control set up for under $50.

For example:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255801084932883.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.21.cadd3d55Rnbjd6&algo_pvid=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a&algo_exp_id=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a-10&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%219.07%219.07%21%21%219.07%21%21%40210318b816914321811874231e203c%21-1%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=s5BzubdCvBP5

I use this type of controller for all my thermal control projects. They are readily available, work great, and are inexpensive.

View attachment 672898

More information here:

PID Controller Tutorial and Build Information

Good day all. It was suggested that I start up a PID controller tutorial thread. Sounded like a good idea to me so, here I am. What is a PID in the first place? P - Proportional I - Integral D - Derivative These parameters describe gain formulas. Gain determines how fast and how hard your...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

JC

sounds good. Very kind off you to help out, and so quickly!
thank you

 

[R Cubed]

If you can do basic electrical wiring, you can wire your own PID control set up for under $50.

For example:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255801084932883.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.21.cadd3d55Rnbjd6&algo_pvid=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a&algo_exp_id=af31b8f0-31a0-43d1-8c42-a999686d629a-10&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%219.07%219.07%21%21%219.07%21%21%40210318b816914321811874231e203c%21-1%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=s5BzubdCvBP5

I use this type of controller for all my thermal control projects. They are readily available, work great, and are inexpensive.

View attachment 672898

More information here:

PID Controller Tutorial and Build Information

Good day all. It was suggested that I start up a PID controller tutorial thread. Sounded like a good idea to me so, here I am. What is a PID in the first place? P - Proportional I - Integral D - Derivative These parameters describe gain formulas. Gain determines how fast and how hard your...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

JC

too cool! thank you. gonna take a few min.s to check out all that info

take care
Roger

 

[70sdiver]

These membrane switches delaminate in heat and humidity so for the rear mounted controller on Mes 30 and 40 I place it on top of the smoker away from the top vent's smoke and water vapor and I disconnect the two pin connectors and bring it inside just like disconnecting my plug and play PID Auber every smoke. These electronic boards with an opening in the underside of the controller don't have a conformal debris/water vapor coating. I have three OEM spare controllers I use on my Mes 30 that is from my Mes 40 bc the part #'s are identical for the controllers. All use a rf controller that just failed last week, only had one rf remote, so I'm with manual entering on the controller. One controller turns off when turning the light on. One controller turns off if hitting the meat temp probe button. The one I use regularly is fine so I'll just cull them as they fail since I have a good Mes 30 with getting to temp set with low over/under coasting on smaller smokes. I'll switch to the Auber plug and play PID when all controllers fail. Once you get a PID you'll never buy a new Mes. The Mes 30 was free on FB Marketplace and the thermal safety switch wires burned up and I had it running in 30 minutes after bypassing the toasted thermal switch. All electronics should come inside the a/c when warm from being used so the dry air has way less humidity to condense indoors vs a potential 70*+ dew point outside that'll have condensation on the PCB board in the controller, corroding and shorting traces so my light on one and meat probe button on the other shorts to off. I wouldn't even keep it in a detached garage. I'd get it in the a/c when warm from using it. This Mes OEMcontroller is five years old. The rf remote failed. The PID controller is five as well.

View attachment 672940

Or just get a new control from Amazon 2 minutes to change out and around 35.00