Vent location on MES 40 2.0 vs MES 40 2.5

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lesk

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2016
14
10
North Richland Hills, Texas
I noticed some of the new MES 40 Elite smokers have the vent on the top  of the smoker on the left hand side..I have a earlier version where the vent is on the left hand side of the smoker. Any ideas on which vent location is better?  I am not above relocating the vent from the side to the top if it makes that much if a difference. I use a Mail box mod with 9x9 AMNPS pellet tray that works awesome. 
 
Seems the vent on top performs somewhat better than on the side...   HOWEVER, folks have added a 90 deg. elbow to the side exhaust and it has shown some improvement....  Is there a specific condition you are trying to improve upon....  
 
I was just curious about the positioning of the vent after viewing some smokers with it on top..I might have to try the 90 degree tube just to see if it helps with drawing the smoke from my mailbox mod thru the smoker..also, are you having any temp issues with your MES? My smoker on the middle 2 racks is 20 degrees lower than the set temp..?
 
Use a calibrated cabled therm to check for the real temps in your MES.....  If you have 2, you can check front and back.....   top and bottom....  and combinations of those.....
 
Seems the vent on top performs somewhat better than on the side...   HOWEVER, folks have added a 90 deg. elbow to the side exhaust and it has shown some improvement....  Is there a specific condition you are trying to improve upon....  

Dave do you why the added 90 elbow helps with the draft. If one were to add the elbow do you remove the damper on he side of the unit and rig something on the 90 elbow to control th draft?Thanks in advance.
 
The elbow adds height to the "chimney" effect...  also removes the smokers susceptibility to side winds and back drafting...  even my MES 30, with a soup can on top of the smokers exhaust, the air flow is improved with a 5" tall can.....

If you can, remove the stuff they stick inside the exhaust...  put the elbow in...     there is not much need for exhaust control...  

While adding smoke to the meat, you want the exhaust wide open....  I close down my exhaust when I'm done with the smoke, usually 2-4 hours, then close the exhaust down +/- 90% to make the smoker into an oven like is in the kitchen... 

A soup can lid with a hole drilled in it worked for me...   When storing your smoker, you ALWAYS want air flow through it, so mold does not form...

  Inlet and exhaust open....

....
 
The elbow adds height to the "chimney" effect...  also removes the smokers susceptibility to side winds and back drafting...  even my MES 30, with a soup can on top of the smokers exhaust, the air flow is improved with a 5" tall can.....

If you can, remove the stuff they stick inside the exhaust...  put the elbow in...     there is not much need for exhaust control...  
While adding smoke to the meat, you want the exhaust wide open....  I close down my exhaust when I'm done with the smoke, usually 2-4 hours, then close the exhaust down +/- 90% to make the smoker into an oven like is in the kitchen... 

A soup can lid with a hole drilled in it worked for me...   When storing your smoker, you ALWAYS want air flow through it, so mold does not form...
  Inlet and exhaust open....

....
Thanks!
 
FY!:

The Top vented Gen #2 came out late, actually about the same time as the first Gen 2.5 came out.

This was after Masterbuilt got wind of the blow-back problems of the Side vent in the original Gen #2.

We told them 7 years ago that the Gen #1 would be better if the top vent was on the top left, instead of the top right (Gen #1's only problem), but we never said to put it in the left side wall.

Now they got it right & it works Great in the Gen 2.5.

Bear
 
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