Warning: Beginner Question - MES Temp Check

[dtsdowntosmoke]

Hey everyone. I'm new to smoking and have a MES 30" cabinet style smoker.

I have done 3 or 4 smokes in it, but I'm not sure that the digital temperature guage on the smoker is accurate. For example, I wanted to smoke some tenderloins which I thought would take an hour and a half so. I put them in the smoker turned it on 230*. I came back like 40 minutes later and the loins were up to 180*!!

I'm just thinking that the temperature guage may not be accurate. Is there a way that I can check? I thought I saw a post about something to put on the side of the unit, but I may be wrong.

Thanks,

BB

 

[smoking b]

Yes there is a VERY good chance the factory therm in your MES is off - most are. Mine is off by over 30* at certain temps. I don't go by it I use a Maverick ET-732 from here http://www.amazenproducts.com/   Ended all my troubles tracking temp in both the smoker & the meat I'm smoking...

 

[dward51]

The good news is that once you know how much your MES temps are "off", it tends to stay consistent so you can do some simple math to get to where you want to be. 

So if you find yours is reading 20* low, then set your desired pit temp 20* higher on the display  (if set for 225 and you found the real temp is 205, then just set it for 245 and the real temp should be 225 - just verify with a known good thermometer every couple of smokes).  Once you know the offset amount, it should be consistent. Some are off high, and others off low so the only way to find out your situation is to use a separate thermometer that you know is accurate to determine if your display is accurate or off by how much.

You would think Masterbuilt would have a way to re-calibrate the probes to the controller.

 

[linguica]

My MES 30 runs 20 deg higher than the control indicates. I'm happy with it because i can easily figure actual temp and I have a more versatile cooker with the 20 deg increase.
 

 

[smoking b]

The good news is that once you know how much your MES temps are "off", it tends to stay consistent so you can do some simple math to get to where you want to be. 

So if you find yours is reading 20* low, then set your desired pit temp 20* higher on the display  (if set for 225 and you found the real temp is 205, then just set it for 245 and the real temp should be 225 - just verify with a known good thermometer every couple of smokes).  Once you know the offset amount, it should be consistent. Some are off high, and others off low so the only way to find out your situation is to use a separate thermometer that you know is accurate to determine if your display is accurate or off by how much.

You would think Masterbuilt would have a way to re-calibrate the probes to the controller.

My MES 30 runs 20 deg higher than the control indicates. I'm happy with it because i can easily figure actual temp and I have a more versatile cooker with the 20 deg increase.
 

Mine is not like that - the temp is off by different amounts at different temps. I wish it were consistent but it's not so I just go by my ET-732...