We found removing the control panel when the smoker is not in use and keeping it in the house eliminated the common problem associated with these smokers. The circuit board gets ruined by humidity, condensation and rain. It is not weatherproof. Thank you for this video. I am certain it has saved folks a lot of money.
I had 2 large heritage breed black turkeys deboned and dry-brined for 2 days ready to smoke when my MB electric smoker control panel would not let me set a time... therefore, it would not heat to cook my birds. I tried this fix and it worked beautifully. My smoker still wouldn't heat then I discovered that the wire connecting to the heating element was off... so, I soldered that back too. Took a lot of MacGuyver'ing, but I was able to smoke those rolled turkeys for 6.5 hours and they came out beautiful. Thanks, Alaska Granny... you saved my day and you're pretty hot too.
Thank you. Your fix worked like a charm. Robert’s idea for storing controller separate also an excellent idea. Florida Grandpa. Lots of humidity here. Making smoked mussels to munch on during the football games today.
I did this and it worked! thanks for putting this on TH-cam! I went ahead and removed the screws holding the board to the front panel and also cleaned the inside of the cover, and cleaned the buttons themselves with WD-40.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. I put a turkey in last night and then the smoker would not stay running and was clicking just like yours. Your fix saved the day. It ran for 12 hours overnight with no issues.
Thank you, I'm using a friends smoker and it started monkeying up. Your video saved the day. Now I can finish this beef jerky clean and return this one. Then get a new one for myself. Maybe a different brand.
I tried to turn my smoker on for the Thanksgiving Day turkey and it had the same issue. What a downer! his fix worked and able to start smoking. Thank you so much for posting this!!
Truck worked! I was having trouble getting the display to show anything (I heard the power on beep It does when you plug It in). I Just tried this quick trick and It worked!
We had a pork shoulder in all night smoking and when I went out to bump up the temperature in the morning and when I pushed the temperature button it shut the whole machine off. After watching this video, it fixed the problem! Thank you!
I had exactly the same problem today. Used electrical contact cleaner & air from my compressor. Had the Masterbuilt running again in 10 min. Thanks Alaska Granny!!!
Thank you for this bit of information. Between you and two other videos I was able to get my smoker working again. You’re an amazing woman. This evening I’m gonna watch more of your channel
Great video, AlaskaGranny! For what it's worth, I didn't have WD40 or compressed air handy. I was in a time crunch, so I just crossed my fingers and blew the dryest air I could muster up into that control panel. The Rib Gods smiled down upon me, and granted me passage. Controller works now, and I reattached that sucker backwards so it doesn't get as steamy/smokey during my cooks. Good luck!
YES! This worked! Thanks so much. I already had the ribs opened & was just getting the smoker ready & it wouldn't let me set the heat. Total life (more like dinner LOL) saver!
Thanks for this tip. I was able to detach the controller but the four little screws are rusted (wonder how many millions in profit they made by using steel screws and that require a smaller screwdriver, design engineers are nuts). Any tips on how to deal with this or am I screwed? Also, why don't they waterproof this key component? Too hard for them, I guess.
Thank you very much for this video. It is exactly what I needed to see. I had the same problem with my Masterbuilt and agree. "It is what it is". Will give your fix a try. Carry On Madam.
I hope this works for you. I have since bought a new basic Masterbuilt unit. Here is a video on what I have now. th-cam.com/video/7weoJVM_DiQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks grangran, I had this issue... I found that smoker got some condensation under the electronic hood. I'd recommend using a hairdryer - I have to discourage the use of wd-40 however.
This is a known issue with this model and similar smoker models with the controller mounted on the top. Moisture works past the thermostat and into the back of the case, from there, the warm moist air rises and comes out the top of the smoker. It then collects in the smoker controller and shorts out the control board. The wd-40 or other water repellant helps keep the condensation from shorting out the control board. It's a design flaw. I moved my controller so the warm moist air can freely escape. Not the most elegant, but it keeps the moisture out of the controller.
Tried your fix AlaskaGranny and it worked or should I say it is working right now. I'm not too sure the WD40 does anything on the circuit board or the compressed air does anything there as well. I think the actual issue is in the connector(s). This area is subjected to moisture. When you take the control panel off and removing the connectors, you are probably swiping the dirty pins in the connectors and getting them clean by that action. Next time I'll just try doing that and see what happens. I did spray the connector with WD40 and compressed air so that has a cleaning affect on the connector pins. But, if it wasn't for your video, I probably would be ordering up a new smoker vs. typing this in the comments section. Thanks for the tip. BTW, my smoker has been sitting out in the cold, snow, rain for 4 ½ years. I do have a cover but that's about it. When I am smoking and a rain comes up, all I do is put a pan over the controller to try to keep it dry.
Well, I figured there was no way the WD-40 would fix my smoker, but 15 minutes and 3 shots of WD, 1 on the panel, and 1 on each half of the electrical connectors.... guess what??? IT WORKS AGAIN!!! MANY THANKS!!!
Thank you so much!! It’s Thanksgiving day and my panel wasn’t working so tried your solution and dinner will be late but will be a turkey breast 😊!!!!!
will this work if i cant see the numbers on my display anymore? if not does anyone know how to set the temp and time again without being able to see it? i used to know how many times to hit certain buttons to get to desired temp but i dont remember what the starting temp is when u turn it on.
I have the same smoker and issue. Before doing all that, sometimes just unscrewing the control panel and letting it sit on top of the smoker is all you need to do.
Thanks for this! Curious if this has been a long-term fix for all of you? Applied it today - didn't have WD40, but has a WD40 electrical switch cleaner so used that instead. Turned it on once and it worked, but time will tell the next time I try to smoke something. Tried it again today, a day after the fix, and the smoker turned on and I was able to adjust temps and cook time. I don't have anything to smoke right now so it will be a few days until I can try an actual smoke, but things look good for now. Thanks for posting what looks like will be an effective fix.
This fix does not make any sense.. But it seems to work for all of you. My guess is some cold or loose solder joints on the control board. Maybe the wd40 helps make the electrical connection... Scratching head.
I had the same problem with my controller and it turns out it was caused my used wet wood chips causing condensation to enter the control panel..never a problem when using dry chips.
The Masterbuilt smokers are good EXCEPT all of these digital controls are CRAP ! I have gone back to analog controls and don’t have any problems anymore. All of my grills and smokers are used then cleaned then stored indoors.
@@AlaskaGranny Any brand smoker with an analog control is better (or more reliable) than any brand with digital controllers.it’s just having to get used to the fidgety analog dial to dial in the temperature ( I use an oven thermometer in the middle of my smoker ) I don’t know why they cannot get the quality of these digital controls up to a more reliable standard.
You shouldn't have to do this after owning it for a year or two and using it 5 or 6 times. Masterbuilt does not stand behind their products. Very disappointed with this brand.
We found removing the control panel when the smoker is not in use and keeping it in the house eliminated the common problem associated with these smokers. The circuit board gets ruined by humidity, condensation and rain. It is not weatherproof. Thank you for this video. I am certain it has saved folks a lot of money.
I had 2 large heritage breed black turkeys deboned and dry-brined for 2 days ready to smoke when my MB electric smoker control panel would not let me set a time... therefore, it would not heat to cook my birds. I tried this fix and it worked beautifully. My smoker still wouldn't heat then I discovered that the wire connecting to the heating element was off... so, I soldered that back too. Took a lot of MacGuyver'ing, but I was able to smoke those rolled turkeys for 6.5 hours and they came out beautiful. Thanks, Alaska Granny... you saved my day and you're pretty hot too.
So glad you got your smoker to work. Smoked turkey is delicious!
Thank you. Your fix worked like a charm. Robert’s idea for storing controller separate also an excellent idea. Florida Grandpa. Lots of humidity here. Making smoked mussels to munch on during the football games today.
Glad it helped.
I did this and it worked! thanks for putting this on TH-cam! I went ahead and removed the screws holding the board to the front panel and also cleaned the inside of the cover, and cleaned the buttons themselves with WD-40.
Glad this worked. Happy smoking!
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. I put a turkey in last night and then the smoker would not stay running and was clicking just like yours. Your fix saved the day. It ran for 12 hours overnight with no issues.
Glad it helped.
Thank you, I'm using a friends smoker and it started monkeying up. Your video saved the day. Now I can finish this beef jerky clean and return this one. Then get a new one for myself. Maybe a different brand.
Glad I could help.
I tried to turn my smoker on for the Thanksgiving Day turkey and it had the same issue. What a downer! his fix worked and able to start smoking. Thank you so much for posting this!!
Glad this worked for you. Happy Thanksgiving!
May 2022 update! I did this trick for the holiday weekend and it worked ! I was panicked seeing as I had 4 racks of ribs to cook. Thanks so much!
Glad it helped, enjoy your ribs!
Truck worked!
I was having trouble getting the display to show anything (I heard the power on beep It does when you plug It in).
I Just tried this quick trick and It worked!
We had a pork shoulder in all night smoking and when I went out to bump up the temperature in the morning and when I pushed the temperature button it shut the whole machine off. After watching this video, it fixed the problem! Thank you!
So glad your pork shoulder turned out well.
I can’t believe it worked! Worked great for me also! I would hug you , but you are in Alaska!
You rock Granny. I almost trashed my smoker. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
You saved Thanksgiving! Alaska rocks.
I'm glad I could help!
It worked! I can see the numbers now!!! You totally saved the day!!
Glad I could help!
I had exactly the same problem today. Used electrical contact cleaner & air from my compressor. Had the Masterbuilt running again in 10 min. Thanks Alaska Granny!!!
So glad this worked for you!
Thank you for this bit of information. Between you and two other videos I was able to get my smoker working again. You’re an amazing woman. This evening I’m gonna watch more of your channel
Glad to help.
Thanks AlaskaGranny! That was the fix for mine too! I had to pull the entire board and clean both sides, but that was still the fix.
Great video, AlaskaGranny! For what it's worth, I didn't have WD40 or compressed air handy. I was in a time crunch, so I just crossed my fingers and blew the dryest air I could muster up into that control panel. The Rib Gods smiled down upon me, and granted me passage. Controller works now, and I reattached that sucker backwards so it doesn't get as steamy/smokey during my cooks. Good luck!
So glad to hear you got your Masterbuilt smoker to work. I LOVE ribs! Did you use a hair dryer?
Worked like a charm. Anyone that dislikes this tip....hint tried it!
YES! This worked! Thanks so much. I already had the ribs opened & was just getting the smoker ready & it wouldn't let me set the heat. Total life (more like dinner LOL) saver!
Excellent!
Thanks for this tip. I was able to detach the controller but the four little screws are rusted (wonder how many millions in profit they made by using steel screws and that require a smaller screwdriver, design engineers are nuts). Any tips on how to deal with this or am I screwed?
Also, why don't they waterproof this key component? Too hard for them, I guess.
Thank you very much for this video. It is exactly what I needed to see. I had the same problem with my Masterbuilt and agree. "It is what it is". Will give your fix a try. Carry On Madam.
I hope this works for you. I have since bought a new basic Masterbuilt unit. Here is a video on what I have now. th-cam.com/video/7weoJVM_DiQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks grangran, I had this issue... I found that smoker got some condensation under the electronic hood. I'd recommend using a hairdryer - I have to discourage the use of wd-40 however.
This is a known issue with this model and similar smoker models with the controller mounted on the top.
Moisture works past the thermostat and into the back of the case, from there, the warm moist air rises and comes out the top of the smoker. It then collects in the smoker controller and shorts out the control board.
The wd-40 or other water repellant helps keep the condensation from shorting out the control board.
It's a design flaw.
I moved my controller so the warm moist air can freely escape. Not the most elegant, but it keeps the moisture out of the controller.
Thank you for sharing! Was getting ready to put it on the curb.
Glad I could help! Mine is still working!
I can just use an air compressor, right?
Thanks for the help...there was definitely condensation built up....drying out the control panel and a couple light taps, were working again!!!
Great to hear!
Thanks for your advice. I was able to remove my control panel and order a new one. My cracked from weathering but this saved me time and money.
Great to hear!
Holy crap that worked ! Saved my New Year’s Day brisket, thank you.
Glad I could help!
THANK YOU!!!! IT WORKED!! Our brisket is smoking right now!
Great!
Worked for me! Thanks granny!!
Glad I could help!
It worked, you have a lot of skills and powers. Thanks so much.
Glad it helped.
I opened it up and put it under a fan. That worked.
Worked like a charm! I’m back in the smoking business. Thanks for the tip!
Glad this worked for you.
Thanks Grandma!! Fixed mine in about 10 minutes today after thinking it was broke for almost two years!
Glad I could help!
Thank you! Saved my brisket!
Glad I could help!
Tried your fix AlaskaGranny and it worked or should I say it is working right now. I'm not too sure the WD40 does anything on the circuit board or the compressed air does anything there as well. I think the actual issue is in the connector(s). This area is subjected to moisture. When you take the control panel off and removing the connectors, you are probably swiping the dirty pins in the connectors and getting them clean by that action. Next time I'll just try doing that and see what happens. I did spray the connector with WD40 and compressed air so that has a cleaning affect on the connector pins. But, if it wasn't for your video, I probably would be ordering up a new smoker vs. typing this in the comments section. Thanks for the tip. BTW, my smoker has been sitting out in the cold, snow, rain for 4 ½ years. I do have a cover but that's about it. When I am smoking and a rain comes up, all I do is put a pan over the controller to try to keep it dry.
I am glad this works for you. I try to troubleshoot everything and make things last.
Well, I figured there was no way the WD-40 would fix my smoker, but 15 minutes and 3 shots of WD, 1 on the panel, and 1 on each half of the electrical connectors.... guess what??? IT WORKS AGAIN!!! MANY THANKS!!!
You are welcome.
Good reccomendation. Worked like a charm!! Thank you.
First off, thank you !!!!!! I was skeptical.. but it worked.... 2nd, how did you come up with this? and why does it work????
Desperation. I had salmon to smoke!
Just worked for me holy!! Thank you
Glad to hear it!
It worked ! I’m so happy to have smoked meats for the super bowl !!
Great job!
Another success here. Go figure. WD40 ROCKS! Alaska Granny Rocks!
Glad you found my video helpful.
Thank you it WORKED 🎉
Thank you so much!! It’s Thanksgiving day and my panel wasn’t working so tried your solution and dinner will be late but will be a turkey breast 😊!!!!!
Nice to know. Enjoy!
Thank you! had the same problem, works great now.
Thanks for the tip, just fixed my smoker 🙂
Thank You A.G.!! That’s fixed my smoker and got me out of a jam!!!
Great to hear!
Huge thank you!! You are the best It fixed mine
Wow that is the same trouble I’m having I’m trying this right now thanks for sharing
Thank you so much! I've been struggling with this issue for awhile.
Glad it helped!
Yep, you fixed my issue.
Brake cleaner works too!
will this work if i cant see the numbers on my display anymore? if not does anyone know how to set the temp and time again without being able to see it? i used to know how many times to hit certain buttons to get to desired temp but i dont remember what the starting temp is when u turn it on.
I suppose you can add an oven thermometer and adjust it that way.
Thank you. This worked for me!
Glad this worked for you.
Mine got wet , Can this help? Or what should I try?
I would let it dry completely and give it a try.
Nice job
Wow. I wish I would have seen this before I bought a new one
Thanks for the tips. I'll NEVER buy a 'Masterbuilt' product again... poorly designed, inferior materials. Mine has given me issues from day one.
It is disappointing.
trying to understand how spraying it with wd-40 fixes this.
I have the same smoker and issue. Before doing all that, sometimes just unscrewing the control panel and letting it sit on top of the smoker is all you need to do.
Nice tip, thanks.
All fixed.
Glad this worked for you.
Thanks for this!
Curious if this has been a long-term fix for all of you? Applied it today - didn't have WD40, but has a WD40 electrical switch cleaner so used that instead. Turned it on once and it worked, but time will tell the next time I try to smoke something.
Tried it again today, a day after the fix, and the smoker turned on and I was able to adjust temps and cook time. I don't have anything to smoke right now so it will be a few days until I can try an actual smoke, but things look good for now. Thanks for posting what looks like will be an effective fix.
My smoker has continued to work after trying this.
This fix does not make any sense.. But it seems to work for all of you. My guess is some cold or loose solder joints on the control board. Maybe the wd40 helps make the electrical connection... Scratching head.
I don't know why it works, I am not an engineer. It did work for me.
WD40 displaces water. There must be condensation on the circuit board, which the WD40 and compressed air get rid of.
Worked perfectly
Nice to know. Happy smoking.
I had the same problem with my controller and it turns out it was caused my used wet wood chips causing condensation to enter the control panel..never a problem when using dry chips.
Interesting, thanks.
The Masterbuilt smokers are good EXCEPT all of these digital controls are CRAP ! I have gone back to analog controls and don’t have any problems anymore. All of my grills and smokers are used then cleaned then stored indoors.
Is there a brand of smoker you recommend?
@@AlaskaGranny Any brand smoker with an analog control is better (or more reliable) than any brand with digital controllers.it’s just having to get used to the fidgety analog dial to dial in the temperature ( I use an oven thermometer in the middle of my smoker ) I don’t know why they cannot get the quality of these digital controls up to a more reliable standard.
You ROCK🤟
Thanks for watching.
It works
Great!
Take off your rings they look to nice to get scratched up when working
Thanks for sharing your concerns.
🙂👍
Thanks.
You shouldn't have to do this after owning it for a year or two and using it 5 or 6 times. Masterbuilt does not stand behind their products. Very disappointed with this brand.
These things are junk I went through a couple of them through warranty Fiasco's they're just garbage
Just bought a brand new controller for $10 on eBay. Yeah:
Hope that works for you.