I just bought my 6 rack BDS, and simply said love it.
I however can see the need to install a 2nd burner for winter uses. I will be setting it up on the deck. In Saskatchewan we have a windy climate. Not wind like most imagine, but most times in winter it will take your breath away. And your hat off, and relocated it in either alberta or manitoba. (One sucks while the other blows. reason most ppl pass though!)
Anyway on the the question. Does putting a second burner in not put a huge extra load on the digital controls. And is there a modification that will not put more load on the circuits?
Has anyone ever taken note on the wattage increase. And how close will it take it to 1500 W(15A).
I'm hoping someone from bradley has looked in on this and can tell me if it will burn out the digital control sooner than it should.
TIA
If you add the 2nd element (which is a winner on the 6 rack) it is recommended that it be controlled with a PID.
There fore it by passes the digital control so it will last for ever!
PS Welcome to the forum!
Please forgive my ignorance. But i'm still trying to find out what PID stands for. I'm looking at installing a magnetic switch (relay) to run the second burner.
Okay found the descrition and reasoning for it. However I would like to use the control that it came with. At least currently, my wife would kill me if she saw me spend more money on another control to control something that is already controlled.....lol.
That is how we all learn ... by asking questions.
look at this link on the PID by Auber. It is plug n' play.
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=151
Hi Cleaver and welcome to the forum.
Where abouts are you from in Saskatchewan. I'm in Moose Jaw.
Here is a link to the 2nd element mod over on the recipe site.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?572-Additional-Heating-Element-Modification&p=910#post910
I would also highly recommend a PID to control it. There was some talk some time ago about using the DBS digital control to switch a SSR which in turn would power the elements but I don't think anyone followed through with it.
Mike
Actually I to am from Moose Jaw. If I would have known about PID I would not have boughten the DBS. I would have gone the 6 rack basic instead. So until I eventually build one, I will mod the existing control.
I don't believe Bradley makes a non-digital six rack
You can only get the 6 rack with a digital.
You need to hook up with Mr Walleye (Mike).
He can answer alot of questions for you.
Quote from: Cleaver on September 12, 2010, 09:23:38 PM
Actually I to am from Moose Jaw. If I would have known about PID I would not have boughten the DBS. I would have gone the 6 rack basic instead. So until I eventually build one, I will mod the existing control.
Cleaver
Shoot me a PM with your phone number if you would like to have a look at my setup. In fact I may even have a spare PID kicking around.
Mike
Hi Cleaver;
Welcome to the forum. Mike will take good care of you.
Bradley's stand on modification on their smoker is that they clearly state do not use or add any modifications to their smoker. Other then that statement, I don't believe they would make any comments.
Well I guess i never looked into a basic 6 rack. I know I looked at 4 rack models last year. So that was probably where I got my idea. I will hook up with Mr. Walleye, however I currently in Saskatoon Sk for school during the week.
(finishing up my journeyman's papers)
I'm already planning the next smoker meal to try, but just not sure to do pork or beef. Did ribs and pork chops the first use. So probably go with beef.
As for the mod. I will hold off and see how winter does affect the unit. Just to keep warranty as long as I can.
Cleaver
Ya gotta do a pork butt. You can pick up bone in butts at Fellingers' on Athabasca East.
I shot you a PM. I'll try and hook up with you this weekend. My Niece is getting married this weekend too so if we don't connect this weekend we can always do it next weekend.
Good luck on you Journeyman's.
Mike
They have some real nice cuts in Prairie Meats up here in saskatoon. But I know fellingers, and might check there when I get back to the Jaw.
How much variance is in the bradley control unit? ie:+/-10 deg? before on/off?
Your pretty close at 10 degrees above and below, 20 degrees total. As the meat gets warmer (later in the smoke) the temp swings become less.
Mike
I buy most of my meats at Prairie Meats. They label them different and Pork Butt usually marked as Pork shoulder. I've also bought some at Boryski's. They label them as pork butt. They're usually frozen there though.
Well I grabbed a 7 lb pork shoulder and 4 racks of ribs from prairemeats today. Was going to leave it till friday but the selection was awesome. Unfortunate that I will have to freeze it but like I said selection was great today. Cant wait till weekend.
Cleaver if you really don't want to buy a PID then you can hook the second element direct to a switch and mount it to the back or where ever. You willl have to control it yourself, but if it is real cold like it gets there and I know cause I have trucked through there in the winters you may be able to just turn it on and leave it on. But you will have to monitor it cloesly.
Hey a question to Habs or anyone who might know, could you hook the heat element to a relay and have the digital controller operate it that way? Then you wouldn't have the high voltage draw on the digital controller.
I've been looking into it and you can install a relay for the second burner. They are called a SSR (Solid State Relay). And that is probably what I'm gonna do. After I see if I really need it. I know I made a bunch of pepperoni sticks last year. Borrow a buddies OBS and with full load it took 11 hours to bring the pepp's up to temp. It was 30 below outside and his door has a bad seal at the top. I told him to get warranty but he never did. door has never sealed since new, he just needs to tweek it a bit though.
Quote from: Quarlow on September 15, 2010, 07:18:05 PM
Hey a question to Habs or anyone who might know, could you hook the heat element to a relay and have the digital controller operate it that way? Then you wouldn't have the high voltage draw on the digital controller.
Others will know, but that is beyond my knowledge in this area.
This is the first time in my schooling that I found what I have learned is useful for stuff at home. The PID controller is a Proportional, Integral, and Differential Controller. This essentially means that it is used to control the heater elements is such a way to minimize temperature overshoots and get to the temperature you want in the shortest time possible. That is as fast as possible with out over shooting too high. I see the price on that and I believe that if you had some knowledge you could make one that wasn't as pretty for $20 or so. I might play around with that for my design project this fall.
Hi Mallikii;
Welcome to the forum.
The following link may assist you in building your own:
PID Controller (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?315-PID-Controller)
Plug & Play PID and Parts (http://www.auberins.com/)
Thanks Habanero Smoker,
Actually I am an electrical engineering student and I would build it from the component level up. Electric power distribution and control are the two areas I am studying so this is right up my alley. I hope to graduate this Spring. I ordered a 6 rack Bradley on Saturday and it should all be here on Wednesday. I live in Wisconsin and have loved smoke fish ever since I was a kid because of a Lake Michigan Charter Captain my father was a friend of. I was in the Navy for 9 years and now I am back in school. I have lived in South Carolina, Georgia, Washington State, and Guam before coming back here. I miss good southern style barbecue form the south so that is what made me first look for a smoker. I think it is a little early to look at modifying a new smoker but the whole reason I went with a Bradley is because the gas one I have gets too warm according to my neighbor who is big into smoking. Now I am concerned that it won't get warm enough. I will have to wait and see but I plan to smoke a pork butt or two on Thursday. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I would like it to go as smooth as possible.
Thanks again,
Mallikii
You've pick an impressive career choice. If you do build forum scratch, I hope you will share you expertise with the board.
Sorry for digging up an older post here, but I found it very relevant to my current position (and noticed some Sask guys as well). This will be my second winter using the unit and I decided to order the second heating element due to last winters experience. I do have this setup in my insulated garage with a hood vent mounted over top. I can also heat the garage but still would like to have the second element to get better recovery times as I do a lot of butts (3 at a time can take over 30hrs with my current setup and that's when it's warm!). I ordered the stuff without completely understanding the installation and over looked the PID requirements. My problem now is that I have the unit disassemble started and don't think I would have the time (or the cash) to wait for a PID unit to arrive (I'm a in Toon town Sask - GO RIDERS! ) so I'm wondering what you guys recommend. I have an event that I've promised some pulled pork for next weekend so I have to get my setup going by mid next week. I should add that I am not very electrically inclined although I follow directions great!!! :-[
I'm not sure what model you have; but without a PID and depending which way you did the hookup, I recommend that you do not use it as is.
If you need to use the smoker asap, I would take the back off the smoker, and disconnect the wiring of the second element at the plug. That way you will still be able to use the original element while leaving everything in place, and when you get your PID, just connect the wires of the second element back into the plug. If you do unhook the second element, wrap some tape or wire screws around ends of the exposed wires.
Thanks Habanero,
I have the 6 rack digital unit
Say, where can a guy get one here in Canada? Not that it can't be purchased from the US, but it takes so darn long with customs etc. Maybe if I could get one in a few days I'd get one.
You might want to ask Toker. I don't have a PID so I don't follow up on that device. I use a different temperature control device that uses a different algorithm; DigiQ II.
Quote from: crestman on November 24, 2010, 05:49:51 AM
Thanks Habanero,
I have the 6 rack digital unit
Say, where can a guy get one here in Canada? Not that it can't be purchased from the US, but it takes so darn long with customs etc. Maybe if I could get one in a few days I'd get one.
I don't think you can. You'll have to go to auber. I did and it took a little over a week to get it. Mine is the single probe and it works great on my 6 rack
No you will have to buy it from Auber web site. Takes about 10 business days to get here.