Modified my OBS for a 2nd heating elements a few weeks ago and I've been overjoyed with the performance ... until today!!! I was smoking a 4lb Chuck Roast for some pulled beef when 9 hours later my roast was still sitting at 163º - right where it's been sitting for hours. For hours I was noticing that my 2 element OBS did not get any higher than 219ºwhile using my PID.
Just ran a test with door wide open and noticed that the front element is dead ... Not glowing ... When I did the mod I replaced both elements so there would be no issues concerning an old element and a new one. Kept the old element and will be replacing it with the one that died. After the mod, both elements glowed like the sun.
Unfortunately, now I can relate with all the other members who have had their elements die lately :'( :'( Going to contact Yard & Pool to see what they can do. Elements should not die after a few uses !!!!!
No they should not and I feel your pain. Mine died also a little while ago. I just bought a replacement element from Yard and pool even though my OBS is still under warranty.
Stuff happens as far as getting a bad element in a batch. Seems there are a lot of bad elements going bad and no official word from Bradley as to what may be causing this. Would be nice for them to chime in even if it's "Hey guys, sorry for the inconvenience and we have found out a solution" or "We are investigating the cause" type of message.
I love my Bradley and hope this all gets worked out quickly. Maybe a recall on all elements in smokers with Serial #'s from XXXXX to XXXXX or something like that.
I have been avoiding adding a second element to my DBS for that reason. Wondering if they have identified the bad production run?
Don't know SS cause Corporate is mum ... ??? My original element from 2007 is still good and I'm going glad I didn't toss it.
Quote from: RFT on January 21, 2011, 05:04:49 PM
... Seems there are a lot of bad elements going bad and no official word from Bradley as to what may be causing this. Would be nice for them to chime in even if it's "Hey guys, sorry for the inconvenience and we have found out a solution" or "We are investigating the cause" type of message.
I love my Bradley and hope this all gets worked out quickly. Maybe a recall on all elements in smokers with Serial #'s from XXXXX to XXXXX or something like that.
My thoughts exactly. There's clearly some issue with a recent batch of elements. Get them out of the pipeline so you're not replascing a bad element with another one that will quickly fail.
My element is 7 years old and still running. I do have a spare just in case I need it.
Just a thought, if you have the dual elements, could the heat given off from the other element be the cause of it burning out?
Brad
Quote from: car54 on January 22, 2011, 10:28:32 AM
Just a thought, if you have the dual elements, could the heat given off from the other element be the cause of it burning out?
Brad
I'm no engineer Brad but I doubt it? There have been too many dual element mods and if that might be the case then I think it would have been discussed by now. But there is a rash of element failures I have been reading from new member with new units.
I'll replace my burn out unit with my old one and then order a couple more but it would be nice to hear something from someone at Bradley.
Replaced my 'new' burned out element with my 3+ year old used element and I'm back on line :)
I have a better perspective on the heating element failures after speaking with a Bradley representative today concerning my burned out element. Compared to the large number of Bradley Smokers sold, the element failures being documented on our forum represent a small percentage of the units sold. I will say their customer service is great and they do honor their warranties. That's more than you can ask for these days.
2nd of 2 new elements just died ... >:( *&%^#!@% ... I personally take back what I said about Bradley concerning the subject of element failures :( they came out with the official statement that in essence said there is no heating element issues/bad batches. They said that their failure rate was 0.7%!! Well when I buy 2 new heating elements and one dies after a couple of smokes and then the second one dies 2 smokes later .......... !!!!!!
I don't buy it. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. 100% failure does not compute to 0.7%. I may have come in on the turnip truck but I wasn't born yesterday. What are the odds that my 2 new elements would fail and be part of that 0.7%?
So let me do the math: Bought 2 new elements from Yard and Pool. Both are now dead. After the 1st one failed I ordered 2 new elements directly from Bradley. Now I have to dig back into the smoker and replace the elements. Gonna take the original one which I bought back in 2007 out cause I KNOW that one is good and insert my second set of 2 new elements.
Let's start a pool to see how long these 2 elements will last >:( >:( I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER RIGHT NOW!!!! The heating element failure occurred right in the middle of doing 9 lbs of Jerky.
I here ya Pete, with all due respect to the Bradley folks that provide this forum, In 2 and a half years or so I rarely heard of a heating element failure. Now, folks that have bought in the last 3 or 4 months have reported a failure after 6 or 7 smokes. So many of us have 2 to 4 year old units with no problems.
Hope you get back in action soon, the evil elements can be identified.
Sorry to hear that Pete. My OBS is new and I hope that I do not end up having the same heating element issues as you have but we shall see....
I had an element failure on my OBS in the first 6 months I owned it. The replacement has been ok though.
Reliability has been an issue on my smoker. Slightly over a year and I have had the door seal go bad, the heater element go bad, the puck advance button stick, and the control module on the front crack.
I will say that Bradley has been good about the warranty though.
it is probably an issue with very cheap materials being used in china and bradley has very little control over it. without someone there first hand to make sure the high standards are kept, the trend in china is to cut very possible corner with cheaper and cheaper materials. it is certainly sounding like the issue might be on the suppliers end
Quote from: trainer on February 16, 2011, 11:58:32 AM
it is probably an issue with very cheap materials being used in china and bradley has very little control over it. without someone there first hand to make sure the high standards are kept, the trend in china is to cut very possible corner with cheaper and cheaper materials. it is certainly sounding like the issue might be on the suppliers end
Welcome to the forum trainer. May I suggest that you use the Introduce Yourself category so that all members will get a chance to meet you and welcome you aboard. We have a great family here :)
Having said that I must respectfully disagree with you on one point in your post above. Bradley has 100% control over the materials, standards, and quality control of their heating elements and all other components of their smokers. Bradley makes the decision who, where, and how their elements will be manufactured.
I have no personal knowledge as to who and where any of Bradley's components are manufactured and assembled but I do know that my original heating element from 2007 is working just fine ... thank you ... but when I installed 2 new elements they both failed within a very short time. I have 3 new elements sitting here but I must admit that I haven't been in any hurry to install 2 of them cause I'm almost afraid to find out if these also will be failing me at some inopportune time :-\ :'( >:( Bottom line ... I have no confidence in their heating elements. But then that's just me ;D
Quote from: wyoduke on February 16, 2011, 04:49:55 PM
Quote from: wyoduke on February 09, 2011, 10:58:42 AM
Mine only lasted 2 months on my obs but the new one is going strong hope it stays that way ::)
I spoke too soon I'm dead in the water !!!
Sorry to hear that wyoduke :'( :'(
pete -- I think your problem with two successive element failures out of two new elements makes a pretty clear case. If the probability of an element failure is 0.7% and failures are random, the probability of you getting two bad elements successively would be about 0.0049% or 49 parts per million. That's a highly unlikely event. When coupled with the apparent increasing number of reports of element failures, it would appear that there is a significant defect occurring well above a random 0.7% failure rate.
This problem would be a playground for a Six Sigma black belt. Since the flawed elements initially work well I presume they would also test well at the time of production. From what many have described they seem to "burn out" prematurely. I suspect the manufacturer of the elements can easily determine the reason the element failed after the fact. Hopefully they can quickly translate that into a root cause in their manufacturing process or subsequent handling and resolve the problem of premature failure.
I have two brand new heating elements I bought from Y&P in December sitting in my garage with the intent of doing the 2nd element mod. Guess what I am not doing with these elements? I would love to send them back for a refund now or a later exchange once a problem is clearly defined and resolved.
Quote from: BuyLowSellHigh on February 18, 2011, 07:09:47 AM
pete -- I think your problem with two successive element failures out of two new elements makes a pretty clear case. If the probability of an element failure is 0.7% and failures are random, the probability of you getting two bad elements successively would be about 0.0049% or 49 parts per million. That's a highly unlikely event. When coupled with the apparent increasing number of reports of element failures, it would appear that there is a significant defect occurring well above a random 0.7% failure rate.
Thanks for computing that stat. I think Bradley has been taking a macro view - looking at overall failure rates. Yet the problem seems to be in recent smoker purchases (since maybe last summer). I'm not a Six Sigma Black Belt, but just from the anecdotes here and my personal experience with two failures within 3 mos, I'm confident the failure rate is higher than .07%. For me it's been 100% within 3 smokes (I've only used my current one for one smoke so far). I'm being hard headed and refuse to pay for a spare element for a product still under warranty :(
Well, it looks like I'm joining the dead-element club too. Mine crapped out this weekend in the middle of smoking a brisket. Luckily I was able to finish it in the oven, but I guess I'll have to give Bradley a call tomorrow.
I have only done a handful of smokes in mine, and it just went out. With all of the recent posts about dead elements, sure seems like there was quite a big problem somewhere up the line.