A few months back (November, I think) I got a new OBS. Had someone put the 2nd element in it for me. It worked fine for 3 or 4 smokes, but they were all shorter smokes (turkey breast, chicken wings, more chicken wings), and the 2nd element was working well, heating it up fast, but then, the other day, I started the preheat process, and it went slowly, as if I didn't even have the 2nd element. I looked down there and the 2nd element wasn't glowing. I continued the cook anyway. I put four pork butts in it, and things were going fine for quite a while, but after the 3rd one came out, I noticed temperatures weren't recovering the way they should. The cabinet temp (as measured by my PID probe, and confirmed by my standard Bradley door thermometer) wouldn't get above 140. I eventually had to move the 4th butt into the kitchen oven to finish it.
The pork butts were wonderful, and the leftovers, vac-packed and frozen are both tasty and plentiful. But I went to check on the smoker a couple of days later. It wouldn't heat up. At first it got up to about 115, but then the temp started dropping again. It won't heat up at all now.
What do I do?
Scott
Did you check your fuse and element to see if they were blown out? Mine is not modded yet.
Ditto! Check all connections also.
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Quote from: EZ Smoker on March 15, 2012, 01:35:50 PMAt first it got up to about 115, but then the temp started dropping again. It won't heat up at all now.
What do I do?
It sounds like only the smoke generator hotplate is producing heat. Hard to believe that both elements would have gone bad. If you have a multimeter turn the tower on and check if there's voltage present at the ends of the elements. If there isn't then it's either a bad fuse, a tripped high temp sensor or one of the power cables isn't plugged in all the way.
sorry I'm so slow getting back to this. Been a whirlwind of a month. Yes, I checked the power cord connections. In fact I took the PID out of the loop for testing purposes, which forced me to change the power cord, but the problem still existed.
I haven't checked the fuse yet, but with 2 elements, I've got 2 fuses. And I wouldn't think both would go bad unless something was blowing them. As for the multimeter, I don't have one, but I can borrow one. What readings should I get, and where exactly should I take those readings?
Quote from: EZ Smoker on April 11, 2012, 09:38:50 PMAs for the multimeter, I don't have one, but I can borrow one. What readings should I get, and where exactly should I take those readings?
In your original message you said that you have two elements. I don't know how the person wired the second element but there's a main 10A fuse on the back of the SG box that goes to everything else. Check that it is OK first.
At least one of the elements probably has the ends exposed. Turn your smoker on high and check for 120V at the element. I assume you already verified that there's 120V at the wall outlet, right? ;)
If there isn't any voltage at the element, unplug the cord going to the back of the tower and check for voltage at the end of the cord. If there still isn't any then the problem is inside the smoker generator box, maybe just a loose wire.
If there was voltage at the cord then you might have to remove the back and check the high temp sensor. Turn the smoker off before you do this. Check the resistance through the high temp sensor and examine all connections in the tower. It might just be a loose wire going to the back panel plug.
Thanks, TedE. I'll get my hands on a multimeter and check those things. After I do my taxes, of course.
Oh Man, it's hurting me to live without my smoker. So intimidated by mechanical things... I'm more of a software guy... but I can't live without it any more. I've been putting it off so long to avoid dealing with mechanical things. But now I'm outta brisket, outta turkey breast, all but out of pastrami and barbacoa, and I haven't had my signature chicken wings in so long...
So I'm just gonna force myself and get this thing done. My wife got me a multimeter from her Dad... So I just have to go get the smoker out of my smokehouse, find a place to work on it, and go to work. I'll keep you updated.
Scott
If you were anywhere near St. Louis I'd offer to come by and help you. If your father-in-law has a multimeter he probably knows a little about troubleshooting with it. Ask him if he can spare a few minutes to diagnose the problem.
Who added the second element last November? Is that person available?
Thanks, TedE. The guy who modded out my smoker lives in a faraway land. But my wife and I have the smoker on the patio now, ready to figure this thing out. I made a bunch of notes based on this thread, but I can't find them now... pretty organized, huh? I'll letcha know how things turn out tonight.
Aw, man... I spent a while tryna figger out why I was getting a reading of 67 volts when I measured at the ends of the heating element. Then I read an outlet. 67 volts. Read another outlet. 67 volts. Stupid Multimeter wasn't calibrated right or somethin'. So I got another multimeter, and got a much better reading. It was around 107 or so, but I was using an extension cord to work on my patio.
But anyway... I'm getting voltage there at the heating element. I can't reach the ends of the other element to test it too, but I'm not getting any heat from either of them.
The fuse in the back didn't look blown, but I'm still figgerin' out how to test that fuse with the multimeter. Do I need to disconnect it first? The book for the multimeter said I should. But then I ran out of time. I'll try to get back to it tomorrow.
Ugh!! Tried to get back to it, but I've been laid up with a pain in my foot for a few days. Hopefully will be able to get to it tomorrow or the next day. It's like the universe is conspiring to keep my smoker broken.
If I'm getting voltage at the heating element, does that mean the fuse is okay?
I'm beginning to suspect the high-temp sensor. Seems to make sense as I'm getting voltage to the element, and it's unlikely that both elements went bad at the same time. Does that make sense?
If you've confirmed that there's 115V at the element then power is getting to it, meaning the fuse is OK. However, the element(s) could still be bad.
If you disconnect the wire off one end and check the resistance through each element you can verify if they're good. I believe a good element will read 27-32 ohms. You don't have to completely remove the element from the smoker to check it, just one wire off one end.
Great! Thanks, TedE. I'll check that resistance as soon as I'm up on my feet again.
Quote from: EZ Smoker on November 06, 2012, 10:12:29 PM
Aw, man... I spent a while tryna figger out why I was getting a reading of 67 volts when I measured at the ends of the heating element. Then I read an outlet. 67 volts. Read another outlet. 67 volts. Stupid Multimeter wasn't calibrated right or somethin'. So I got another multimeter, and got a much better reading. It was around 107 or so, but I was using an extension cord to work on my patio.
But anyway... I'm getting voltage there at the heating element. I can't reach the ends of the other element to test it too, but I'm not getting any heat from either of them.
The fuse in the back didn't look blown, but I'm still figgerin' out how to test that fuse with the multimeter. Do I need to disconnect it first? The book for the multimeter said I should. But then I ran out of time. I'll try to get back to it tomorrow.
if you are getting a reading of 107 at the closest receptacle... try a few others through out the home. if they all read 107- 108 then you have a low voltage problem, and contact your power company let them know you suspect a low voltage problem and ask them to come check the lines to your home. you should be at 115 to 120 volts AC.
beefman, I should have been more clear. The low reading I got... It was 107 or maybe just a hair higher... was on the heating element, with the bradley plugged through an extension cord. The outlets themselves give me a good reading. Thanks for checking on me.
Scott
Okay, my foot's better, Thanksgiving's over, Christmas shopping for the kids is done...I'm finally on to the next step. I disconnected the wire from the right end of the forwardmost heating element. I got the second multimeter (which I have because, as you'll no doubt recall, the first one was busted and wouldn't give me a correct voltage reading), and ... believe it or not.... the 2nd multimeter wouldn't work. I set it to measure resistance, and it would just flash a 1 and a negative 1. Couldn't get anything else from it. Man, it's like a conspiracy against my smoker.
So I got another multimeter... again. This one works. So I tested the element... with the wire still off the right side. And you know what? It measures a 1. It should be 27-32 from what I read here (and elsewhere on the forum.) Does that mean the element's bad? Both elements? I didn't measure the other one because I couldn't get to it and didn't have time to get a driver and unscrew the screws to get to it. But for now, it looks like at least 1 of the elements is bad? Does that sound like I'm right?
Where should I get another element. This thing was under warranty when I started this thread, but not any more. My main concern is to get this smoker workin' again. Life without brisket is killin' me!
Thanks,
Scott
If Bradley knows you modified the smoker, they may not honor the warranty. The easiest place to purchase an element is from Yard & Pool.
The one element you tested is bad. The one you did not test could be either good or bad, but more than not it should be good..
I really doubt you know how to use the meter correctly. If you dont you will be chasing your tail.
Is this an analog or digital meter?
If its digital-
Make sure the meter is on the Ohms setting. Touch the 2 leads together, you should get "0" That means zero ohms resistance. When you seperate the leads, depending on the meter, it should show "OL" which means open link (open circuit)
If its analog, touch the leads together, the meter should swing to zero. if it does not then it needs to be zeroed out. There is a trim screw for this
When you are testing the heater, you need to make sure that the connections between the heater and the meter are good also. there could be dirt or whatever on the terminals.
All this aside, I would first be looking at the installation of the second heater element. Since the smoker is fairly new.
I would make sure all those connections are tight, and proper, with no corrosion on the terminals.
I would also verify that the proper type of wire (high temp) was used and its wired correctly.
It could be the element, but i would check all the other stuff out first. I would also check the resistance of the other element, just so you will know what a good one tests at (assuming its good)
my guess is the wiring is loose or bad where the second element was added since that the only thing that was messed with in that area
Thanks, Habs and Buttburner. I did indeed have it set for ohms, and I tested it by touching the two leads together. I got a zero when I did that. This all took place the other day. There was no corrosion that I could see anywhere. But tell me this... where do I put the leads exactly. I was putting them at the very tip ends of the heating element. Is that correct?
You mentioned that I should verify that the proper type of wire was used... how would I do that? It was modified by classicrockgriller. I suppose I could ask him about the wiring.
As for the connections being tight, I did find one that was loose. The little metal eye that attaches to the end of the wire and hooks over the end of the 2nd element... that eye came off the wire. It looks like it's designed to just crimp back on, so I should be able to make that happen. But that can't be the whole problem because neither element heats up, and because the element it attaches to gave me a bad reading. The meter is digital, to answer your question.
Thanks for the help; I really appreciate it.
Quote from: EZ Smoker on December 19, 2012, 11:20:25 PM
Thanks, Habs and Buttburner. I did indeed have it set for ohms, and I tested it by touching the two leads together. I got a zero when I did that. This all took place the other day. There was no corrosion that I could see anywhere. But tell me this... where do I put the leads exactly. I was putting them at the very tip ends of the heating element. Is that correct? Yes
You mentioned that I should verify that the proper type of wire was used... how would I do that? It was modified by classicrockgriller. I suppose I could ask him about the wiring.
As for the connections being tight, I did find one that was loose. The little metal eye that attaches to the end of the wire and hooks over the end of the 2nd element... that eye came off the wire. It looks like it's designed to just crimp back on, so I should be able to make that happen. But that can't be the whole problem because neither element heats up, and because the element it attaches to gave me a bad reading. The meter is digital, to answer your question. this needs to be fixed, all connections need to be clean and tight
Thanks for the help; I really appreciate it.
Once everything is clean and tight, take your meter and set it for AC voltage. Turn on the unit and carefully check for voltage at the terminals on the new element by touching the test leads to each end of the heater connections. If you see approx 110v ac, then its most likely the element. Just be careful!!!
The other thing to know is, how was the 2nd element wired in? Is it wired in parallel? (jumpered to the original heater) or another way? If it was another way, the problem may lie there someplace, if you are not getting proper ac voltage. Hard to say without actually seeing it
Okay, here's the update on my still busted smoker:
It turns out I had measured correctly. Both elements were indeed bad. I got two new elements from Y&P, set all 4 elements on the bar in my kitchen, measured all 4, one after the other, and got 27 ohms from each of the new ones, and a reading of 1 on each of the old ones. I put the two new ones in, turned it on, and it started heating up. Then a very stupid person took over my body and started controlling me.
My wife and I were working on it together, and I told her it was okay to put the metal back panel on. I wasn't looking at it when I said this, and it had slipped my mind that I had removed the shielding from over the fuse when I checked it. And I hadn't put the shielding back yet. She put some screws in the back panel, and tightened up against the (also metal) fuse. Then when she plugged it in, I heard a dishearteningly recognizable electronic FFFTTZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZOP!
There was no light on the front panel anymore, and there was no power at all.
I can't tell you how stupid I felt in that moment. I mean, I may not be mechanical, but electronics I'm okay with. Or at least I used to be. Anyway... I bought a few fuses and replaced the fuse to make sure that wasn't the whole problem. It wasn't. Still have this new problem. Should I replace the electronic circuit board that's in the front panel. It doesn't look expensive. Anything I need to know before I do this?