Well I burnt up my Bradly today. Totaly my fault. :( :( :(
The wind knocked it over the night before last and busted the knob off of the sliding thermostat. I didn't think too much about it. I just looked in the slot and noted the position of the "stub" of the broken stem. It looked to be in the right spot top be on high and I run it on high this time of the year when it is cold out. I figgured I would fix it after the holiday activites have calmed down
Today I thought I would do a batch of smoked pork loin chops. I got the smoke a rolling and about 2 hours later my Maverick starts beeping. I had it set at 150. I thought wow done already? I went outside and the BRADLEY WAS IN FLAMES!!! :'( :'( :'( :'(
I keep the bradley clean so I think that mabye the thermostat was broken, not just the knob and that cused the fire. I never should have used it without knowing for sure.
The cabnet is totaly gone but the smoke generator looks to still be good.
I wonder if I can just buy the cabinet?
Sorry for your loss - Time for a home made cabinet.
Glad you were home to catch the fire and most important you and your family are safe. Sorry for your loss.
Kevin
Sorry to hear about your mishap. I am thankful for you that nothing else was damaged. Some wind storm we had. Just a minor setback and I know that you will be up and smoking again soon.
Blake
wow sorry to hear that!!!
your thermal limiter switch should have cut the power off to your heater element, I would have thought
wonder what really went wrong? maybe the switch got damaged when it fell over?
Do you have the 2nd heater element modification?
im wondering what inside the Bradley was burnable to even have a fire that bad. Was you cooking a high fat item? i mean sounds to me if it was clean a couple pucks sure isnt enough to make a large fire. Im guessing the meat was fatty and caught, But just a guess.
Sorry to hear any way and hope you replace it soon.
sorry to hear of your mishap, glad it was nothing more then the smoker,
Quote from: viper125 on December 23, 2012, 04:40:53 PM
im wondering what inside the Bradley was burnable to even have a fire that bad. Was you cooking a high fat item? i mean sounds to me if it was clean a couple pucks sure isnt enough to make a large fire. Im guessing the meat was fatty and caught, But just a guess.
Sorry to hear any way and hope you replace it soon.
Pork loin chops are pretty lean. the plastic around the bottom where the T-stat is and the door was burned the most.
Hmmm! Maybe a short caused an electrical fire catching plastic on fire. Might be something to make the Bradley people aware of. But when I modded mine didnt see any thing that jumped out looking like it could catch fire. Probably pushed the switch and caused the problem then. Sure glad no property or people hurt. Well except the smoker which is on the cheap side compared to a home! Thats why i wanted a permenant place. the first few smokes I carried in and out. Not good. Especially if your like me with two left feet.
Sorry about your experience, but glad to hear there was no further damage, than the Bradley itself. If you came out and saw the flames, then the fire probably occurred around the heat controller switch; outside of the cabinet. Do you know if the GFI tripped?
That's pretty crazy 4given. Glad things were not worse. One of the very first things I learned here is to get the Maverick just for this reason if nothing else. That little $60 accessory probably saved you a lot more than you realize.
On another note, I guess we all can learn from this. If your smoker gets knocked over, dropped, etc... Probably a good idea to baby set it while doing first smoke afterwards.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on December 24, 2012, 02:31:33 AM
Sorry about your experience, but glad to hear there was no further damage, than the Bradley itself. If you came out and saw the flames, then the fire probably occurred around the heat controller switch; outside of the cabinet. Do you know if the GFI tripped?
I don't know if it tripped or not. Had it plugged in to an outside outlet. I haven't checked it but I will.
Quote from: RedJada on December 24, 2012, 05:20:36 AM
That's pretty crazy 4given. Glad things were not worse. One of the very first things I learned here is to get the Maverick just for this reason if nothing else. That little $60 accessory probably saved you a lot more than you realize.
On another note, I guess we all can learn from this. If your smoker gets knocked over, dropped, etc... Probably a good idea to baby set it while doing first smoke afterwards.
You are so right!
Quote from: Keymaster on December 23, 2012, 02:58:11 PM
Glad you were home to catch the fire and most important you and your family are safe. Sorry for your loss.
Yes we are praising God that it was not any worse. Easy thing to go buy another smoker.
Well guys, I need to fess up. I didn't tell you the whole story............. :-[
While the wind DID knock over my smoker and my temperature contol WAS busted and I DID use the Bradley while damaged and that is possible that this MAY have caused the fire..... I was using an AMNPS in it at the time. This may have been the cause as well.
I think I owe it to you guys to have ALL the information so you can make wise decisions in how you use your smokers. Please accept my appology for not telling the whole story.
Thanks! And forgiven! Does make sence now. The amazan does seem to be more open to fires. At least to me. Lots of wood pellets ignited and thrown around would also stand a greater chance of finding grease to set fire and burn. Compared to one puck. I think that just means to plane in a metal pan and set smoker where it cant fall over. Thanks for sharing.
Well smokers can be replaced.
As for the AMZNS, I use it 85% of the time and never had any problems with flamed pellets.
Where in the smoker was it located? If it was sitting on the v-tray it could easily start a fire
The AMNPS cant be in a place where grease gets to it.
I have mine on the floor under the smoke gen tray. If grease cannot get to the puck in the burner its not going to get to the AMNPS located there.
I use one all the time, no problems.
It was under the V tray on the side opposite of the smoke generator
Seems to me that would be a bad location. The grease is suppose to all run into the v tray and into your bowl. But my floor is covered in one cookie sheet. and I have to wash it quite often. There is always a grease build up after a while. This does concern me because i may use one too. But I'm really not sure where yet. Thinking a cold smoke type setup would be best. But run heat in smoker too. At least it would be where a fire couldnt start i would think.
Quote from: viper125 on January 06, 2013, 10:54:27 AM
Seems to me that would be a bad location. The grease is suppose to all run into the v tray and into your bowl. But my floor is covered in one cookie sheet. and I have to wash it quite often. There is always a grease build up after a while. This does concern me because i may use one too. But I'm really not sure where yet.
put it where I do, under the smoke gen.
I get very little if any grease on my floor pan. I dont know why yours is getting grease on it.
If you want, you can put a foil tent over it it, I did for the first few smokes but found it was not necessary. I did 3 slabs of baby backs on it yesterday, no problems.
You have to work with it until you feel comfortable with it.
I use mine right directly under the slide of the gen. 0 problems
I used mine plenty of times with the AMNPS both hot and cold and never had any problem whatsoever. I always put in in the same place under the V-pan. Remeber the V-pan directs all of the dipping to the water pan. Never got any grease on it from pork butts, ribs chicken or anything else.
I still think the fire was most likely electrical caused by my poor judgement using a damaged smoker. However I think it is only fair that I tell the whole story.
We have to keep in mind that the Bradley is not designed with the AMNPS in mind.
Quote from: viper125 on January 06, 2013, 07:41:49 AM
Thanks! And forgiven! Does make sence now. The amazan does seem to be more open to fires. At least to me. Lots of wood pellets ignited and thrown around would also stand a greater chance of finding grease to set fire and burn. Compared to one puck. I think that just means to plane in a metal pan and set smoker where it cant fall over. Thanks for sharing.
It didn't fall over whole I was using it. It fell ove a few days before and broke. I was stupid enough to use it broke.
Quote from: 4given on January 06, 2013, 12:30:24 PM
We have to keep in mind that the Bradley is not designed with the AMNPS in mind.
Boy is THAT ever the truth. ;D :-X
can you post a pic of the AMPS no idea what this is.
Quote from: Grassman on January 06, 2013, 03:33:46 PM
can you post a pic of the AMPS no idea what this is.
I didn't either... but Google is our friend: http://www.amazenproducts.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=12 (http://www.amazenproducts.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=12)