So I'm all new to the electric smoker world. I had a WSM for years, but tired of the charcoal hassle in the winter up in the northeast and cleanup.
Anyways I have a DigiQ2 that I used with the WSM, so I have the raptor attachment on order so I can use it with the Bradley. Anways my problem is I want to put a higher output element in before using it. I should have the Bradley on Wednesday. My goal is to eithier place the 750 or 900 element in place of the 500. Now I have seen the posts for both installs, I am not handy at all. I can manage the element replacement without fabricating anything. So can you point me to an element that would be a direct swap without moving things around? Maybe the 750 seems best for this? I saw the two 500 method and I probably would screw that up. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I want to order part ASAP, I have family coming in from out of town and I promised an amazing meal! Please help if you can!
Welcome to the forum. You can make amazing meals with the bradley smoker just as it comes out of the box. The higher output element won't make them taste any better.You say you're not handy and you promised a smoked dinner in the near future? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. My advice would be (it's free and worth every penny), take the pressure off and learn to use the smoker as it comes.Then once you've got a few smokes under your belt and wowed the family you can change your element. There's a load of info on this site for helping the smoker recover faster. My bradley has it's own cabinet and an insulation blanket and I smoke any weather, all year long with the 500w element so it can be done. Good luck with your new smoker
Thank you for the advice, but it gets to minus 30 below here. I know I will not be satisfied, espically with recovery time. Would love some help with the question about a direct swap
Thank you all!
Bradleyincleveland,
I can't help you specifically with a straight element swap but I can offer you the following:
Either way you do this mod requires you to take a small portion of the element assy, reflector and back panel off. There is really no way around that.
Once you have the unit disassembled you are half way to adding a second (original style) element. The time you spend locating, purchasing and receiving an aftermarket element might be more than you expect. IMO the easiest and well proven method is to just add an element. All you need for tool sis a #2 Phillips screwdriver, a cordless drill, a 3/16ths bit and a die grinder with rotary file and a small wrench or pliers.
You may have seen it but I started a thread in the BDS section and it details how to do it. As I said either way you do this it has to be disassembled to some degree so there is no simple snap it in and smoke solution. If you can sign up here and post threads there is no reason you can't have it done in a couple of hours. Everyone here will gladly help you if you get in a bind. Sometimes you just have to dive in and get it done.
Thank you for the reply. I do not have a die grinder. I understand there will be dissassembly. I thought though I read somewhere on here where there was a 750 finned element that was basically a swap out from the original. Terminals on both sides of it and everything.
I decided to do the 900 watt mod. I saw on this site refrence to the 900 watt model that has an overall length of 12'' here:http://www.grainger.com/product/TEMPCO-Finned-Strip-Heater-2XEF3?searchQuery=2xef3&op=search&Ntt=2xef3&N=0.
However I also found a 750 Watt with an overall length of 10 1/2'' here:http://www.walmart.com/ip/TEMPCO-CSF00123-Heater-120V-10-1-2-In.-L-1200-Deg-F/43056376. If I go with the smaller length 750, will I still need brackets to purchase to make it fit? Or would this be too small of a length?
If you haven't purchased the element yet here's a link to a "how-to" article on adding a second 500W element, complete with pics. It's not very difficult. The hardest part is making two new holes in the heat shield. The thin metal tears easily if you're not careful when drilling larger holes in it. Borrow a Dremel from someone and grind the holes.
When I added one to mine I mainly followed it except for the wiring. I just made two short 3-4" jumper wires that go from each end of the original element to each end of the new element. I've been running it that way for over 3 years.
Additional Heating Element Modification (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?572-Additional-Heating-Element-Modification)
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b355/roadijeff/Food/PC100092_zpsad869392.jpg)
It is absolutely your choice to replace your heating element but the minute you slap a larger element in your Bradley, you have voided your warranty.
Just food for thought.
Ted, thank you. I believe I changed my mind again and will do the two element mod. I am a little nervous about the heat shield. I have a feeling I am going to drill crooked or something and mess it up. Does it have to be high temp wire that I use to jump it from one element to the next? I don't understand the "notching" part. I have the DigiQII, it is my understanding that I have to disconnect the Bradley temperature control correct? I have the new OB Smoker, is that still done by taking the faceplate off? Thank you for all your help!
Oh yeah and what type of wire connection to "jump" it from the other element? What gauge wire as well 14?
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 11, 2015, 06:59:33 PM
Oh yeah and what type of wire connection to "jump" it from the other element? What gauge wire as well 14?
The jumper wire does have to be high temp because it is exposed to the high heat of the cooking chamber. I stopped by a mom and pop appliance repair store and asked the guy if they sold it. He gave me a foot of it free. I believe it is 14ga.
Once you go higher than the single factory 500W element you should bypass the temp control because it was not designed to handle the higher output. I think I remember someone posted that he did not bypass his and did not have a problem but I wouldn't do it. I installed an Auber PID controller by following another how-to guide.
I know your smoke generator box is different but here's how I installed mine:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b355/roadijeff/Food/IMG_0594_zpsfd6577ea.jpg)
Thanks Ted, I have the DigiQ2 so I really dont want to buy the PID for the box. So how do I bypass the contrks for the "new" OB smoker?
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 09, 2015, 11:54:47 PM
Thank you for the reply. I do not have a die grinder. I understand there will be dissassembly. I thought though I read somewhere on here where there was a 750 finned element that was basically a swap out from the original. Terminals on both sides of it and everything.
For others reading this who are considering a dual element mod, the best tool I have found for drilling the reflector to accept the second element is a step drill bit, which is also known as a unibit. (I drill a small pilot hole before using the step drill.). Another helpful tool, for notching the ceramic holders for the original heating element, is a "rod saw" blade for a hacksaw.
The step drill bit seems like it would work great. However I checked prices on them and they are rather pricey. What about just drilling a small hole and then increase drill bit size as I go? Also why does the ceramic need to be notched again?
If you follow the instructions in the link TedeBear provided, increasing the bit size works very well. I didn't have a step drill, or a 9/16" bit; when I did my mod and just increased the bit size, as I drilled. Make sure you clamp the heat shield down over a board at least 2" thick, so the shield does not twist or spin as you drill. I have a Dremel and an assortment of rattail files, so I only drilled up to a 1/2" hole, then used the Dremel with a grinder bit to increase the hole size to 9/16".
In order to thread the wire through, and for the ceramic cap to fit properly, you will need to notch. If you don't have a rod saw blade, a rattail file works great. A flat file will also work, but avoid making a "V" shape notch. I used a rattail file to notch the ceramic holder.
I should have added that when you drill a slower speed works best on thin stainless steel.
Habanero thank you! So I think, I have this down with the exception of the notch. Trying to tell from the pics, is the notch made around the nut of the ceramic holder? If I intend to jump to the second element I would use an eyelet connection correct? Just got my second element in today due to Amazon's fast shipping:)
The wires for the original element, one for each end of the element, pass through the back wall of the smoker and into the body of the ceramic holders. The wires have to be routed here to connect to the terminals on the element. In order to connect your second element you have to make a hole in the ceramic holder in order to allow the new wire (which will connect the first element to the second one) a place to pass through the ceramic in order to get to the new element.
Once you have the ceramics out of the smoker you will see that each one is comprised of two halves. It is where the two halves join on the outboard side that you must make a small notch in each half. Then when you re-assemble the two halves. the notches will match up and form a single hole that the wire can be passed through on its way to the second element.
Once you have the ceramics out of the smoker and can see how they are constructed this should all be easily understood and accomplished.
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 13, 2015, 06:18:43 PM
Habanero thank you! So I think, I have this down with the exception of the notch. Trying to tell from the pics, is the notch made around the nut of the ceramic holder? If I intend to jump to the second element I would use an eyelet connection correct? Just got my second element in today due to Amazon's fast shipping:)
I forgot you are going to piggyback the elements. In that case I don't believe you have to notch the ceramic fittings.
Thank you both again! What about disabling the temperature control. The new OB smoker does not have the front slider control. It appears the temperature is controlled from the smoker box. Any clue how I should approach this?
You will not have to disconnect the temperature control. The cabinet will be plugged directly into your Raptor, this will bypass the temperature controller in the generator. The Raptor is rated at 1800 watts.
Well that is good news. Bad news is the heat shield got away from me when I stepped up to 1/2" bit. Totally spun around and is destroyed. Did not have a clamp so was holding it by hand. Is a dremel easier than the rat tail? On a side note, to jump the wires it appears I will have to bend the eyelit at a 90 degree angle in order to come out the side opening of the ceramic holder. Any comments from someone that has jumped their element?
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 14, 2015, 01:40:42 PM
Well that is good news. Bad news is the heat shield got away from me when I stepped up to 1/2" bit. Totally spun around and is destroyed. Did not have a clamp so was holding it by hand. Is a dremel easier than the rat tail? On a side note, to jump the wires it appears I will have to bend the eyelit at a 90 degree angle in order to come out the side opening of the ceramic holder. Any comments from someone that has jumped their element?
I warned the other day that the thin heat shield tends to tear easily when drilling large holes and that it is better to grind than drill. I drilled mine out to around 3/8" and then used a cone shaped grinding bit to enlarge the holes to the right size.
Yes, bend the connector at a 90 degree angle so everything fits.
Yard and Pool (http://www.yardandpool.com/grilling-smoking/grill-smoker-parts/bradley-smoker-parts) sells replacement heat shields for under $9.
You did warn me, lol. Order placed! Until round two now. Thanks for the connector info.
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 14, 2015, 01:40:42 PM
Well that is good news. Bad news is the heat shield got away from me when I stepped up to 1/2" bit. Totally spun around and is destroyed. Did not have a clamp so was holding it by hand. Is a dremel easier than the rat tail? On a side note, to jump the wires it appears I will have to bend the eyelit at a 90 degree angle in order to come out the side opening of the ceramic holder. Any comments from someone that has jumped their element?
When I did my mod, that is how I ruined my heat shielded. That is why the warning is given in the instructions you were linked to.
If you have a Dremel, it is easier than a rattail file. The Dremel is smaller and easier to handle than a drill, but as mentioned by TedeBear, you can purchase grinding bits for your drill. A half round file will also do the job quickly.
Also; you need to clamp it down while drilling; even at the smallest drill size; just to be safe.
At least I know I'm not the only one! Thanks for the dremel tip, I ended up buying a step bit and clamp, figured I would need it for something else. The connectors I bought from the appliance store are too big. Does anyone know if eyelits from Home Depot would work to jump, or do they have to be special high temp?
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 15, 2015, 05:51:45 AMDoes anyone know if eyelits from Home Depot would work to jump, or do they have to be special high temp?
Wire connectors are available in different configurations, depending on both the wire size and the stud that they will attach to. I'm not sure what Home Depot has available but it does not have to be a special high temp connector. Just be sure and remove any plastic insulator off the metal or it will melt.
Picked up some new connectors, and ready to make the connections while I wait for my new reflector. The guy at the part store said to place the sleeve of the eyelit over the entire wire (protective covering and all), then crimp down. I would think that I would have to cut the protective sleeve covering prior to crimping down no? How would the connection make contact?
Also after looking at the element and ceramic holders closer, I don't see how you could possibly get the second jump wire out without notching the ceramic holder. Am I looking at this wrong? If I am looking at the element and holder mounted in the cabinet, the left side of tge ceramic holder is flush. I believe I should take the top part of the ceramic holder off and notch the left side of that piece, and the right side of the opposite holder....comments?
Disregard the second paragraph, I did not pay close enough attention to Orion's post. I will be grinding down the ceramic holders to make a whole for the jumper wire. Still not sure if I strip the high temp wire or not?
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on November 14, 2015, 01:31:14 AM
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 13, 2015, 06:18:43 PM
Habanero thank you! So I think, I have this down with the exception of the notch. Trying to tell from the pics, is the notch made around the nut of the ceramic holder? If I intend to jump to the second element I would use an eyelet connection correct? Just got my second element in today due to Amazon's fast shipping:)
I forgot you are going to piggyback the elements. In that case I don't believe you have to notch the ceramic fittings.
I don't believe there is anyway around notching the fittings
Bradleyinc,
Yes, you need to notch the ceramic and I believe you have the correct way to do it in your mind now. It doesn't take much as when the two notches mate together you just need a hole large enough to pass the wire through. Just so we are clear: when the notching is completed the wire will pass out the ends of the ceramic and by the ends I mean the side of the ceramic that faces the sidewalls of the smoker cabinet.
Not quite sure what you are unclear of regarding the wire and terminal ends. You only strip about 3/16ths of the insulation off the wire ends so that the bare wire can be inserted into the terminal and crimped securely. This should place the insulated portion of the wire butting up against the terminal. Although....some terminals are designed to crimp both the bare portion and the insulated portion of the wire but I doubt you have that style. Just examine the crimps on the existing wiring at the original element and copy what you see there.
When sizing your wires and crimping and locating the bend in the terminals assembly things loosely to ensure you get it all laid out correctly. Try to bend the ring terminals at a 90 degree but leave enough room in the bend radius to allow your nuts to be installed and tightened.
Hopefully you didn't tear your hands to shreds when the shield got away from you. I like your persistence and patience! You will get this done and be pleased when you do.
Orion has provided good advice. Since you are piggy backing the elements, before you notch, you may want to check with TedeBear, as to which side you should place the notch.
Notching is complete. The process was not hard at all, I used a mounted grinder, angled the ceramic till I got basically a half moon on each side. Found the perfect high temp eyelit which is for #8 stud if anyone is looking for it at your local hardware store.
My reflector is due to arrive tomorrow, but I don't know if I will have time after work the next few days to complete. To be continued....
Quote from: TedEbear on November 12, 2015, 09:12:03 AM
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on November 11, 2015, 06:59:33 PM
Oh yeah and what type of wire connection to "jump" it from the other element? What gauge wire as well 14?
The jumper wire does have to be high temp because it is exposed to the high heat of the cooking chamber. I stopped by a mom and pop appliance repair store and asked the guy if they sold it. He gave me a foot of it free. I believe it is 14ga.
Once you go higher than the single factory 500W element you should bypass the temp control because it was not designed to handle the higher output. I think I remember someone posted that he did not bypass his and did not have a problem but I wouldn't do it. I installed an Auber PID controller by following another how-to guide.
I know your smoke generator box is different but here's how I installed mine:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b355/roadijeff/Food/IMG_0594_zpsfd6577ea.jpg)
Can you post what guide you followed. your setup looks nice!
Quote from: thepro8 on November 20, 2015, 01:07:50 PM
Can you post what guide you followed. your setup looks nice!
It's a "how-to" guide from the Bradley users recipe site: PID Controller (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?315-PID-Controller)
As I'm in the process of completing this mod, how will this work without the fan mod? Do any of you run dual elements without the fan? Does it burn food if left on the bottom rack? Just wondering if it will be essential to add a fan.
I have the parts for the fan, but never installed the fan. You are only going to burn the food on the bottom rack if you badly overcook it. The extra heat from the elements is not that extreme while it is brings your cabinet back up to it's set temperature that it will burn your food.
If you don't rotate the trays during the cooking time, the food on the bottom rack, and that near to the back wall will cook much faster than the food on the higher racks.
Bradleyinc,
HS is on the money. The fan is usually something we add if one comes handy or we want to mod a little more. Follow HS's cooking recommendations and you will be fine. Will you grace us with some pics of your mods?
I have the dual elements myself and i rarely use the fan anymore.
Thank yoy all for the advice. How long does it take to reach 225 for you under normal conditions? Just so i'm setting this up properly I have the digiq2. I take the blower input from th raptor and connect to digiq. Next i hook up small box to smoke stack. Lastly long cord from smoke generator goin to digiq2? Still do not need to disable temperature control from OBS somewhere?
I use to use a Digi Q plus Raptor to control my Bradley. Since the Raptor cycles the power on and off, if you plug the generator into the Raptor it will interfere with the feeding of the bisquette; more than likely cause a jam, and your bisquettes will not burn properly.
So that there are no mistakes, I'll go through each step. You will also need to have a power strip, and a computer power cord.
With the temperature probe(s) already plugged into the DigiQ, connect the wire from the blower input into the Raptor. Place the temperature probe inside the cabinet, in the area you want to control the temperature. I generally place mine below the bottom rack, where no juices from the meat will drip on the probe.
The smoke cabinet gets plugged into the back of the Raptor, and the Raptor then gets plugged into an outlet. To do this you will need to replace that short jumper cord that goes from the cabinet to the generator with a computer power cord (NEMA 5-15P to IEC320C13). With that cord you can plug the cabinet into the Raptor. Hookup the power cord to the DigiQ, and plug that into an outlet. The generator will have to be plugged into its own socket, so a power strip comes in handy.
You do not have to disable the heating control on the BS611, the power to the elements is controlled by the Raptor. Though from what I have read on the forum, you must turn the heating control to on for the bisquettes burner to work.
Turn on the generator first, then turn on the DigiQ, and you should be up and running.
When using the DigiQ/Raptor disable the ramp mode, if you don't you will extend your cook times. Also set the overshoot to its lowest setting. It's been awhile since I've time how long it takes to bring the cabinet up to 225°F. Of course a lot depends on the ambient temperature, and wind conditions.
Habs,
Thank for the detailed reply with instructions! That is exactly what I needed. The only question I have remaining is why can't I use the two orginal cords that came with the OBS? Use the short jumper to connect the cabinet to the raptor, then the raptor to socket. Then the cord from the smoke generator to socket? I'm not at home right now so I'm thinking this through in my head without looking at the smoker.
I haven't seen the short jumper cord on the new original, but sometime back; at least 8 years ago Bradley switch the jumper cord that connected the cabinet to the generator from NEMA 5-15P to IEC320C13 to an IEC320C13 to IEC320C14 type of cord.
If the newer models come with the common computer power cord that can plug into the back of the Raptor, then use it. If that short jumper cord is a IEC320C13 to IEC320C14 cord, the male end of that cord will not fit the female socket of the Raptor.
Habs,
Once again you are correct! I was not at home and when I did get to look at it, the connections will not work. Computer cord connected, but it was too late last night to fire it up. Will be seasoning the unit today, and ribs tomorrow! Perfect day to test the dual element, only high of 30 today! Pics to follow as Orion requested.
Well she is seasoning as we speak! Cannot thank everyone enough on here. With the temps in the 30s I'm very pleased that I decided to go with the dual element over another method (not knocking those by any means).
So one last setup question, is it safe to leave the smoke generator on during the entire cook even though I will not have anymore pucks after the first couple hours? I'm assuming this would just be a waste of energy heating it with no pucks advancing? I ask this because if I place an overnight cook in right before bed and leave the generator on. I leave the temperature dial on "off" setting on the smoke generator since the DigiQ is controlling the temp (hopefully this is what I should be doing?).
Also as I am watching the DigiQ now I am seeing large drops from 206 and back to 225 every so often. I am not sure if this is due to the pucks dropping in the bowl or if my DigiQ was used to and "learned" how the temperature swings were in my Weber Smokey Mountain? Or does it have something to do with the wind and outside temp today around 35?
I'm also noticing that when I open the door for a period of time the smoker temp is overshooting quite a bit (went up to 260). It comes back down, but I sm wondering if I should leave the "open lid" feature on. There are only two settings off and on on te digiq that I know. So I eithier have to be very quick with opening and shuttinf or I am going to have overshooting problems.
It doesn't matter if you leave the bisquette burner on or off. Often when I would empty the bowl before going to bed for a few hours, I often forget to turn off the bisquette burner, and it would be on for the whole cook. If it is left on the DigiQ will factor in the heat from the burner, so no extra energy should be used.
The wind can be a factor most of the time, but in this case the DigiQ is must likely auto tuning itself. With the Guru products, they auto tune themselves during each cook. If used on the same equipment, the auto tune time shortens quite a bit. When I used mine, I would see +/- 10°F fluctuations during the preheating, then it would zero in.
I had to turn off my "open lid". It seemed with my Bradley, it would cause my cabinet to over shoot by as much as 20°F; if it was on. When I used the DigiQ for my charcoal burner, I would have to turn the "open lid" feature on. It is something you may have to play with, because since I purchased mine they have come out with many versions of their software, and change the algorithm they use to control the heat, so your DigiQ 2 may function a lot differently than mine.
Thanks again, habs but it does not appear to be zeroing in properly. Been an hour set at 250 and going back and forth from 230-245, goes back down then up. The raptor will cycle on for 3 seconds or so then shut off. Keeps doing this over and over. I set to 225, then it undershoots again by 15-20 degree. Set to 260, settles in around 250.I know the elements are not the issue. With the door open for awhile then closed it overshoots all the way to 260. Not sure what the problem is, could it be surge protector? Raptor not working properly? Damper all the way open, weather about 35 degrees with some wind. Also I was cooking 7 or 8 chicken drumsticks on second rack. Temperature probe was clipped onto second rack from bottom.
I use a power strip without a surge protector, because when I used a surge protector it would frequently trip my GFI. Surge protectors do interfere with some electronics, but I don't think this is the case. If you have a power strip, you could swap out the surge protector.
I usually don't use temperatures over 225°F; but when I used temperatures such as 250°F, the DigiQ would "stall" about 10°F, before getting to the set temperature, then very slowly creep up. I could never figure this out. The going back and forth is not how mine operated. It may be a feature to prevent wood or charcoal fires getting too big; but it is not useful for an electric smoker. When I called BBQ Guru, they basically stated that is normal, without giving me an explanation. That was many years back, maybe a call to them now, they may provide more useful information.
It sounds like the Raptor is working properly, but if the switch in the SSR is malfunctioning, that may cause improper temperature. If you give BBQ Guru a call, you may want to check on that also.
Make sure the probe is in an area where no juices from the chicken can drip on it. I clip my probe on the bottom rack, in the front left corner.
I forgot what the feature is called; there is a setting for how tight you want the overshoot to be. What is that set for?
Did it only overshoot during preheating and recovery? If so that is normal. If it overshoots a lot during recovery, opening the door again to let out excessive heat will bring the cabinet temperature down; but close the door when you are about 5°F above the set point. If it overshoots more than 5°F during "undisturbed" cooking, that would not be normal.
When it overshoots, is the Raptor light still cycling on/off? If it overshoots the Raptor light should remain off until the cabinet temperature drops below the set temperature. When the Raptor is maintaining the temperature, you will see the light cycle on and off. The light cycle will vary, depending on how hard it had to work to maintain the set temperature.
Do you have the "open lid" feature on or off? Which every way you have it set, choose the other setting and see if that improves the overshoots during temperature recovery.
I would do a little more trouble shooting then give BBQ Guru a call. They have made so many changes in their firmware since I purchased mine it may be just a matter of changing a few settings.
I am going to try with a power strip instead and see what happens. Yesterday I tried it with both the open lid feature on and off with same result. I would be OK with the slowly creeping up if in fact it would hit the target and stay. After two and half hours it never reached the target. If I increased the temperature it would rise, but still 10-20 below target.
As for the raptor light I was watching this myself yesterday and it did shut off when it overshoots. However when it was 20-30 degrees below it seemed to not cycle on long enough. Seems to me it should have stayed constant on until being within 10 degrees of the target and that did not happen. It seemed to cycle for six or seven seconds and then shut off. With the cabinet door shut for an extended period of time it did not overshoot, came within five degrees of the target and then drop to as much as 20 below, and restart this process all over again. Sorry for my ignorance but what is "the switch to the SSR?"
I will be trying a variety of troubleshooting methods today (moving probe placement, power strip, damper adjustment, temperature adjustment, different socket etc.). Calling Guru will be my next step unless someone here (Habs thanks again!) has other suggestions.
The SSR stands for Solid State Relay. If you look though the air vents of the Raptor (you may need a light), you will see a black box; that is the SSR. That is the only thing in that box, other than the wiring. It is the electronic switch that responds to the DC signal from the DigiQ, and sends the appropriate signal to the AC unit. The signal being sent from the DigiQ will be either switch on or switch off. It is possible the SSR is not responding appropriately, but that is rare.
Mine would hold the temps to within +/-2°F. Not even during the auto tune would mine be as far off as yours.
I would call BBQ Guru. Like I mention earlier, since I've had my model they have changed the firmware numerous times, and I know they have changed the algorithm at least once since I purchased mine.
The only other thing I can think of is to double check to make sure your temperature probes are solidly connected to the DigiQ.
Thank you for the SSR information. So I had full intentions on doing some testing yesterday and the wife was complaining that the ribs she bought were going to spoil. I tried to explain to her about the fluctuations in temperature problem, but was accused of being anal about my smoking process! Anyways I changed out the temperature probe as I had a spare, pushed in all te connections again, and fired her up to 230. Rised quickly and only deviated 5 degress throughout the cook. I'm more perplexed now as it operated as expected, not perfect but it held for most of the cook. Ribs were tremendous. Woke up early so I can experiment a bit now with everyone in bed still. Checking on a few more things before calling Guru.
Interesting....it held 250 for an hour without fluctuating. Could the smoker not being completely seasoned on the first cook have anything to do with it? Moisture release from chicken? Excessive wind? Or just an unsolved mystery?
I think you probably have a faulty probe.
Glad to see you are zeroing in on the problem. With your latest results, I'm also leaning towards a bad probe, or it wasn't seated in all the way. When you get a chance you can double check by using that probe again, making sure it is seated properly, and running another test. If the temperature control starts acting wacky again, you know it was the probe. You must be tired of testing by now. :) Most of my problems when the temperatures weren't registering correctly was due to the probe not being pushed in all the way. For some reason I find it hard to seat the probes in the DigiQ properly.
I don't believe you had enough chicken in the smoker for it to effect the temperatures of a dual element modified Bradley. I don't believe seasoning would have anything to do with the temperature control, and what you described didn't sound like the DigiQ was autotuning.
So if I wasn't confused enough I replicated the problem again using both sets of probes, one new set and one old. Large fluctuations again starting off setting the DigiQ to 250 from cold start. Why it worked yesterday and earlier today I do not know. Although yesterday I was only running 225. So now I let it cool all the way down, made sure everything was seated properly and plugged the raptor directly into the wall rather thsn the surge protector. I will reverse then if this does not work and plug digiq directly in the wall. Frustrating yes to say the least. Guru is closed until, Monday so it gives me time to trouble shoot if anyone else has suggestions.
If nothing is dripping on the probe, then it's beginning to seem like there is a faulty piece of equipment; either the probe, or the Raptor, or even the DigiQ itself. Hopefully BBQ Guru will help. It may be a matter of the right settings.
Are there anything appliances on that same circuit that may be preventing the DigiQ and Raptor from providing enough power for the approximate 1,200 watts you need?
Nothing is dripping on the probe. There are other appliances on the same circuit, although none of them were on. I don't believe the Digiq is faulty, as I had it hooked up to the weber and was working perfectly. One set of probes was new right out of the box, the other set were used but I know work.
So at this point I have to believe it is eithier some type of electrical issue, or the raptor is faulty. I may try running an extension cord to another section of the house.
Does that thing have an autotune feature that you can manually initiate? I had to run autotune with my Auber PID controller when I added a second element so the controller could learn the new parameters and better control the chamber temp.
If BBQ Guru hasn't changed the autotune feature, since I purchased mine; all Guru temperature controllers initiates an autotune each time you turn it on.
Although you haven't gotten the zeroed in, I have to agree with your wife, that at least in the meantime it is functioning well enough to cook ribs. You may have to adjust your cooking times.
Well tried everything, including tech help from bbq guru. I recalibrated tge unit with the same results. They agreed to check the digiq2 along with the raptor. I may request a refund if they tell me it is working as designed. So what PID is the most popular here? I hate to spend the money on another unit but I need to have one that keeps the temp at least within 5 degrees of my set point. 15-20 degree fluctuations are unacceptable. I will be giving them the benefit of the doubt to fix the problem. They did tell me tge digiq2 was designed with charcoal grills in mind, which may attribute to the delay in getting the temperature back up to the set point sonit does not overshoot
So did they not develop the raptor to address this? They also said sometimes people assembling the raptor units make mistakes.....well we will see what happens. I cannot recommend the raptor at this point to anyone.
Quote from: bradleyincleveland on December 05, 2015, 07:11:27 AMSo what PID is the most popular here? I hate to spend the money on another unit but I need to have one that keeps the temp at least within 5 degrees of my set point.
For a plug and play unit, the two below are popular ones on the forum.
Programmable PID Controller for Bradley Smoker (http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_28&products_id=72)
Dual-Probe PID Controller for Bradley Smoker (http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=380)
This tells how they work with the Bradley: Auber Plug & Play PIDs - Single/Dual Probes (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?672-Auber-Plug-amp-Play-PIDs-Single-Dual-Probes)
Also: Auber PID Step Programming (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?792-Auber-PID-Step-Programming)
Sorry to here about your findings. Since they continuously tweak it for charcoal and wood, you would think if they continue to sell the Raptor, they would program settings in their Gurus so you can switch to those settings for electric smokers.
The Raptor is not designed to control the heat. The main function of the Raptor is a switch, that turns the power to the electric smoker on or off; according to the appropriate signal the DigiQ2 sends it. It is still the DigiQ2 that controls the temperature, and when to send those signals.
I decided to go with the Auber and just return the raptor. Hate to pay for two PID's, but Iook at it this way I can cook for many more people using both my charcoal Weber and the Bradley. I like that the Auber is specifically designed for the Bradley and you can program different saved cooks. Hopefully can get a good cook in this weekend when my Auber comes in!
With the changes they have made to the firmware in the Gurus, a dedicated temperature controller built to control electric appliances is a better options. Though I am surprised that BBQ Guru did take the Raptor back.
They have not yaken it back yet, will have a call into them tomorrow. Has been less than 30 days, that would be very poor customer service if so.
I see the new Auber model I ordered has an input for the smoke generator. Since I have the "new" version of the OBS where the temperature control is contained within the smoke generator, should I atill use the extra computer plug to connect directly to the wall socket, or should I now route it to the Auber?
Email from Auber stated to connect the smoke generator to Auber. Not sure if anyone is operating the new OBS connected to the Auber or wall outlet? Any help appreciated.
Yes I do. Working well.
Thanks Toker. You have the new version OBS correct? Do you have two elements, and if so do you change the value on the Auber like I hear some people do? Haven't received the Auber yet, but is it easy to change the value on the Auber to compensate for both elements?
Here are the one I have + The DBS4 and 6. ;D
Only my old Black has 2 elements for now and yes I had to change setting in my PID.
(http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s335/tokerfrank/IMG_0003.jpg) (http://s509.photobucket.com/user/tokerfrank/media/IMG_0003.jpg.html)
And I forgot The new Original XLT (6 rack)
(http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s335/tokerfrank/IMG_0002_1.jpg) (http://s509.photobucket.com/user/tokerfrank/media/IMG_0002_1.jpg.html)
Wow, I gotta ask how many people you smoke for? So what do I do to change the settings for the two element?
I'M single :) It is not for how many persons i smoke for, it is that each smoker has his specialty. I always smoke fish in the same smoker, jerky in the same smoker... This way, no smell transfer and also, it is the best way to keep track of what you smoke in case of allergie. But it's just ME. You don't have to do it yourself ;)
As far as the PID settings goes, what is your model number? Check the sticker under to see if you are not sure. Anyway it is the same.
Press SET (hold few seconds) until you see LCK then use the UP arrow until 155 appear. Then, press SET until you see P then change the 70 (or 7) for 140 (or 14 sorry i have an old one) then press SET a few times to get out.
Thank you Toker! That's awesome you can designate all of those. The Auber I am getting is the newest model dual probe plug and play. It will arrive tomorrow. Thank you for the info! Can't wait to try it.
Got to try out the new Auber PID dual probe and all I can say is WOW! This thing is built with quality and it held my set point dead on! The customization it allows you to program with turning on and off the generator, temp ramping is amazing. I am very disappointed the expensive product BBQ Guru puts out in the "Raptor" in conjunction with the DigiQ2 which caused me days of frustration with no success.
I made pulled pork that was simply amazing last night....
Glad you finally got it all worked out. So, where are the pics of this simply amazing pulled pork? ;)
This thread definitely needs some pictures of pulled pork and smoker modifications. ;)