BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Bradley Smokers => Bradley Smoker in Stainless Steel ( BTSTO2) => Topic started by: sajano on December 31, 2008, 03:19:06 PM

Title: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: sajano on December 31, 2008, 03:19:06 PM
Hi,

I have a stainless steel smoker.. got it earlier this year..

I keep finding that the briqueets keep getting wet as they travel to the heating pad.. and then they swell up, and when the arm tries to advace the briquette it just break the briquette up and then the briquette is useless..

I guess some how the drippings from the meat is falling on them.. anyone else have this issue? The meat is no where near the edges of the smoker..

Thanks,
Sajan
Title: Re: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: Smoking Duck on December 31, 2008, 03:21:19 PM
Is your vent closed when you're smoking?  It sounds almost as if there is too much moisture building up inside of the smoker and that's what is causing your bisquettes to swell up.  Do you have smoke coming out of the smoke genrator at all?

SD
Title: Re: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: pensrock on December 31, 2008, 03:33:01 PM
Yes check to make sure the vent is open. The other thing I can think of is to check that your 'V' tray is installed correctly. I have seen pictures on here before where the tray was installed upside down. The tray should be installed so the drippings fall into the water bowl in the bottom of the smoker. The V should be down not up. Other than that, I have no idea.
Title: Re: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: HCT on January 01, 2009, 05:13:01 AM
Quote from: pensrock on December 31, 2008, 03:33:01 PM
Yes check to make sure the vent is open. The other thing I can think of is to check that your 'V' tray is installed correctly. I have seen pictures on here before where the tray was installed upside down. The tray should be installed so the drippings fall into the water bowl in the bottom of the smoker. The V should be down not up. Other than that, I have no idea.

That's the first thing I thought of also.
Title: Re: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: sajano on January 01, 2009, 11:31:49 AM
Hi All,

Thanks for the ideas.. my vent is closed ... I'll open it up for the next run. (might be a while and its nice and rainy here in oregon).

The vtray is installed correctly.


Cheers,
Sajan
Title: Re: Briquettes keeping get wet
Post by: pensrock on January 01, 2009, 11:52:31 AM
Keep the vent at least 1/4 open at all times. If doing poultry or other very moist meats open it compleatly. Its bad for the smoke generator to run with the vent closed. Actually most things I smoke I keep the vent open 1/2 to full open. The generator makes plenty of smoke.