If fat were to drip on the heating element would it crack? I seems to look like a halogen bulb which I know are somewhat delicate. I know it is covered by that shield but . . .
gotbbq (http://www.dow-mgc.org/smilies/Launch63.gif)
3rd smoke and my element is dirty,I try to wipe it off when it cools ,so far no problem with it .
Just do it! Smoke on!!
Believe me it will not crack from either water or fat dripping. I did a 12# turkey and two chicken, that lasted for a total of 12 hours cooking time. It wasn't until I was pulling out the turkey that I realized I have left the drip tray out. What a mess to clean up. The bulb is not as clean as it used to be, but I have not observed any performance problems.
Gots,
I'm assuming from your post you have one of the old glass bulbs. No, it should not crack if foodstuffs contact it.
What bothers me most is your comment about it being shielded. That should be UNDER the bulb, NOT over it. If it is over the bulb, too much heat will be concentrated to the bottom & not be allowed to rise evenly through the smoker.
You're lookin' towards a meltdown![:(]
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
Kirk,
As ususual, you are right. The shield is below the heating element. Do the glass and the metal elements work the same and have an equal heating life?
Rich[^]
gotbbq (http://www.dow-mgc.org/smilies/Launch63.gif)
To my knowledge, no one has ever burnt out a bulb through use. The glass ones, well, break if you have an "ooopsy".
When the metal ones first came out we did a side-by-side comparison of the two using empty smokers & measuring the temp every ten minutes. The full results are posted somewhere here. If memory serves me, the metal got hotter a little quicker and may have had a higher peak temp. No REAL major differences though.
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?