So i am taking the plunge to do 2 mods to the digital smoker. The first will be a PID but the second one has me left with a few questions. I want to put a secondary heating element in because i am having a hard time hitting the temps i need in this cold climate. Now i have read all the info but was wondering if the second heating element is hooked up to the Bradley's power source or do you run a secondary power line to it. Maybe i just missed that part in the details. And i guess since i am here and asking, does the PID control the power to the heating elements? I didn't read up enough on it other than to know it would sure be handy to have that kind of control over what i am cooking.
I have the programmable PID to my dbs. it does a great job of temp comtrol. I dont have the second element and have no problem hitting 225* in my 27* temps.
Mr Walleye can fill you in on the 2nd heater
NS am doing the heater update this week. I bought two new ones and gonna save the old one as a back up.
One of the members showed me a shortcut to not take off the back panel.
I will take some pics as I do it and pm them to ya if you want.
Hey we want to see it too! >:( ;) ;D
Hi NS;
Both elements run off one power source, and your PID will be controlling both elements. I'm not sure if you are looking at the mod on this forum, but the recipe site also has a right up.
Additional Heating Element Modification (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=572)
Your can get your high temperature wire from Allied Kenco (http://www.alliedkenco.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/773)
They also have the O connectors, and I would purchase a couple of extra female spade connectors (push connectors) as backup. The also have them on that site.
The second element not only helps you hit your desired temperature, but increases the temperature rapidly. You will find your smoke/cook times are more consistant and shorter.
Thanks for all the information. And i would love to see the pics of how you are doing it without taking the back off. And what habs is saying is exactly why i want to do this mod...to hit my temp faster. There have been days where it is -30C and 225 seems to be almost unachievable especialy if i have to open the door and put cold food in haha. And it makes me happy that both elements run off of one power source because i will be running out of room soon in the new house my smoker is in with the next upgrade i am planning ;)
I would think that the fan upgrade would be a good addition to the extra heating element as well.
Quote from: Northern_Smoke on January 13, 2010, 05:33:43 AM
Thanks for all the information. And i would love to see the pics of how you are doing it without taking the back off. And what habs is saying is exactly why i want to do this mod...to hit my temp faster. There have been days where it is -30C and 225 seems to be almost unachievable especialy if i have to open the door and put cold food in haha. And it makes me happy that both elements run off of one power source because i will be running out of room soon in the new house my smoker is in with the next upgrade i am planning ;)
I would think that the fan upgrade would be a good addition to the extra heating element as well.
Same problem here!
Just ordered from Yard and Pool 2 elements and heat shield. Going to give it a try!
Quote from: classicrockgriller on January 12, 2010, 07:37:25 PM
NS am doing the heater update this week. I bought two new ones and gonna save the old one as a back up.
One of the members showed me a shortcut to not take off the back panel.
I will take some pics as I do it and pm them to ya if you want.
Yes try to post pics of this. PLEASE ;D
I have the BDS with PID and have nto had a problem with the unit heating up.
Installing an extra heating element would only make things go quicker IMHO.
Have to admit, I have thought about doing the upgrade after reading how easy it is.
Lumpy
Oh ya.............it gets very cold here too!
Quote from: classicrockgriller on January 12, 2010, 07:37:25 PM
NS am doing the heater update this week. I bought two new ones and gonna save the old one as a back up.
One of the members showed me a shortcut to not take off the back panel.
I will take some pics as I do it and pm them to ya if you want.
I missed this thread earlier.
I don't see how, but I too would be interested in how that can be done. If that is possible, and if you take pictures I would like to post them on the recipe site, as an addendum to the current instructions.
Can somebody please explain why you would need a PID with a BDS? Isn't the "D" on a BDS supposed to do what I use the Ranco for with my OBS?
Quote from: anderson5420 on January 14, 2010, 05:22:21 AM
Can somebody please explain why you would need a PID with a BDS? Isn't the "D" on a BDS supposed to do what I use the Ranco for with my OBS?
The PID keeps the temp swing to a minimum. Around -2 to a +2 of your set temp.
The "D" has a swing of -15 to a +15 on my Bradley.
And the PID is a neat toy.
Mine has alsways been 20 degrees hotter than what the BDS actually reads.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on January 13, 2010, 01:30:42 PM
Quote from: classicrockgriller on January 12, 2010, 07:37:25 PM
NS am doing the heater update this week. I bought two new ones and gonna save the old one as a back up.
One of the members showed me a shortcut to not take off the back panel.
I will take some pics as I do it and pm them to ya if you want.
I missed this thread earlier.
I don't see how, but I too would be interested in how that can be done. If that is possible, and if you take pictures I would like to post them on the recipe site, as an addendum to the current instructions.
I know there have been a couple of people who have done this. Basically what they are doing is just jumping power off the existing element to the second element, therefore, they don't need to remove the back off the smoker. I have spoke to one of the members and they have not had any problems with it.
When I first did this mode I spoke with Brian (Bradley) to comfirm the gauge of wiring used for the elements and he indicated it was 18. 18 gauge wire is rated for up to 10 amps depending on type of wire and type of installation. 1000 watts (which is 2 500 watt elements) draws approximately 8.4 amps. So in theory, this should work but when dealing with electricity and the associated potential problems my thought is to rule on the side of safety and allow a margin of error. As I understand it most electricians will allow approximately a 20% margin.
Having said all that it is close but my choice was to rule on the side of safety and run the additional wires for the mod.
Mike
Which way is correct for the extra heater.
1. To wire it separately to a power source
or
2. To hard wire it in to the Bradley power.
I've read somewhere that by wiring it into the Bradley it will overload the electronics.
Thanks for all the help.
Lumpy
Mike;
Thanks for the explanation. I would agree with you, especially if you are wiring OBS to take the safest way. Taking off the back is a minor step.
Lumpy,
You do not have to wire the second element to a separate source. I don't know what model you have. But if you have the OBS, it is thought that if you wire it directly to the temperature controller, it may be too much wattage for the temperature controller to handle. But there is at least one member who wired 900 watt heater to the temperature control, without any problem. I choose not to wire my second to the temperature controller
The safest way is to wire the second element to plug in the back of the smoker, so that both elements are drawing off one power source, but each is using its own separate wiring to heat the element. Less chance for any wire to overheat.
If I understand Mike's post correctly. What some are doing are using a jumper wire to connect the first element directly to the second element inside the cabinet, thus both elements are drawing power off the same wiring; increasing the possibility of the wire overheating. Though no one has reported any problems by wiring it that way.
Thanks Habs,
I have a digital. Not sure if it makes a difference.
Lumpy
Habs, I have read several post where you stated that you have cooked at temps of 350*.
Are you doing this with 2 500wt heaters and each one wired seperately?
If not what did you do to make your Bradley reach 350*
Are you maintaining 350* in your cabinet for long periods of time?
Do you feel like that is a safe temp for the Bradley since it is rated for temps of 320*
By doing the crossover wire method, I never had plans of bringing the Bradley any higher than
300* and only that when it was neccessary. Most of my smoke/cooks are at 220*.
I like the thought of a second element as a speed up in pre-heat and recovery.
Thanks in advance on yout thoughts.
I too would like the extra element for quick heat ups and also to crisp the occasional ABT bacon.
It's not my intention to heat the BDS to 350, but CRG has made a good point.
Thanks for the help.
Does anyone have pictures of the conversion?
Appreciate any.
This is Mike's conversion:
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=572
I really don't think that using a jumper wire from one element to the other is really a concern when doing the conversion.
My thoughts for that are, unless you upgrade the original power cord for the Bradley, both elements are still being powered with 18ga wire.
Also, both the elements are still protected by the thermal fuse and eliminates the need for a second one.
I have been using mine for about 2 months now using this method with good results.
Quote from: classicrockgriller on January 14, 2010, 02:10:06 PM
Habs, I have read several post where you stated that you have cooked at temps of 350*.
Are you doing this with 2 500wt heaters and each one wired seperately?
If not what did you do to make your Bradley reach 350*
Are you maintaining 350* in your cabinet for long periods of time?
Do you feel like that is a safe temp for the Bradley since it is rated for temps of 320*
By doing the crossover wire method, I never had plans of bringing the Bradley any higher than
300* and only that when it was neccessary. Most of my smoke/cooks are at 220*.
I like the thought of a second element as a speed up in pre-heat and recovery.
Thanks in advance on yout thoughts.
This post has got me confused. I don't recall ever bringing my smoker up to 350°. That would trigger my high temperature switch, and/or burn out my thermal fuse and cut off my original element, as you stated it is only rated for 320°. I have cooked things at 350° in my kitchen oven; but not in a Bradley. If I mentioned that then I must have been on something. :) If you can direct me to those posts I would like to correct them. Typing early in the morning I often make mistakes, and there may be a possibility that I may have accidentally hit the 3 instead of the 2, or you could have misread my posts. But still I rarely smoke/cook above 225°, and when I smoke/cook chicken I use 250°. So please when you get the time, hunt down those posts and I will correct them.
I have stated repeatedly that I use my extra element for faster recovery, no mater what my target temperature is. And most of my smokes are in the 200°F.
From your post, you appear irritated that I agree with Mike on what is the safest way, and that is what I prefer. If you want to jump the wires, then do it the way you feel best.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Sorry if you felt like I was irritated at you about ways of installing a heating element in the Bradley.
Far from it.
I stay up late and read post and might have read something into a post that wasn't there and if I did then
I owe you an appology. I'm not going to research post to prove anything. I just made a mistake.
The questions were based on what I thought I had read and wasn't trying to put you on the spot. I was hoping to achieve
the max cooking mode the Bradley will put out.
I'll be more careful in the future with my facts before I ask questions.
You don't need to search, because I never wrote any posts such as you referred to. I admit I don't read every post, but I don't even recall any one posting that they use such temperature in the Bradley.
No hard feelings. I don't want to high jack any one's thread with personal post, so I will end it at that.
Thanks for all the info on this mod. And i guess we can safely say that the mod is not meant to go over the 320 degrees that the Bradley was meant for and the main reason is for the quick heating and quick recovery.