The temperature in my OBS as measured by both the door reader and my Auber indicate that the internal temperature of the smoker is not getting above about 125 degrees. The main element does not glow even though the controller is set high. Possible solutions?
check all plugs. Unplug, replug and jiggle it until you are sure it is seated. If that doesn't work, plug the cabinent directly to the power outlet. That will tell if the problem is with the element or the connection to the SG. If that doesn't work move the temp controller slider a bit off of where you have it now. Some have experienced a dead spot.
No luck. I tried the direct connection and moving the control slider around, but the element never got heated.
that is the extent of my knowlegde. Others may be along. You can email Brian at Bradley or PM him. I think I saw some posts from him this morning so he may be hanging around the forum. If you find a solution please post.
Does the red light on the slider panel go on when you move the slider to the right?
Remove the smoke generator from the tower. Turn the generator upside down. Remove the screws around the perimeter. DON'T remove the screw in the middle. Open the smoker generator. It opens clamshell style. No, it won't void your warranty. Check for loose connections there. Seems to have abeen a rash of those lately. If that doesn't solve the problem, put it back together and call Bryan at Bradley. They'll make it right.
If the above suggestions do not work, and if you haven't done so already; set up the smoker without the Auber to see if the element will work. If so, then the problem is with the Auber or it's settings.
I'm having the same issue but for me it's the 3rd time. First time the wires came off the rear plug. I had to remove the back panel and that's how I found the problem. Second time the plastic that holds the slider bar developed a tiny crack in the center and from what I have read condensation runs out of the smoker into it and fries the board. I replaced the front part that includes the slider and controller and it all worked.
Again last week the orange light is off and no heat. The crack is there is there in the center again so I'm guessing it is the same problem.
Does anyone have a way to bypass the slider? I want to use a PID now anyways and am tired of the same thing breaking over and over again.
Quote from: Brisket Lover on September 11, 2010, 04:10:37 PM
Does anyone have a way to bypass the slider? I want to use a PID now anyways and am tired of the same thing breaking over and over again.
There is a post on how to do this... I'll see if I can find it.
(I picked up a used Auber PID from GusRobin and love love love it)
Quote from: squirtthecat on September 11, 2010, 04:13:12 PM
There is a post on how to do this... I'll see if I can find it.
(I picked up a used Auber PID from GusRobin and love love love it)
Thanks I'm stuck on an iPod and surfing the forum is really hard.
I'm sure squirt can dig up the post on how to jumper out the slider. Keep the vent open so the moisture goes out of the top of the unit.
You'll need an additional power cord. The original cord goes into the SG as usual. The new one goes into the PID. The short cord that used to connect the SG to the tower now goes from the PID to the tower.
I've had three cracked faceplates but haven't run into your problem. Maybe just luck.
In addition to good vent management, to insure that moisture does not run down the door it to raise the front end of the smoker a 1/4" higher then the back.
To by pass the temperature slider control, you need to remove the face plate, unplug the wires from the circuit board (leave the wires to the pilot light in place); and connect though wires together.
Here is a link to that discussion:
By passing the Temp. Controller (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=16777.msg203563#msg203563)
If you are sure your circuit board is no good, instead of cutting the connectors off the wires and using a wiring nut, you can break one of the terminal post off the circuit board and use that piece of metal to plug the two connector to one another. Wrap it with some electrical tape to ensure it will not come apart.
Thanks, I'm not sure that condensation got on the board. There isn't a sign that it happened and my vents are always open so I'm not sure. I just know it's cracked and that's what I read is a cause. I'll try the bypass and see if that fixes it.
Well that wasn't it so maybe it's my heating element. I did the bypass kept he light hooked up and still no heat or illumination from the light. I'll take out the element and back again and see if I missed something the first time. Maybe I'll look at the addi another element mind while I'm at it and get it prepped for a PID.
Hi Brisket Lover,
With the tests you've done it sounds like your not getting power to the heating element. The light should be on once you bypassed the slider switch even if your element was burned out.
Try checking the high temp fuse and limit switch, one of those might be the problem.
Thanks HawkEye
Where's the switch and the fuse? Is that in the smoke box or the cabinet?
I forgot to mention that I also directly connected the power to the cabinet.
I found the fuse and limit switch. Fuse is good but I don't know what I'm looking for on the switch. It's black but the contacts are clean. Can I test it with my multimeter or just bypass it to see if it works?
Here's a link to the post by TestRocket where he added a second fuse and switch. The pic's should help you out.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=16299.15
Thanks I'll check it out as soon as I get my laptop back online. Should be tonight. Im stuck on an iPod right now and can't read detail too easily.
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on September 12, 2010, 05:53:35 AM
The light should be on once you bypassed the slider switch even if your element was burned out.
This is correct!
So the problem has to be that the fuse or the high temp sensor is open not allowing the neutral side of the AC to get to the element and on-off light.
If your comfortable using a volt meter attach one side to the hot side of the AC input and follow the neutral side to each side of the high temp sensor and then to each side of the fuse!
I think you will find one of those will be open.
Be careful and good luck!
Maybe this will help
(http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy139/TestRocket/Bradley%20Smoker/th_Mod_Switch_Dia2.jpg) (http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy139/TestRocket/Bradley%20Smoker/Mod_Switch_Dia2.jpg)
ps If you need some personal help PM me and we can talk on the phone.
So one lead on the hot and then test each side of the fuse and hot temp sensor?
Yes! I just added the wiring PIC.
That's a switch you added? Just wondering because I don't have a lighted rocker switch but I get the idea of what needs checked?
Right, that PIC is originally from "Habanero Smoker" of his mod to the OBS adding the second element and a lighted on-off switch to his faceplate. I modified his PIC to show the wiring of the mod I did to my OBS doing what he did with the addition of the high temp sensor along with the fuse.
In reality if you look at the rocker switch in the PIC as the original temp slider and power light, the wiring is the same. So the trouble shooting will also be the same!
Point to note: In my PIC I depict (the wiring as is on my OBS) the neutral coming off the AC input and having to pass through the high temp sensor and then through the fuse before it can make its way to both the element and power light.
Point #2: The hot side of the AC comes straight from the AC input to the slider control/power light. (You have already bypassed the control switch therefore supplying the hot side of the AC the element and it doesn't heat up and the light doesn't come on).
This can only mean the element and the power light are missing the AC neutral and it has to pass first through the high temp sensor and then the fuse.
So one or both are bad?
I have an idea for the worst case trouble shooting technique but try the things above first and then I'll only pass along in private!
Looks like the fuse is bad. Once I go to the fuse out the readings are different than the sensor and the fuse in.
Also when I unplug AC and check the fuse I dot get 0 ohms like I think I should.
Sound right?
If you've got AC on the input and not the output of the fuse I would say "yes" and along with "0 ohms" the fuse is bad. With the fuse past the high temp sensor (and an AC voltage in between them) it appears the high temp sensor is good, so I think you have it figured out! Congrats! And the fix is cheap!
If you're under warranty contact Bradley and if not Yard and Pool (http://www.yardandpool.com/)has the fuse (http://www.yardandpool.com/Bradley-Smoker-Replacement-Inline-Fuse-p/inlinefuse.htm) for $3.99 (I would buy an extra one for this price just to have on hand, I did). To help bring down the shipping cost look around you might find something like frog mats, bear claws or maybe a new temperature probe?
Don't forget to let us know how everything turns out! ;D
Will do and thanks a lot for the help. As always everyone on this board is helpful and thanks to everyone else also.
If anyone else needs some of these fuses let me know. I can include them in my order and save you the shipping costs and I can just mail them out.
Your welcome Brisket Lover!
Happy smoking!
I tried all of the suggestions from other forum members (THANK YOU), including taking the back off the smoker, the front controller cover off the smoker and the bisquette controller clamshell apart, all to no avail. All of the wiring was good with no loose or broken connections. I called the nice young lady in Illinois and she is sending me a new heating element. She asked that I send the old one back so they could troubleshoot the problem. ;)
Flatheads4ever,
I now see that we got off you're your problem and onto Brisket Lovers. Sorry about that!
I hope Bradley has you taken care of...but I still wonder if your power light comes on when you move the slider switch to the right.