I have a 4 rack smoker and had problems with it getting hot. I had it running for 4hrs and it wouldn't get above 200.... I took the unit apart and noticed to my opinion that the wires seemed to be way to thin for the task. I replaced all the power wires from the power cord to the heating element and poof. In about 5 minutes my smoker was at 211 degrees... You could actualy sit in front of the unit and watch the temp go up and it would more than 2 or 3 degrees at a time :) 8)
I hope this works, tried it the first time and think it was a message. lol
Did you read the replies to your duplicate post about this in the other thread? The 6 rack just not getting the job done (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=33195.15)
As I and some other people said there, the change was probably due to reseating some loose connections and not replacing the wiring inside the smoker. The two power cords are 18ga wires inside them, which is probably what's inside the smoker, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
The wire inside the smoker is high temp wire, so I hope you replaced it with the same or you could have a real fire hazard on your hand. I kept the original wire in my box and added a 900W heater and it works just fine.
I replaced the 500 watt element with a 900 watt finned & used it for a short while before replacing the 18 gague with 12 gague. 18 worked ok but felt more comfortable with the 12 gague high temperature wire & not a big or hard job.
Alan
I need to change my info, the smoker was not at start up temp. I used it today and it took 15 min to get to 217 from a cold start using the heater element only.
I asked this on your other thread earlier, are you relying on the temp readout from your BDS?
I have the same problem with my 4 rack digital. It takes an hour to get hot (according to the digital readout). Can I buy the "900 watt finned" from Bradley and is it safe to use in my unit?
Ray,
Have you checked all the "normal" fixes:
1) Leave the top vent open
2) Don't use an extension cord, or at lest use a 12 gauge
3) check to see what else is running on the same circuit as the Bradley?
No, you cannot purchase a 900 watt finned element from Bradley nor any other modification device. If your Bradley is still within the warranty period and you modify your Bradley, your warranty is void. As Gus said, I would look for explanations of why it is taking an hour to come up to temp. 1. Get a digital thermometer that you can place in the tower to verify the readings and make certain the element in the tower is actually working. Is it glowing red?
Quote from: RaytownRich on October 19, 2013, 11:04:23 AM
I have the same problem with my 4 rack digital. It takes an hour to get hot (according to the digital readout). Can I buy the "900 watt finned" from Bradley and is it safe to use in my unit?
Hi RaytownRich;
Welcome to the forum.
The below link will help you troubleshoot, hopefully help fix the problem, or at least narrow down the possible cause of the problem.
Bradley FAQ's (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?481-Bradley-Smoker-FAQ-s&p=748#post748)
When you have a problem and need help, it is better to start your own thread.