I have been using my smoker for a few years and now I am having a problem. On my last 2 smokes I can't get the cabinet temp up above 175. I was making pulled pork and after 18 hours I only see 175, I have moved the food to the oven to finish.
I am using the same short extension cord that I always use.
I unplugged all the cords and put them back in.
I have the smoker in a small shed so everything is the same from smoke to smoke.
After 3 hours running empty the box is at 225.
Can the element go partly bad? It looks to be glowing red, more of the right than the left, but I used to be able to get to 260 or so without a problem.
I am at a loss as to what to try next.
Have you added more appliances, lights or other stuff to the circuit that the Bradley is plugged into? Not talking the extension cord, but the circuit itself. The Bradley does not play well with others on its circuit.
I do not think so, this is plugged into the garage outlets and nothing else is going on out there.
I can try to move the smoker closer to the house and try using a circuit there.
Thanks for the suggestion
If your element is only glowing red to one side I would think it has gotten weak or is soon to go out, if it were mine I would probably replace it. I know there are some instructions on here for testing the element but I haven't paid a lot of attention to what the number is supposed to be since I don't have a tester.
Quote from: Saber 4 on January 13, 2014, 11:22:10 AM
If your element is only glowing red to one side I would think it has gotten weak or is soon to go out, if it were mine I would probably replace it. I know there are some instructions on here for testing the element but I haven't paid a lot of attention to what the number is supposed to be since I don't have a tester.
Ditto
Don't know what model you have or whether you are the least bit interested but if you need to replace the element anyway you may want to give some thought to upgrading it a bit? I recently replaced the original element with a 900 watt and got a single probe Auber pid to control it and it's like a whole 'nother smoker! (And if I can muddle through it anyone can).
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If you have a ohm meter it should read 28-32 ohms
I never experience, or read anyone mentioning a problem of a partially glowing element. The ends don't glow, but the area that does glow is pretty uniformed. It is unusual for the element to go partially bad. When they go they just burn out. If you learn the element can partially go bad can you please let us know.
Take a picture of the partially glowing element and post it here.
Touch the cold end lol
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Thanks guys, I will measure the element and see what I get.
I will have to try and touch it and tell you if it is really cool.
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Quote from: devo on January 13, 2014, 02:10:30 PM
Touch the cold end lol
That made me laugh. ;D ;D ;D ;D Classic.
Here are my findings,
Don't touch a hot element, even if you think it is not working. :)
My outlets are reading 116 volts, is this a normal and expectable voltage for the bradley to work. I read the outlet and even unplugged the cord from the back of the box and got the same voltage reading.
Element reads 28 ohms. Do you need to disconnect one end before I do this measurement?
I do have a auber pid controller installed int he smoke gen box already. I thought it might be that causing a problem, but I get the same voltage outlet and on he the cord before back of the box.
Thanks
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116 volts is fine and I believe 28 ohms is what it should be as well.
could it have something to do this the stock front slider? Maybe that is interrupting the voltage to the element? I am at a loss now.
Voltage and ohms are both good. I had the same problem with mine. Did you just install the auber? What settings have you changed? Mine was doing the exact same like I said and I had CoOl set wrong and I adjusted my hy hy-1 and hy-2 settings.
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The auber has been installed for 2-3 years now.
Can you post the settings that you are using and I can compare with mine? I haven't touched it, but maybe I messed it by mistake.
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Is the slider firmly against the right side of the slot? Some units seem to have a dead spot there, and a slight nudge to the left may help. If it has been set in the same spot for a long time of use, the contact could be losing it's conductivity too.
Quote from: anthony on January 17, 2014, 12:11:45 PM
I do have a auber pid controller installed int he smoke gen box already.
Quote from: Tiny Tim on January 17, 2014, 12:45:26 PM
Is the slider firmly against the right side of the slot? Some units seem to have a dead spot there, and a slight nudge to the left may help. If it has been set in the same spot for a long time of use, the contact could be losing it's conductivity too.
He has the slider bypassed with an Auber PID controller.
Quote from: TedEbear on January 17, 2014, 02:18:35 PM
Quote from: anthony on January 17, 2014, 12:11:45 PM
I do have a auber pid controller installed int he smoke gen box already.
Quote from: Tiny Tim on January 17, 2014, 12:45:26 PM
Is the slider firmly against the right side of the slot? Some units seem to have a dead spot there, and a slight nudge to the left may help. If it has been set in the same spot for a long time of use, the contact could be losing it's conductivity too.
He has the slider bypassed with an Auber PID controller.
Then this:
Quote from: anthony on January 17, 2014, 12:27:45 PM
could it have something to do this the stock front slider? Maybe that is interrupting the voltage to the element? I am at a loss now.
should have had no bearing.
Quote from: TedEbear on January 17, 2014, 02:18:35 PM
Quote from: anthony on January 17, 2014, 12:11:45 PM
I do have a auber pid controller installed int he smoke gen box already.
Quote from: Tiny Tim on January 17, 2014, 12:45:26 PM
Is the slider firmly against the right side of the slot? Some units seem to have a dead spot there, and a slight nudge to the left may help. If it has been set in the same spot for a long time of use, the contact could be losing it's conductivity too.
He has the slider bypassed with an Auber PID controller.
No, I left the slider in place when I did the install.
But now I decided to remove the slider from the circuit. I made a small wire jumper to connect the two slider wires together. I might have fixed the problem, smoker is running at 245 empty. I will have to make something to verify temps with load.
Thanks guys for the ideas
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