Ok...my learened friends...my puck generator isn't pushing the pucks off the cliff...only partially...they're just dangling...Any ideas? I did move the OBS several times when it rained to get it under cover...did I mess with it by moving it? and no...I didn't remove the puckerator first. Just rocked it over...under cover.
LQ-I had the same problem a while back. I think it was either Habs or Oldman who told me to take the generator apart and clean all the "sawdust" out. I didn't even have to go that far. I just took the puck tower off of the generator and stuck the nozzle of my leaf blower into the hole. I was surprised at how much stuff came out, because after every smoke I would blow it out with (weak) lung power. This took care of my problem, and now I use the leaf blower method after every 2 or 3 smokes and haven't had a problem since. Worth a try...
Thanks OnTrack...wish I had a leaf blower!! But I think i know who to ask...I'll try it!!
Also, if there is not obstruction you may have had a power interruption during smoking. Push the advance button, and when it is half way through the cycle, unplug the generator. Wait about 30 seconds and plug it back it.
I think T2 posted this trouble shooting tip.
Ontrack--what a great idea with the leaf blower! I'm going to try that next smoke. LaQuinta--Use your sand blower, that'll do it! ;D
T2
Ok guys...I tried the method of interrupting the puck generator...that didn't work...first puck goes down fine...after that I have to keep checking (which, as we all know, increases the length of cooking time). I'll try the blower method next week. And yes, T2 we are sand blowers here!!! By the way...what's a leaf??!! Like a palm frond?!!! (I'm kidding of course, we have grapes, oranges, key limes and lemons) they all have those "leafy" things on them!!!
Hi La Quinta, hope i'm mistaken, but it sounds like a worn gear, maybe lost a couple of teeth on the gear wheel?
They're not very strong, and the slightest resistance can shred them.
Hopefully it is just a blockage, you'll need to strip it right down to be sure though. :-\
Probably best to call Bradley at the first opportunity :'(
Anyway hope you get sorted soon............LilSmoker (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Tip-Hat.gif)
I'm smoking 8 racks of salmon strips right now and the generator is working great. I didn't blow it out last time I did a cold smoke and had resigned myself to manually advancing the pucks every 20 minutes since it was cranky the time before that but the generator worked fine. I scratched my head and the only thing I could come up with was that with my cold smoke set up, the generator is slightly tilted towards the bowl therefore it's less work for the arm to push the pucks. I stuck a strip of 1/2 inch wood under the generator side of the box for this smoke and so far --no problems. I'm not sure that this helps but it's not hurting. I'll keep messing about on different smokes and see how it goes.
T2
If that shim helps, you may want to carefully bend the ramp/burner plate down a touch where it connects to the rest of the smoke generator, then you won't have to mess with the shim anymore.
I've read about others that had the ramp running uphill, and their call to Bradley led them to doing this fix. Also, in one of my Cabela's catalogs, the pic of the smoker shows one with the ramp level, while the one next to it is running downhill at a pretty good angle.
La Quinta, did you manage to solve the problem?
(http://www.weekendhobby.com/offroad/ISUZU/icon/icon50.gif).......LilSmoker (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Tip-Hat.gif)
LS...I just had it "blown out" and am going to try smoking some nuts today so I'll see if that did the trick. It did have a lot of puck entrails in there!! I'll let ya know!!! (say a little prayer!!) :) I hope it worked...moving those pucks by hand is...well...a pain in the arse!!
Bad news my friends...the blower treatment did not do the trick. :( I guess I'll try the "taking it apart" thing (gulp) next.
Sorry to hear this >:(.. Seems to be alot of this going around ::)
LQ,
Did you try to advance the puck with the feed tube removed? Does the push tray retract and return?
No...I did not try that...but it does push the pucks....just not over the edge into the bowl....the burned out puck hangs on the edge and the next one gets 3/4 burned...then the next one...yada...yada...same church different pew after the first one...(which gets pushed off) That's what I don't get...the thing pushes the first one into the bowl fine...then it gets wacky.
Ah yes, I should have looked back a few posts to update myself on your predicament. I suspect you are left with the call to service unless you can take apart the beast and put an eyeball on the root cause.
Sorry to hear that La Quinta :'(, but as you know, Bradley will put things right for you (http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Happy/happy-047.gif)
Anyway, i hope you're back up and running asap (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Wink.gif)
There is a momentary contact switch on the inside that was causing problems on mine because it was dity and wet. I cleaned it with WD40 and blew it out. No problems since.
Brad
Here is a picture of the switch.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/car54/switchL.png)
Brad
I've never had my generator apart so this is a wild guess.
Could the gears skipped a couple of teeth and it's only advancing the initial puck half the distance. The remaining ones would move it along but it sounds like it's a half a puck out of time so to speak.
La Quinta says that they are advancing, just not far enough to to be pushed off by the trailing puck before lighting it. To check this out could you just load it up and push the advance button and see what position the pucks are at when they reach the burner plate. Half way on it, all of the way on it.
Just a guess...........
MoSmoke
Yeah MoSmoke...gonna try that as well today...I'll keep you guys updated!
LaQ, sorry for being confused. When I read this I get the feeling the generator is working fine, feeding fine and the problem your having is some premature burn on the ramp.
A few posts back Gizmo asked if the push tray just below the feed tube was cycling full open to full closed. Take out the feed tube and pucks and just watch it. It should pull all the way back a distance great enough to allow a puck to drop. Never saw an answer - if it cycles all the way back and forward stay out of the generator and clean your ramp.
It is not uncommon for the puck next to the end (burner) to start smoking a little before it gets pushed onto the burner.
Hey WCK...I know the little premature burn for the next little soldier in line...the problem is the first guy in line (now) doesn't go fully off the edge and into the bowl. I have tested the "pusher" to ensure it is operational but it doesn't push the next one (or subsequent ones) fully and I don't know why. Maybe LS was right...maybe it's a gear "teeth" problem. Gotta call Bradley. To be honest...I blew off the idea of taking the thing apart...I'd probably screw things up worse. Could be something really stupid and I'd make it worse by having some leftover part after I took it apart...
Gee, I though you were always suppose to have parts left over. You mean I have to figure out where and what that storage shed of left over parts has to go back into?
Just for reference, can you post a pic of what it's doing and your current setup (what the ramp looks like in relation to the rest of the tower and generator)?
So good news and a question...I tested the puckerator again...took it off the tower (and removed the tube)...put 5 pucks in and pushed the button three times to get the first one on the burner...pushed again...puck fell off fine (no edge dangling). Pushed the button again...second puck...into the bowl no problem...etc...re-inserted the tube...same chuch different pew. Now re-attached the generator to the tower...did all of the same thing...worked like a gem. Now the question...I pushed the button every time after the full cycle to advance the pucks...could there be an issue with the 20 minute advance by the generator itself? In my pea little head doesn't seem possible but I gotta ask anyway?
Hi La Quinta, glad to hear that it's working ;)
As for the advance time, yes there could be issues with the advance due to puck burning times. Some of the Bradleys will burn dead on 20 minute intervals before advancing the next puck.
However many of the Bradleys burn for less than 20 minutes, and some go over the 20. I timed mine a while back just out of curiosity, and mine burn for just under 22 minutes, but as this has stayed consistent, i'm not at all concerned.
I would prefer over the 20 as opposed to under.
Be interesting to see how long your pucks are burning for?
LilSmoker (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Tip-Hat.gif)
Ok...doing some some smoking tomorrow...I'll check it out!! Thanks LS!! :)
Quote from: La Quinta on January 09, 2008, 08:20:19 PM
So good news and a question...I tested the puckerator again...took it off the tower (and removed the tube)...put 5 pucks in and pushed the button three times to get the first one on the burner...pushed again...puck fell off fine (no edge dangling). Pushed the button again...second puck...into the bowl no problem...etc...re-inserted the tube...same chuch different pew. Now re-attached the generator to the tower...did all of the same thing...worked like a gem. Now the question...I pushed the button every time after the full cycle to advance the pucks...could there be an issue with the 20 minute advance by the generator itself? In my pea little head doesn't seem possible but I gotta ask anyway?
LQ
If I understand the problem correctly your SG was only 1/2 advancing the pucks. I'm assuming the timing wasn't the problem. It doesn't matter if you advance the puck manually or through the automated timer, it still uses the same motor, slide and location sensor switch.
My bet would be that the location sensor switch that Car54 posted a picture of is the problem and may have some wood chips or dust in it. If the generator always tried to function under the automatic and manual advance but only advanced the puck half way, this to me would indicate either the position sensor switch is dirty or for some reason the slide has got out of sinc. If it was just out of sinc. and it's now working you may not have another problem. However if you do have another problem I would try cleaning the sensor switch that Car54 refered to.
Mike
Thanks for the advice Mike...tomorrow will tell the tale...ugh...I may have to take the little sucker apart after all! I'll post a message if I have to (and will need help)...hopefully no leftover parts. I used to fix my VW Bug engine, in high school, with a paper clip...gotta be the same right?!!! :)
Quote from: La Quinta on January 10, 2008, 04:56:51 PM
Thanks for the advice Mike...tomorrow will tell the tale...ugh...I may have to take the little sucker apart after all! I'll post a message if I have to (and will need help)...hopefully no leftover parts. I used to fix my VW Bug engine, in high school, with a paper clip...gotta be the same right?!!! :)
I'll get the duct tape coming just in case LQ. ;D Gotta have back up ya know. ::)
Quote from: La Quinta on January 10, 2008, 04:56:51 PM
Thanks for the advice Mike...tomorrow will tell the tale...ugh...I may have to take the little sucker apart after all! I'll post a message if I have to (and will need help)...hopefully no leftover parts. I used to fix my VW Bug engine, in high school, with a paper clip...gotta be the same right?!!! :)
Yes I think the VW and the Bradley smoke gen both use the same paper clip part. I have review the part number list lately, but I am sure they are the same. ;)