I have had my OBS for 3 or 4 years now and have read a few of the past posts regarding a circulation fan but have some questions. Is the reason for installing to push the heat from the back of the cabinet to the front? Does it help even the temp out between the bottom rack and the top rack? Do you still rotate the racks every once in while from top to bottom? For the time and money invested do you feel it is worth while? Is that a special fan or can you pick it up at a local auto parts store or farm fleet store? Any other thoughts?
Thanks in advance for any help. It is very enjoyable reading this website, there is a ton of great information here with very knowledgeable people, everyone just trying to have a "smokin good time".
Hopeful
I have had a circulation fan for sometime now. It really does help to balance out the box temp. If I have a big load in I will still rotate racks but usually only once or twice. Here is a link how SmokehouseRob did his. This is where I got the idea of how to mount mine.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=186&page=2
Originally I had the fan running CCW which is the direction most of the guys who first designed it had them. I found the rear of the tower was still hotter than the front so I changed mine to CW. Here is a thread about it with a few pictures.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6843.0
Mike
Thanks for the help Mike, I ordered the parts today from Grainger.
hopefull
yes it makes a big difference to have a fan in the case even with the 500 watt heater as it will help recover the tempture in the box and keep it eveen through out the smoker
if you like look at my mod and you will see what i have done by adding a blower, 900 watt heater and cover works like a timex .. takes a licking and keeps on ticking
beefmann
Thank you Beefmann, the fan arrived yesterday and hope to get it installed this weekend.
Hopeful
I have read all the post on the circulation fan on here and on the recipe site and I cannot find anywhere how to wire it or how you guys wired it. Do you put a swith somewhere to turn it off and on? do you just put a outlet end on the two wires from the fan? Where do you grab power from inside the smoke generator or from inside the smoker itself?
Sorry for all the questions but am starting the fan heater upgrade because I tried to smoke some rbs the other day and the OBS had a very hard time getting the temp up to 220 because it was quite cold outside 30 degrees
Thanks
LTS
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/diagram.jpg)
a good PID Wireing
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00077.jpg)
moded for my wireing
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00912.jpg)
900 watt finned heater
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00911.jpg)
blower and heater
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00910.jpg)
heater / blower cover
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00909.jpg)
with VTray inplace
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00046.jpg)
back of smoker additional beacket to support blower motor
(http://usera.imagecave.com/beefmann/smoker/dsc00045.jpg)
back of smoke generator showing heater wireing and TC connections.
Grant you it could have been neater though it works
my setup is to smoke first then cook, if you wanna smoke then cook simpially remove the power switch and connect the fan switch , smoke generator and PID toghter and your done