I got this NEW Digital 4-rack smoker for Xmas, and it looked good until I used 3rd time... Temperature was up to 200F, but in a couple of hours started falling... to 85F. After checking everything, I found that the heating element is dead (zero Ohms), the power IS applied to it by the control unit, but it doesn't work.
Quality of the unit in general leaves to be desired -- "crafty" Chinese manufacturing shows everywhere -- crooked screws, unit is not leveled, there's a gap between the smoke generator unit and the box, leaking smoke and condensate, smoke briquets get stuck to the tray, pile up and don't move, condensate drips into the box unit and leaks outside the unit...
Come on, Bradley - the $400-$500 price tag of this unit does not match the quality your customers expect!!!
Hold on now before we start bashing the good folks at Bradley. It is a known Fact that there IS a bad batch of heating elements out there. If you give Bradley Customer Service a call on Monday they will get you a new element out right away.
All this condensate your talking about is raising red flags to me as well. The only problem is it is generally not a Bradley issue but an OPERATOR issue. If you are having a lot of condensation in the cabinet it is screaming to you telling you to OPEN the vent. You MUST keep the vent open to allow the moisture to escape out of the cabinet. Retaining the moisture in the cabinet will do everything that you have described. That is why there is smoke and moisture coming out around the smoke generator. This also the reason that your puck are fouling up and sticking to the plate.
Call Bradley on Monday, get you a new element, then come on back and let's get you and your smoker dialed in to the same wave length and start making some of the best food you have had in a while.
I'm with 10.5
I was and still am a newbie. All products manufactured can have issues. What separates crafty from quality is customer service.
Call them up and you will be back to enjoying your new toy.
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Quote from: Rckcrwlr on December 26, 2010, 11:36:35 AM
Call them up and you will be back to enjoying your new toy.
That's not what you want to hear when you spend $500 ???
You never know who is actually posting on here. A rep for a competitor?
Quote from: API on December 26, 2010, 10:35:20 AM
After checking everything, I found that the heating element is dead (zero Ohms), the power IS applied to it by the control unit, but it doesn't work.
Well, zero ohms would imply a short and if you are applying power, a tripped breaker. This explanation is not holding together very well.....
I am not a competitor's rep, just a very disappointed customer. I tried 2 or 3 different smokers before, and didn't like them either. Finally, I decided to spend the $$$ and get "the real thing"... well - you know the rest. I should've bought it years ago, before they moved manufacturing to China.
API, What part of the world are you?
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on December 26, 2010, 10:59:48 AM
All this condensate your talking about is raising red flags to me as well. The only problem is it is generally not a Bradley issue but an OPERATOR issue. If you are having a lot of condensation in the cabinet it is screaming to you telling you to OPEN the vent. You MUST keep the vent open to allow the moisture to escape out of the cabinet. Retaining the moisture in the cabinet will do everything that you have described. That is why there is smoke and moisture coming out around the smoke generator. This also the reason that your puck are fouling up and sticking to the plate.
You are correct -- I WAS closing the vent, but only following Bradley's manual and the cookbook (check the smoked brisket recipe). But the food came out way too smokey (almost black), so I decided to do it with less smoking time and wide open vent today. However, this time before the heating element burned out, I had to clean up the pileup of briquetts - they got stuck to the plate for some reason. The meat came out better, though - just enough smoke, but I had to finish cooking in the oven after the unit's heater died.
Quote from: mybad on December 26, 2010, 11:56:57 AM
Quote from: Rckcrwlr on December 26, 2010, 11:36:35 AM
Call them up and you will be back to enjoying your new toy.
That's not what you want to hear when you spend $500 ???
Thanks - that's exactly my point - this was supposed to be a high-end product. Plus, I DID call Bradley, they are closed 'til Wednesday Dec-29... So much for the smoked turkey plans for New Year's Eve! :'(
Quote from: Arcs_n_Sparks on December 26, 2010, 06:23:03 PM
Quote from: API on December 26, 2010, 10:35:20 AM
After checking everything, I found that the heating element is dead (zero Ohms), the power IS applied to it by the control unit, but it doesn't work.
Well, zero ohms would imply a short and if you are applying power, a tripped breaker. This explanation is not holding together very well.....
Excellent point... my bad - what I meant was "zero response" = "infinite Ohms", the element is dead as a nail.
Quote from: Smokin Soon on December 26, 2010, 07:30:45 PM
API, What part of the world are you?
I am in Ohio - you know - the heart of it all ;)
I know Bradley will take care of it, but if it's a time thing contact Yard & Pool, not so far from you. If you call, ask for Bryan, as he is a respected member here.
http://www.yardandpool.com/Bradley-Smoker-Replacement-Heating-Element-p/heatelement.htm (http://www.yardandpool.com/Bradley-Smoker-Replacement-Heating-Element-p/heatelement.htm)
If you need an element ............. pm me and I'll send you one FREE of charge
just so you can have a good Holiday after you spent that $500.
I'm with CRG, if you PM me I will send you a heating element. I live in Northern Kentucky just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio - what part of Ohio are you located. If you live close I may be able to take sometime off of work and help you replace the unit.
This forum alone is reason enough to buy any Bradley product!
Quote from: DTAggie on December 26, 2010, 06:08:48 PM
You never know who is actually posting on here. A rep for a competitor?
Now that's just ???
API, I was talking to SouthernSmokes today and he said he sent you the element, UPS.
You need to call Bradley and give them the serial number of your smoker and they will send
the warranty element to SouthernSmokes to replace the one he sent you.
Hope that gets you up and running.
API,
I had a similar problem; I got a few more than 3 smokes out of my new unit but it was only months old when the element went open circuit. I am in the UK so anticipated a bit of hassle getting a replacement (240v) element but I contacted the UK agent and a new element was with me the next day with no questions asked. It looks like the guys on here have got you going again and they are another good reason for sticking with the Bradley - free advice, as well as the food you can produce with it. I hope your New Years eve smoked turkey turns out well.
Well I'm on my 3rd element now. But I use mine weekly, and it is only months old. I now keep a extra element or 2, just incase. Lots of friends in this town now have bradley's. And for the 12 bucks it costs. Its still the best smoker out there. I tried one that had no insulation and was propane fired. Couldn't leave it alone for a minute. because it had no temp control and the slightest breeze, just played havoc.
I love the smoke gen and timer function. (DBS) I'm pretty sure I'm gonna add the second burner mod, for those days when -30 deg Celcius appear. With a switch just so I don't over heat below the v tray when its warm.
Bradley have been extremely helpful, in replacement burners. And Now I got a new door coming because I noticed a hairline crack in a corner of the plastic.
Well - my story ain't over yet. Bradley didn't ship the heating element in time, so I ended up calling CostCo and they sent a whole new smoker to replace the dead one. I only used it once to "season" it, although it couldn't get the temperature above 266F regardless how high I set it. Well, I blamed it on the wind (~20F outside) and poor door insulation and anything else but the unit.
Today, I finally decided to smoke some salmon, and it's acting up again - first, the temperature was set to 120F, and it couldn't keep it under 130F. Then I raised it to 140F, and it let it drop to 118F for about 1/2 hour.
After seeing that, I disconnected and re-connected all the cords, and re-started it. For the first 10 minutes the temperature kept dropping - just when it dropped to 110F, I was getting ready to call Bradley, and then it started heating and got it up to 144F. ???
I am thinking the element might be at fault (i.e. loose screws on its contacts), or the electronic control unit is total crap... What kind of electronic control would sway 40F up and down after 2 hours of pre-heating ???
Are you using a DBS ?
I suspect the problem you are experiencing is in part due to the the low temp setting (120 °F). According to Auber Instruments, the SG alone will contribute enough heat to raise the temp in the cabinet by 60 °F over two hours by itself. At low temp settings the heat-up swings become extreme.
Keeping the vent wide open will help. A cold smoking set up would probably solve the problem, but still 20 °F swings are pretty common of the DBS without PID control. For great control at low temps the combination of a cold smoke setup with a PID does quite well.
Hey API,
Sorry to hear you are still having problems. Did you receive the heating element that I sent you.
Looks like it was signed by someone named Khan
Signed By:
KHAN
Mark
Hello API, I noticed you said that the dropped after 2 hours of pre-heating. Honesty this is normal if you are preparing a cook and you insert cold meat inside the cabinet. Also, if you are peeking, opening the door. Either way it will take a bit for the cabinet to recover. I too was having a problem with the unit getting and staying hot. I had the same questions but then I spoke with my boss at work, who also owns a Bradley, he informed me that I would need to allow the cabinet to recover.(Depending on the size of produce and the temperature outside it could take a bit to recover.)
Even though the Bradley cabinet is an oven, it doesn't hold the temperature like the oven in your house.
Remember:
Always let the prepared meat rest to room temperature before placing into the smoker.
Once there, don't open the door until necessary(depending on what product your smoking)
There is a old saying - "If you're looking, you're not cooking"
I hope this helped!
I had the same problem and thought it to be the element. I just shut off the oven checked the fuse and reset it and it worked fine. Mine went from 220 to 80ish and I thought it burnt the element. I now have a PID which I haven't hooked up yet but I had temp swings also. Guess that just how it is with a oven. I'm hoping the PID will keep the temp even. The highest I got my smoker in temp was 245 degree a couple of weeks ago but I have it in my garage with a exhaust fan blowing the smoke outside. Any way enjoy the smoker they are good and once you get use to it you will have less problems smoking.