Looking to modify my smoker to install a fan, looking for some advice.
1) What kind of fan am I looking for? Motor speed, how big and any links to get it.
2) I am assuming I do not want a fast moving fan only enough to move the heat and the smoke, but not to fast to cool down the cabinet?
3) I have a 900 watt with a PID, would it be better to hardwire the fan to the same wire inside the bradley smoker? Only issue I find doing this is when the set temp reaches the PID will cut the power to the cabinet/element hence it will also cut the power to the fan. Should I hardwire it to a plug?
4) How long do I need the fan shaft to be? (I assume its called a shaft of some sort) so I can install the fan blade inside the cabinet and the motor outside and put a box behind it right
5) Location of the fan, I assume right above the V-tray and dead center?
Thanks
Ghost,
1) most any fan would work as long as it has a metal blade inside, also you want to mount the motor on the outside of the box, any fan in the 30 to 80 cfm would work nicely
2) as for moving the air you also have to consider that the fan,,,, depending on its location,,, above oe below the v tray will make a difference on the puck burner and cool it just enough not to burn the pucks properly.
3) i have my blower hard wired so it will be on full time ... so yes have the fan run full time.
4) shaft length needs to be 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in length so you can get through the back of the bradley and have enough clearance for the blade. approx 1/2 inch,, a little more is better.
5) above the v tray i would agree is the best place, what you can also do,, right where the fan blade is,, cut the v tray just a little 1/2 to 3/4 of the fan blade thickness so it will pull the heat from the heater and into the upper part of the smoker.
Hope this helps
thanks beefmann, for the hardwire I assume you just connected it to a plug? Would you have a picture of some sort of the fan installed between the v-tray? I read somewhere people would reverse the motor so it spins the other way either CW or CCW, not sure what the difference will be?
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=27627.msg329409#msg329409
on this link it will show you two different ways of doing the fan mod,,, you can choose which one fits you the best,,,,
here is what i have done ... many years back...
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=17329.msg209917#msg209917
you can choose the one you like the best,,,,
best wishes and good luck on your project,,, all work well