Okay, ya'll have me convinced to build one, and I'm in the process of lining up the parts. My question is, on the Original that I have, the cord that connects the Smoke Generator to the Tower for the heat element, has ends like the power cord for a computer on both the male and female side. Will I have to cut this cord in half and reuse the ends, or does somebody make a longer one so I don't have to sacrifice and extend it, or what?
That's different from mine. My power cord from the smoker to the heater looks like a regular power cord for a computer monitor with the funny plug on one end and a regular plug on the other. I just unplugged the regular plag and connected the PID.
Maybe instead of buing a regular power cord, buy a reciever for the computer cord instead and build your PID that way.
That's an idea. I also got thinking about this while on my sales call today. I wouldn't necessarily have to run the power through the SG...could just sacrifice an old computer cord and plug the PID/Heater Element in separate from the SG. Does that make sense?
Tiny Tim,
The cord you mean is the one that has a regular male plug right and the female end that goes to the lamp end is the funny shaped one I am guessing. The male end will plug into the pid, and that is what controls the cabinet heat. Right now it is like plugging it into the wall which is basically what the plug that you plug into on the generator is doing. So do I have you more confused? ???
Mark
Someone else had posted this same problem when he tried to hook up his Raptor/Guru, and had to use a computer power cord. That member's replies were confusing, and he was supposed to have posted pictures.
Bradley some where along the line made a change in their power cord. From what I gathered, the male end of the cord either must has a plastic hood protecting the prongs, or both ends are female connectors.
Now I'm really confused ??? (Which is very easy for me to be). Hope some one can post pics soon so we can corn fig ur this dang fangled thing out. :) Like Hab said I know something was up with the cords awhile back on some safety issue. I think there was a possability of a shock hazards or some such and things were changed under a recall on some units. Hang tight all. We'll get er figured out yet! ;)
Okay. My cord that connects the tower to the smoke generator has the normal "computer cord" end on one end, and an end that is very similar to it, but gender is reversed, on the other end. I'm assuming the "normal" end is the one that plugs into the lamp in the tower. Neither of these ends will plug into a household outlet. But, as I said in my reply to Stu, I was thinking about it today, and don't think I have to plug the PID in to the generator, just the tower lamp. Use 2 outlet receptacles and run the generator and PID/Tower separately.
Quote from: Tiny Tim on February 28, 2007, 02:55:40 PM
Okay. My cord that connects the tower to the smoke generator has the normal "computer cord" end on one end, and an end that is very similar to it, but gender is reversed, on the other end. I'm assuming the "normal" end is the one that plugs into the lamp in the tower. Neither of these ends will plug into a household outlet. But, as I said in my reply to Stu, I was thinking about it today, and don't think I have to plug the PID in to the generator, just the tower lamp. Use 2 outlet receptacles and run the generator and PID/Tower separately.
Sorry. I just having a hard time visualizing this. I will be going to Gander Mt. either on Friday or Saturday. They have a few BS on display, so that will give me a chance to check out the connections.
The recall was about cords with 2 male ends as I remember. No cords should have 2 male ends.
As I understand the occurance it was the china folks who made an unauthorized change - but dont know that for a fact - but I know it would not be the first time or first product in china that had this happen. :o
Quote from: Tiny Tim on February 28, 2007, 02:55:40 PM
Okay. My cord that connects the tower to the smoke generator has the normal "computer cord" end on one end, and an end that is very similar to it, but gender is reversed, on the other end. I'm assuming the "normal" end is the one that plugs into the lamp in the tower. Neither of these ends will plug into a household outlet. But, as I said in my reply to Stu, I was thinking about it today, and don't think I have to plug the PID in to the generator, just the tower lamp. Use 2 outlet receptacles and run the generator and PID/Tower separately.
Tiny has it cased here. This is exactly the same type of cord that is used on the DBS between the tower and the smoke generator. When I built my PID I used a spare computor cord to plug into the tower, then wired the other end directly into the PID. Then I added anothe cord with a standard 3 prong male plug and supplied separate power to the PID. All you are doing is picking up power if you plug the PID into the SG. The only thing you want to do if you are going to supply separate power to the PID is wire a fuse into it because it will no longer be protected by the fuse in the SG.
This power wire with the computor style male end on one end and the computor style female end on the other was once used in older computors. They connected the monitor to the CPU. It was quit a few years ago though.
Mike
Thanks Walleye. Where would I put the fuse (I've done some automotive wiring, but that don't hurt as bad as household would if I screwed up)?
Tiny
Here is a thread where Arcs & Sparks helped me out with the same thing. Basicly you want the fuse on the hot wire (black wire) of the power as it comes into the PID. If you look onto the 3rd page of that same thread there was a discussion about putting another 1 amp fuse to protect the PID itself. I did do that as well simply because Auber recomends it.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=4639.0
Mike
Thanks.
My offer fell thru on some cheap thermocouples, but I noticed the one that was used by the guy who's post is at the recipe site is only $6 from Auber.
Tim, from what I've read and belive me I read everything I could find on this forum about PID's till my eyes bled, spend the $30,everybody says use the Omega , get a thermocouple from Omega. I went with PID from Auber and TC from Omega, so far just a few fine tuning issues but besides that everything works as planned.
I agree with Carnie1, everything I read leads to the Omega TC. Seems to be the general consensus all right.
Mike
there were some bradley smokers that were built where the power cord that connected the smoker generator to the smoke box actually had 2 males ends...
these units were promptly recalled because someone got zapped...
so... anyone who has a cord with 2 male ends needs to call bradley and get a new smoker...
you gotta eat...
owrstrich...
Thermocouples are coming. I bid on a pair of Omegas that were on Ebay, and on my third (third different pair) attempt, I was the winning bidder. 3/16 by 6" with 8 ft. wire, and got them for $17.49. Now if I could only get a similar score on the PID and the SSR... (not gonna try, I want a warranty on those).
I caution you on the TC's as they vary in quality. I bought a cheap one from aubrin and had terrible luck with it. I ordered one from OMega and was worth the money. Also make sure to use the same wire from the PID all the way.
MH
I'm a step closer to actually working on this project...Thermocouples came today, and look to be of real good quality, so I just placed an order with Auber for the controller and SSR. Should be able to get the rest of the stuff locally.
Would like to have it done by this weekend (have a beef roast and deer roast curing for dried beef to be smoked/dried Sunday), but I don't think the parts will get here before next Monday.
Tiny Tim,
I recently built a pid and had the same issue as you concerning the connectors. The technical name for the connector is called IEC C13 and C14. The C14 is the plug and the C13 is the socket. An explanation is available here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_connector (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_connector)
I solved it by adding a C13 and C14 chassis plug and socket to my project box and added another computer cord.
Thank you for the info, Lonestar...gonna go look for such items and maybe go that route.
Another question...what are the measurements of the PID Controller and the SSR...I want to start looking for a suitable "garage" for this project?
Tiny
Here is a link to Auber's SSR. Just click on the one you ordered and towards the bottom of the page is a .pdf file with the measurements on it.
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=af67f2ea754514b8b11410fe9742910e
If you shoot me an email at home at
[email protected] I will email you back a copy of the Auber PID manual which has the measurements in it. I will be home shortly.
Mike
Just sent ya that e-mail a little while ago. Wasn't online last night, but should be for the chat tonight (if there's one being held).
edit: Thanks for the help.
Also just got an e-mail this morning that my controller and SSR will be in the mail today.
Tiny
I'm at work again! ::)
Shoot me an email at
[email protected] and I will attach the manual in pdf format and email it back to you.
Mike
Just did it...should be there shortly. :D
"You have mail" Tiny
Mike
Wish fe-male was as easy for me to get as e-mail.... :D
;D ;D ;D