Pucks not advancing

ankorklankor · August 18, 2010, 06:17:35 PM

I have stripped the gears out of two motors now and am waiting for my third motor to get here. I have noticed that the puck which is second in line for the smoke generating element gets wet from condensed moisture running down the inside of the smoker cabinet and dripping on the puck. The puck starts to swell up and when the motor is activated to push the next puck in the wet puck has swelled up enough to cause enough resistance the motor cannot push it in.

Has anyone else noticed this?

This normally happens after about 2-3 hours of smoke. Any suggestions?

David

HawkeyeSmokes · August 18, 2010, 06:23:22 PM

Hi ankorklankor,

Do you have the top vent wide open? It sounds like you have it closed down causing smoke (and moisture) to backup in the smoke generator.

Welcome to the forum!

beefmann · August 18, 2010, 06:51:10 PM

agrees with ankor keep the top vent open so the smoke doesn't back and also lets the moisture exit

KyNola · August 18, 2010, 07:44:39 PM

Yep, hawkeye and Beefmann have you covered on this. Open the vent and leave it there. Not exactly sure why Bradley put an adjustable vent on there to begin with. Mine is pretty much stuck in wide open.

Welcome to the forum.

ankorklankor · August 19, 2010, 04:28:00 AM

Thanks for the quick reply. The vent is closed, I do all of my smoking with the vent closed. Some recipes call for the vent to be closed. i.e. Texas Style BBQ Brisket. This must be why my recipes get done faster that what it takes most people on this forum.

I fill mine up with 6 racks of baby backs and will be done in 5-6 hours. Only time it took me longer if I was smoking something in the winter. I live in South Dakota and it can get a little chilly that time of the year.

Thanks again for the info.

David.

GusRobin · August 19, 2010, 05:18:50 AM

If you keep cooking with a closed vent you will keep on having problems.You will keep on getting condensation in the puck heater and "black rain" on your meat. Personally, I cook with the vent wide open and don't have a problem retaining heat or smoke in the cabinet. Whoever wrote the recipes that state to keep the vent closed probably has never used the Bradley.

ankorklankor · August 19, 2010, 06:24:08 AM

Quote from: GusRobin on August 19, 2010, 05:18:50 AM
If you keep cooking with a closed vent you will keep on having problems.You will keep on getting condensation in the puck heater and "black rain" on your meat. Personally, I cook with the vent wide open and don't have a problem retaining heat or smoke in the cabinet. Whoever wrote the recipes that state to keep the vent closed probably has never used the Bradley.

It's in with the recipe cards that came with the OBS.

David

KyNola · August 19, 2010, 06:40:36 AM

Worse than the condensation issue, with the smoke backing up in the generator, it will eventually destroy the generator itself.

Hopefully this was caught in time so your generator stays intact.

ArnieM · August 19, 2010, 08:57:43 AM

My vent is also stuck wide open. There's not much surface area there so you won't lose much heat or smoke but the moisture will vent out.

GusRobin · August 19, 2010, 09:17:18 AM

Quote from: ankorklankor on August 19, 2010, 06:24:08 AM
Quote from: GusRobin on August 19, 2010, 05:18:50 AM
If you keep cooking with a closed vent you will keep on having problems.You will keep on getting condensation in the puck heater and "black rain" on your meat. Personally, I cook with the vent wide open and don't have a problem retaining heat or smoke in the cabinet. Whoever wrote the recipes that state to keep the vent closed probably has never used the Bradley.

It's in with the recipe cards that came with the OBS.

David

They were the writers not the smokers or the guys who designed it. ;D

Habanero Smoker · August 19, 2010, 01:21:52 PM

Someone else posted that some of the recipes state to close the vent. I'll have to take a look at the card. In the manual Bradley states, in the "Getting Started" section: "Set the damper at the desired opening. Do not close the damper all the way when the smoke is running.".

Others have pointed out several reasons why you should not close your vent. Contrary to building up temperature; fully closing the vent will keep temperatures down. That is because most of the heat energy is being use to convert water into steam, then the steam builds ups condenses and again is converted back to steam.

ankorklankor · August 19, 2010, 01:58:07 PM

Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 19, 2010, 01:21:52 PM
Someone else posted that some of the recipes state to close the vent. I'll have to take a look at the card. In the manual Bradley states, in the "Getting Started" section: "Set the damper at the desired opening. Do not close the damper all the way when the smoke is running.".

Others have pointed out several reasons why you should not close your vent. Contrary to building up temperature; fully closing the vent will keep temperatures down. That is because most of the heat energy is being use to convert water into steam, then the steam builds ups condenses and again is converted back to steam.

I don't recall reading the section where it said not to close the damper all the way. I will have to revisit the instruction manual.

I have thought that the motor was a weak link in they system but maybe if I was following instructions that would not be the case.

Thanks again

David.

Mr Walleye · August 19, 2010, 03:02:58 PM

Hi ankorklankor and welcome to the forum.

I have also read some of the recipes that call for the vent to be closed and I have no idea why you would want to do that. If you close the top vent the moisture will backup out the generator, building residue and damaging it on the way.

As the others have pointed out you want to make sure your vent is open for a number of reasons. You want the smoke to slowly pass by your product and gently kiss it as opposed to containing the smoke and causing it to build creosote and become stale. In addition, if the smoke and moisture backs up into the generator it will destroy it.

Here is a link with a picture from a few years ago by a member here (Iceman) showing what not to do and why.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5192.0

Mike

Habanero Smoker · August 20, 2010, 01:35:24 AM

They have a few manuals that have been revised, I think at one time it used to be in the Precaution section. If you have the latest manual, which can also be downloaded for their site it is on page 9 in the "Getting Started" section.

mow_delon · August 20, 2010, 08:06:17 AM

Looks like everyone got you covered. I stripped the gears in my OBS the first time I used it becasue I left the vent closed and moisture backed up into the generator. Have done many many smokes since and have not had a problem as long as vent is open. Also, the Bradley will not get to full temp if vent is closed (except on the bottom close to the element, which results in uneven cooking if using more than one rack). No matter what the recipe card calls for, leave the vent open while smoke is rolling!

Pucks not advancing

beefmann