Can't get much heat

[kmadden1]

I have just purchased a new bradley and I cannot get the heat over 200 degrees. I have the heat selector in the front all the way over to the right (high) and the top damper is closed, and I have put another pan over it also just to try to keep more heat in. some smoke is coming out the briquette stack, but other than that not much is escaping. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

Kevin

[car54]

You should have the top vent open at least 1/4, you are getting smoke out of the briquette stack because it is closed.

Try not having the heat selector all the way to the right. I have read that some times this cauese the problem that you are having.

If you have meat in the smoker, how much? If it is loaded with meat it takes a good while to come back up to temperature. 200 degrees is not a bad temperature to smoke at.

 Keep trying, there will be plenty of help at this site.

Brad

[Habanero Smoker]

The BS is not meant to be air tight. As Brad stated open the top vent at least 1/4 open, and 200 F is not a bad temperature to smoke at. You do not want the smoke to exist through the smoke generator. This will deposit smoke residue inside the generator which can gum up the moving parts.

[BigSmoker]

Your door thermometer may be wrong mine is about 35f off to the low side[;)].

Jeff



Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[Oldman]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><font size="2">Your door thermometer may be wrong mine is about 35f off to the low side</font id="size2"><hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> Yepper don't trust the door therometer.

There is a high limit switch in the box. So you can leave it all the way over to the right, but once you hit that limit it cuts in and stop the power. However, 200 F is not hot enough to do that.

Now to test if your unit is running correctly, place it in a dark area. No smoking--but the generator must be on. Push the slider all the way to the right. Give it a couple of minutes. Then open the door and look at the element. If it is bright orange-red then your unit is working correctly at that given temp. Wait 30 minutes with the slide bar now at 7/8th of the way to the right. Check the elements color. If not bright orange-red then call Bradley. You might want to get some food type thermometers and drop them  down through the vent so you can get an idea of the temp of the box. Now do this with no food in it.

BTW what did you have in the box went you could only get to 200 degrees, and how much? This is import for us to know as some items give off much moisture and the will help keep your box at a lower temp.

If there is a problem with your box you will find that Bradley has great customer service. Normally warranted part are shipped  1 or 2 day air.

Olds

[kmadden1]

Thanks ....

I will check the thermometer and open the vent a little ... I had nothing in the smoker I was still trying to preheat it to 220 ...

[Chez Bubba]

KM,

You weren't using an extension cord were you? The circut you plugged into doesn't also operate a refrigerator or your entertainment center?

Just a thought,

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?