any reason to NOT use the smoker element as additional heat source?

[chiroken]

I've got into the habit of continuing to use the smoke element to provide additional heat to help maintain the smoker temperature. I LOVE my BDS but the 1 complaint is that the element is weakwhimpy and I often can't even maintain a temp of 220 during the winter months (often not below freezing even).

Once my smoke time is up I remove the water dish and the extra 3 pucks and then turn the smoke element back on for the remaining of the cooking time.

Any reason to not do this?

Thanks...(with 2 large bacon weave stuffed pork loins in the smoker for our annual New Year's Eve party!!!)

Happy New Year's to all my fellow smokin' friends!

[devo]

No reason at all, many of us do just that.

[Tiny Tim]

No reason not to leave the generator on, but please put the bowl back with hot water...serves as a grease collector too.

[pensrock]

I leave mine on as well.

[viper125]

Me too! But did hear 1 a while back. Cheaper to replace the Bradley element then the SG element. But dont ever remember seeing a SG element that quit.

[Habanero Smoker]

Before installing my second element, I used to run the bisquette burner all the time.

Removing the water bowl for items like jerky, even sausage is alright, but if you are cooking meats with fats you need to leave the water bowl with water in the smoker. That small water bowl is not going to add a significant amount of steam to effect the temperature.

[beefmann]

most leave it on if they are only running 500 watts, and yes it does help... I  do not main reason is im running 900 watts and a blower, so an extra 125 watts for me is not needed