Uh oh, think my heating element fried, and what to do W/my pastrami?

[PapaC]

Not good times right now! Had my pastrami all ready to go into the OBS, turned it on and waited, and waited, and waited. Didn't get over 107*. I knew something was wrong. Took out water bowl, and drip tray, carefully placing my hand near element, nothing. Both power lights were on. Checked fuse anyway, it was fine. Took it into shop and proceeded to take it apart to check out. Everything looks Ok, up until I touched something I shouldn't have checking in for power to the element. A spark, then a blown fuse, so I guess I was getting power to the element. So, that's problem number one. Problem number two is the pastrami. It's going to have to be cooked in the house oven, but should I smoke it using just the SG first? Or just bag the smoke and cook it without? Of course I'll have to find a fuse first if I smoke it.

I'm going to order an element anyway as soon as I'm done typing here. Worst case, I'll have an extra for replacement, or for the dual element/PID mod later  :D

Any ideas you can throw at me are greatly appreciated. Thing is too, this thing only has had at the most 20 smokes since I bought it. Seems too soon for the element to go.

[GusRobin]

I would call Bradley on Monday and see what they can do for you.
I would skip the smoke and just do it in the oven.
My 2 cents

[PapaC]

Thanks Gus, I didn't think about that (Calling Bradley). I just ordered an element, and in line fuse from yard and pool, but I'll give them a call anyway, won't hurt.

[rexster]

I was doing a smoke back in the summer on my 2 element modded DBS. One of them went out so I was able to finish the cook, but I have 2 new elements in the cabinet now ready to go if needed.

[TedEbear]

Remove one of the wires from the element and use a multimeter to check resistance across it.  A working element will read around 27-32 ohms.  No point in waiting for a replacement element if that's not the problem.

[Salmonsmoker]

PapaC, It's the day after your post so you've probably already done your pastrami, but I would have cold smoked it first before finishing in your oven.

[Habanero Smoker]

Sorry! I thought I had replied to this post yesterday. I agree with Salmonsmoker. If you could get the generator working properly, you could have applied the smoke at any temperature and then transferred it to the oven, and cook it at around 250°F.

[PapaC]

Thanks guys. Too late though. I was screwing around, blew the fuse, then just gave up and cooked it in the oven. Posting results in curing section now.