Newbie smoker. Have Bradley digital 4 shelf. Modifications questions?

[Hangman]

Hey fellas,

I bought a new Bradley digital smoker with the four shelves.    My first experiment was summer sausage and the second one was Bologna (Venison)

I've been on the smoking meats forum for the past few weeks asking questions.  One of the guy suggested that I join this group as well.

I am realizing that the Bradley Smokers has some deficiencies.    Someone mentioned doing a heater element improvement.   I don't know if that means replacing the existing element with a stronger one?   Or adding an additional heating element?    What I would like to know is are the connections modular on the heating element?    Or does it require splicing and soldering?

Thanks for any helpful tips on getting the most out of my new Bradley Smoker!

[Orion]

Element wiring connections are spade type at the cabinet and ring terminals at the element. All you need is 18 inches of high temp wire of suitable gauge (12 -14) , 4 correct size ring terminals, 3 steel clamps and two 10/32 bolts with washers and nuts. Using a 3/16th drill you can have your second element installed in about 2 hours because it gets a little finicky taking apart and reassembling. Here's a link to help you:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=36796.0

Safety note for you... I personally do not leave my smoker unattended for hours at a time or go to sleep while it is running. I just feel better keeping a close eye on my food product and smoker. Also note that modifications will likely void your warranty however many go ahead and do it without an issue.

[TedEbear]

I wired my second element directly to the first one with a 3-4" loop of high temp wire on each end and some uninsulated ring terminals.  Be careful when you drill the holes in the heat shield because the thin metal tears easily.  I drilled mine out to about 3/8" and then used a cone shaped grinding bit to enlarge them the rest of the way.

If you add a second element or replace the original with a finned 900W element, it is recommended to add a PID controller as the Bradley controls were not designed or tested to handle the higher load.