Help....I've got temp problems

chief · December 31, 2006, 09:36:20 AM

Hey guys.....I've had some technical difficulties today for the first time. :( I need some of you experts to help me figure this out. I started out preheating my BS to smoke some chicken breasts for the family....got the temp up to 275. Walked outside to put the chicken in....two racks of breasts that were at room temp. Put them in and shut the door....then noticed that my heat indicator light was off w/ the power control maxed out to the right. I watched the door thermometer drop down to 150 and then the light suddenly kicked back on. After three hours the temp had only climbed back up to 190. Any ideas here???

Gizmo · December 31, 2006, 09:44:44 AM

From the posts I have read here on the internal workings, my first guess would be, your box hit the temp limit switch and shut down the heater. When you opened the box and put your yard birds in, the box cooled down and the temp limit switch cycled to allow your heater to come back on. With the birds in, you have more mass to heat up, which is why the box did not get past 190. That would only be a guess as I don't know your outside air temp or other possible factors. There may be some other technical issues at work here as well. Some of the more experience with the technical problems may be able to provide more insight. After the current smoke, you can ramp up the temp and see if you can get the box up to 250 F deg with the box empty to ensure nothing was damaged.

owrstrich · December 31, 2006, 09:48:19 AM

chief...

the original bs has an automatic reset high temperature safety limit switch...

it sounds as if the bs got hott enough to open the limit circuit and then when it cooled down a bit and reset itself and all is well now...

i prefer the cloven hooved beast of the pasture but a nicely smoked checken bo ob will do...

you gotta eat...

owrstrich

chief · December 31, 2006, 09:57:43 AM

Thanks for the input guys.....I'm still a little worried. On all of my other smokes, I've never had any problems (even w/ meat mass) getting my temp to climb back up....especially after three hours. And trust me on this....it sure as heck doesn't feel like January down here in LA(lower Alabama) right now! ???

Gizmo · December 31, 2006, 10:10:18 AM

If the experienced techies here don't have some other suggestions and the box doesn't get back up to it usual self, call Bradley support on Tuesday. :)

owrstrich · December 31, 2006, 10:28:19 AM

chief...

i calibrated the dial thermo on my bs... they can be off an easy 25deg from mfr location to end user location...

i have questions... 1 are using the dial thermo alone for box temp or do you have a digi also (is the dial calibrated)... 2 is the heat element glowing red (hard to see in sunlight) with slider all the way right... 3 is the vent 1/3 or greater open... lots of moisture in the yard bird... dont want beast moisture or water bowl moisture coming out the bottom of the door onto the slider...

i know that my puck burner can maintain 70deg above ambient with 24lbs beast loaded with no wind not heat element...

thanks...

owrstrich

Wildcat · December 31, 2006, 10:46:08 AM

chief - I did not have a problem getting my box temp up to 215 when I did two racks of chicken. I have never taken the pre-heat past 215 either, although I probably could have.

Where in lower AL are you. I live in the Pensacola, FL area, which is kind of like extreme LA. Also, with a forum name of chief, are you retired navy?

Rick

Infalable · December 31, 2006, 02:07:16 PM

Hey Chief...wher you from? I was a Ft rucker for a few years.

chief · December 31, 2006, 03:13:04 PM

Owrstrich....I'm just using the uncalibrated door thermometer...no competition for me, just good eating! I always keep the vent at least half open when doing my birds and I am going to wait until tomorrow to inspect the internal operations. I wanted to finish today's job before going back and seeing what she'll do empty and checking the glow of the element.

Wildcat....living next door in Mobile. No Naval service, just given that nickname along time ago.

Infalable....when were you at Rucker? I had a good friend and Citadel classmate that was an instructor there.

Oldman · December 31, 2006, 03:58:17 PM

Ok simple test time...

Place your smoker in a dark place.
Slide the rheostat to the far RIGHT.
After 30 seconds open door and the heating element should be bright red/orange.

If it is then O was correct about you tripping the high limit switch. As far as you only using the door thermometer some of them have been reported to be off as much as 40 degrees F. So do not go by it until you test it in boiling water--it is removeable.

Infalable · January 01, 2007, 08:10:54 AM

Unfortunately its been more years than I care to admit. I was there in 87-88. I actually enjoyed it there, but was ready to go. lots of fishing and trips to PC. Good BBQ down there, but it was a cultural desert.

chief · January 01, 2007, 12:15:16 PM

I hear ya Infalable.....Dothan/Enterprise isn't a happening place, but the coast(Mobile,Gulf Shores,P'cola,Destin) ain't a bad place at all! Does the name Rob Carrow ring any Rucker memories....he would have been a Lt. there about your same time....ended up as a instructor there later....good guy, believe he's now stationed over in Italy somewhere.

Infalable · January 01, 2007, 05:31:36 PM

No unfortunately that name doesnt sound familar. You have the place pegged though. A happenin' place has never been used to descibe that place. I did get to meet some fine folks down there tho. I worked at the airfield all day, so my contacts were mostly airfield personnel and pilots. My BS will be delivered tomorrow. I'll toast you and all those who have helped me so far when me first bisket or ribs are spattering on my plate.