Heaters..... I've been thinking again....

[Mr Walleye]

I've been thinking..............  :o

About various types of heat sources for the Bradley or any smoker for that matter. I've scoured the forum for information and found some but I still have some questions. This is just an accumulation of my thoughts and I'm hoping for any thoughts you guys may have.

Although the Bradley with it's 500 watt heating element works ok there are definite times when it would be an asset to have a little more juice. I thought if it had a 750 or 1000 watt element your first few hours on a full load and on recovery times after opening the door would be much quicker.

I noticed on an old thread Car54 has added an additional heater to his OBS. Here is a link to some photos of his set up. http://community.webshots.com/album/227589358ctGCMz
I hope you don't mind Car54. It's a 325 watt ceramic convex salamander heater. By the looks of it he runs it through a rheostat  then into a BBQ Guru. I guess one question for Car54 is, why is it ran through a rheostat first? I would think this 2 heater set up could also be controlled by a PID?

Here is something I was toying with doing.....
Taking a new DBS 6 Rack, removing the heating unit from the tower and installing a 1000 watt ceramic salamander element in its place.
Here's a link to the heaters: http://www.infraredheaters.com/ceramic.htm
Of course I would have to ensure the wiring was heavy enough to handle it. I would power this heater through a PID or a new DigiQ II. The smoke generator would be powered on its own. Also I would install a circulation fan in the usual location, just above the V-pan same as I have now, except I would have it moving air back to front this time. I would construct a shield so that it wouldn't directly blow on the lowest rack. I feel in my current set up with the fan drawing air to the back of the cabinet it is further adding to the already higher heat at the back of the cabinet. The other concern about having the fan moving air from the back to the front is if it will have an effect on the puck burner. In my case this won't be an issue because I have mine set up in a permanent off set/ cold smoke style set up.

Ok guys..... am I nuts!  ???

Let me know what you guys think. Good, bad and ugly comments are welcome!  :D

Mike

[car54]

Mr Walleye,

The reason I put the extra heater in was for recovery. One time I did about 40 pounds of pork butt and it it took an extremely long time to get up to temp. I use the extra heater for the shortest time that I feel it is required because it does cause uneven heating especially on the bottom rack. I have learned that even when you use a Bradley with no extra heater it is best not to use the lower shelf unless to rotate racks often. I have the heater angled so that it not aimed directly at a rack. It is on a rheostat so that I have control over the wattage and it is hooked up to my PAID.

If I were to do it again I would still do it the same way. I am satisfied with it.

Brad

[Mr Walleye]

Thanks for the response Brad.

When you say uneven heat do you mean it is hotter front to back or just top to bottom. Also I was just curious if you considered the flat salamander vs the convex. It appears the convex one focuses the heat that comes off it according to what I've read on it.

Mike

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

More juice is always a good thing

Redi-Kilowatt   :D

[car54]

Mr Walleye,

It was uneven top to bottom and a flat heater might be better.

Brad

[West Coast Kansan]

Mike, I am thinking you should spend these cold months just doing a bottom up smoker design.  ;) See Iceman's shop and Outlanders homemade smoker. Not that I would be teasing you about going over the top or anything  ;D  ;D  ;D 

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

Okay, WCK is on to something. I can help with the Plutonium 238 heating elements; steady heat for 50+ years.

Glenn T. Seaborg

[West Coast Kansan]

There you go Mike, the team is forming already. While Plutonium is getting easier to get on the street, the good stuff is still hard to find.  Big help already from Glenn.

[Mr Walleye]

 :D  :D  ;D

Mike