Newbie ??? before OBS purchase

[zzzippper]

Sorry for yet another newbie thread but I didn't want to hijack someone else's thread.  But while reading the other threads it led to my first question:

What is a PID?  What should I look for when buying one?  Are they available where OBS is sold?  I don't see them on Amazon.

How much heat and smoke should I expect from the OBS?  I have vinal siding and a vinal pergola and need to know how much space I'll need around and above the OBS so I don't melt my house!

The price on Amazon is now $288 with free shipping.  I'm going to Cabela's today but with tax Amazon is probably still cheaper.

Thanks in advance and get ready for many many more questions.

[Caneyscud]

Without getting technical, a PID is a device that samples the temperature frequently and adjusts the heating element to keep our chosen and set temperature constant.  With some, you can also control the heating in different ways by ramping up the temperature in different steps, etc...  There are several type of these on the market but the company that most are using on the Bradley are by Auber.  Go to www.auberins.com for their products.  Go to their smoker controllers.  I think that most use the top one for the Bradley.

As far as being near vinyl siding and such, check out the manual for suggestions.  The Bradley is well insulated so the outside of the cabinet does not get hot at all.  You can hold your hand on the cabinet for long periods.  So you should have no problem with your vinyl.  The smoke will be hot, but in the 200 - 250 degree range probably, so it would not be a great idea to put some vinyl right over the top of the unit - a foot or two should be no problem, but check the manual for sure or call Bradley - very friendly folks.

[NePaSmoKer]

I have had my Bradleys by the siding with no problems.

nepas

[zzzippper]

Without getting technical, a PID is a device that samples the temperature frequently and adjusts the heating element to keep our chosen and set temperature constant.  With some, you can also control the heating in different ways by ramping up the temperature in different steps, etc...  There are several type of these on the market but the company that most are using on the Bradley are by Auber.  Go to www.auberins.com for their products.  Go to their smoker controllers.  I think that most use the top one for the Bradley.

As far as being near vinyl siding and such, check out the manual for suggestions.  The Bradley is well insulated so the outside of the cabinet does not get hot at all.  You can hold your hand on the cabinet for long periods.  So you should have no problem with your vinyl.  The smoke will be hot, but in the 200 - 250 degree range probably, so it would not be a great idea to put some vinyl right over the top of the unit - a foot or two should be no problem, but check the manual for sure or call Bradley - very friendly folks.

Thank you!  Does anyone use the Bradley Smoker Bisquette Saver sold by Auber?

[NePaSmoKer]

Without getting technical, a PID is a device that samples the temperature frequently and adjusts the heating element to keep our chosen and set temperature constant.  With some, you can also control the heating in different ways by ramping up the temperature in different steps, etc...  There are several type of these on the market but the company that most are using on the Bradley are by Auber.  Go to www.auberins.com for their products.  Go to their smoker controllers.  I think that most use the top one for the Bradley.

As far as being near vinyl siding and such, check out the manual for suggestions.  The Bradley is well insulated so the outside of the cabinet does not get hot at all.  You can hold your hand on the cabinet for long periods.  So you should have no problem with your vinyl.  The smoke will be hot, but in the 200 - 250 degree range probably, so it would not be a great idea to put some vinyl right over the top of the unit - a foot or two should be no problem, but check the manual for sure or call Bradley - very friendly folks.

Thank you!  Does anyone use the Bradley Smoker Bisquette Saver sold by Auber?

Contact Bryan at Yard and Pool. His are better called Bubba Pucks, Click the Y&P box below my post or my blog site.

nepas

[Habanero Smoker]

As others have mentioned, the surface of the Bradley does not get much hotter then the ambient temperature. Unless you have the OBS (black model); when the sun shines directly on that, you don't want to be holding your hand on it. :'(

The the rear; especially directly behind the heating element gets hotter then other surfaces. As an added insurance, which it probably not needed, you can face your smoker so the back is away from the vinyl, but I would think that a clearance of 6 inched would be enough. I have mine on my back deck. The back faces away from the vinyl, and with my cart the side of the smoker is about 12 inches from the vinyl, and the wood rail is about 6" from the back of the smoker.

As for the amount of smoke it produces that seems to be subjective. When the bisquettes are burning, I feel it doesn't produce much more then a charcoal grill, or a propane grill when fat and juices are vaporizing. When the bisquettes are not burning, and you have not foiled your food, juices and fats from the meat hit the drip pan and vaporize. This will continue to produce some smoke, but again it is not more then a grill.