New Guy - I Need Help

Paul1958 · May 29, 2005, 03:02:57 AM

New guy here. Bought my smoker yesterday, ran it for a couple of hours to season it like the manual says. Everything worked great.

Today I got up early and smoked some beef jerky and a Boston butt. It came out great (with a bit of experience I'll improve with length of time, heat, etc.)

Here's the problem. When I turned on the smoker this morning the Drive Arm advanced multiple bisquettes at a time. I lost an entire load to the water bowl when after I turned it on because I stepped back in the house for a second. I unplugged, removed to fuse to "reset" the Drive Arm, let it stay unplugged for an hour, etc. Nothing helped. During the day the Drive Arm would cycle maybe 2 times and the next turn cycle 6 times before stopping. To allow me to smoke today I had to load a single bisquette at a time after the Drive Arm stopped cycling.

Has anyone else seen this problem?

What to do now? Everything I read makes me want a Bradley Smoker, but I really am disappointed.

Paul

Oh.... and it took me over an hour to get the heat up to between 220-250. Is that normal? (Of course this is using the thermometer on the smoker)

eightball · May 29, 2005, 03:22:53 AM

I haven't and there are plenty of people online with this forum that knowmore than me. However I have seen some psotings that talked about thixs somewheres in here. I am just trying to remember What i read. I think one of the targets you need to look at is prhaps the biscuit advance button on the smoke unit may be stuck halfway in or something like that. Try manipulating it to see if it hangs up at any point. or is hesitant to slide freely back after being depresssed. This may not be it but it is the only thign I can think of with my limited experience. Hope this helps, if it doesn't someone will be able to figure something out in this forum.
JW [8]

Habanero Smoker · May 29, 2005, 06:54:12 AM

When the problem occurs, is it occurring right after you push the advance button, or when you say "...the Drive Arm would cycle maybe 2 times and the next turn cycle 6 times before stopping..." , is the generator is doing this independently without you touching the advance button?

First check the advance button to see if it is sticking, if that is the problem check out these two threads: http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1694 and http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=641 .

If it is not the advance button, I would give Bradley a call on Monday.

jaeger · May 29, 2005, 07:12:46 AM

Paul,
In regards to the advance problem. Try what eightball mentioned. Check to see if it is sticking or for some reason staying depressed. If it isn't something very easy to fix don't worry. Bradley customer service is second to none and they will have your unit running properly in short order.
As far as the temp problem, do a temp test. If you have an oven thermometer you can get your hands, test your temp with that. Make sure that the damper is closed during this test. I would suggest recording temps at 10 - 15 minute intervals. Leave the smoke generator on for this test. You are basically doing the same thing that you did when you seasoned your smoker.
Let us know your results.
Good Luck!

Doug

Paul1958 · May 29, 2005, 01:02:38 PM

Thanks for the info. To answer one question, the multiple cycles occur whether I press the advance button or not. Even after I'm cooking and the Drive Arm stops cycling (and I add a single bisquette to the queue for use) the next time it is time for a bisqutte to be added to the fire the Drive Arm may cycle anywhere from 2-3 up to 6-8 times. This is without me touching the advance button.

Paul

Habanero Smoker · May 30, 2005, 12:10:11 AM

If it is not the advance button, you should call Bradley tomorrow.

Oldman · May 30, 2005, 01:58:02 AM

Toll Free: 1-800-665-4188

If your unit is new you have a one year warrenty. They normally 2nd day air express it out!

Olds

JJC · May 30, 2005, 05:30:46 AM

Welcome to the Forum, Paul. Sorry you're experiencng this roblem, but I think you can tell the forum is a great place to get help. I'd call Customer Service tomorrow (Monday), too, since it's not a holiday in Canada. Everyone in CS is great, but if you can talk with either Cassandra or Katie, they're the nicest folks you can imagine. Betcha you'll be smokin' again before next weekend . . .

John
Newton MA