ARGH!!!

[WideGlideMike00]

As soon as I read "ARGH!!!!" I knew what it was. I'm getting tired of this happening. It just happened to me -again-!!! This was the 5th element. The unit is less than a year old.

The unit typically fails every three smokes. I just loaded mine up tonight with 2 butts, 1 hour later, it was just the smoker element heat. About 96 degrees in the box. I could put my finger on the heating element... and not get burned. Of course this happens on a Friday evening.

I know that Bradley will take care of it and all, but THIS IS GETTING FRUSTRATING! And what happens after the warranty runs out? I can't keep buying elements every three smokes.

Now I have 2 butts with very little smoke in them that will have to go in the home oven.  :'(

I may just abandon the DBS. Maybe there's a big green egg or Komodo is in my future.

If I were Bradley, I'd seriously re-think that particular heating element design. And after re-thinking and re-engineering, hopefully be able to offer a retrofit kit to help out the units that are out there that keep failing.

[Dean405]

If I were Bradley, I'd seriously re-think that particular heating element design. And after re-thinking and re-engineering, hopefully be able to offer a retrofit kit to help out the units that are out there that keep failing.

I agree... I would have more respect for them if they would just come out with a $40 or $50 kit that really will fix the issues. I am afraid to smoke because I usually smoke overnight.... I know that I am playing russian roulette with the heating element... and I have had two hinge failures... I can work around hinge failures because the magnet on the door will hold the door closed, but it is not something that I think I should be dealing with.

[viper125]

 Not sure on hinges, But maybe you'd be better off doing the 900 watt mod and getting away from the 500 watt elements

[devo]

I been down this road also, 4 times calling to get a new element. My 5th element when I phoned I talked to Brian and he told me he had some new ones made in Canada to get away from the poor elements. So far I have about 40 hours on it and its still going strong. Hopefully you will get a good one and your troubles will be behind you.

[Dean405]

It seems like my average smoke time is 14 to 16 hours.... and I have been getting 3 or 4 smokes out of one element... so that is about 45 to 60 hours per element. I have had two failures of the element.... and the element I got this week looks identical to the ones I have been seeing for the last 6 months. They did change the part number a bit on the last one. The numbers at the very end of the part number stamped on the side of the element look like  a date code to me.

I see the element mods that people are doing here... but I didn't buy a Bradley smoker to start a new hobby of re-designing a smoker... I just want it to work. If I wanted to design my own, I would have already done that.

[viper125]

Maybe not! But if I was so positive things were that bad I sure wouldn't keep up the same thing then complain. But that's me. Just my opinion.Plus the redesign has already been done and tested.