Not Heating Properly

[Reitzelsmokes]

Here's a question for everyone, before my warranty runs out. My smoker ran all day...had the dial turned all the way to high. The temp never got over 200'. I am a little pissed. I smoked some walleye in the morning and was able to hold it at 250. Tries to do some wings in the afternoon wth the dial on high and it never went past 200(206' on a digital thermometer that I bought).
Anyone else experience this?
Is my smoker defective? Making it extremely difficult to cook accurately.

[Habanero Smoker]

It sounds like a moisture problem. When moisture builds up too high in the Bradley most of the energy is converted to the process of evaporating water. When this occurs, it will drive the cabinet temperature down. When the temperature goes down, you first though would be to close the vent opening, but that will have the reverse effect, because more moisture will be trap. With food that will release a lot of moisture, such as chicken with skin, the best solution to your problem is to open the vent at least 3/4 open, or even fully opened. Once most of the moisture is evaporated from the foods you are cooking, you may try closing the vent to 3/4 to 1/2 opened.

When smoking chicken with skin one thing you can do to help reduce moisture build up in the cabinet is to air dry the chicken in the refrigerator for a few hour prior to smoking it.

[Reitzelsmokes]

Tha k you for that response! That is my instinct all the time is to close the vent to help heat build. I am actually stifling the heat.
I am smoking some wings right now and the same thing was Happening. I have opened the vent, and hopefully the temp will rise.
Thanks again for getting g back to me