Pucks not burning completely

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Habs

The guard is there to stop anything from directly touching  the heat element.

Thanks. I thought it was there just to protect the element when it was made of glass.

Gizmo;

I'm not referring to the reflector, but the grill (guard) the covers the element.

[Gizmo]

Thanks for noting that for me Habs.  I should have looked before posting.  I had completely forgotten about those few stands of wire that make up the guard.   :)

[jeff_smoke]

Thanks Habanero for the photo.
That looks like mine, but I don't know what the metal one looks like, so I couldn't say for sure. I'll get my serial# today and send it out. I'll also check the burned pucks of my last smoke, but I'm pretty sure the recent ones that didn't burn completely were a result of the crud buildup on the heating plate. It was a pretty thick lump of burned on fat or something.

[jeff_smoke]

Hi Jeff

The Metal & Glass heat elements are the same diameter, The glass tubes are white in color (when new) also when they are heated up you can see the heat coil inside it.
The metal rod just glows red

Habs is going to post a picture later

Your serial number should be on the back of your smoker tower, if it is not there anymore did you register your smoker?

Brian

Brian,
    I just PM'd you my serial #.
-- Jeff

[pnw-smoker]

My pucks very seldom burn all the way through.  Seems like the earlier pucks in the batch burn black on both sides and reduce in diameter.  The later pucks are black on one side only.  Sometimes the black penetrates halfway through the puck, sometimes only 1/3 of the way leaving 2/3 of the puck wasted in the pan.  I keep my puck burner scraped clean... so that's not the problem.

I share the opinion that others have expressed that tower temp affects puck burning.  Most of my smoking is at lower temps for fish.  What we really need is a selectable time for the puck advance... maybe 20, 30, 40 minutes.  'Course that wouldn't sell as many pucks... maybe that's why the feature hasn't been implemented.

- pnw-smoker

[NePaSmoKer]

My pucks very seldom burn all the way through.  Seems like the earlier pucks in the batch burn black on both sides and reduce in diameter.  The later pucks are black on one side only.  Sometimes the black penetrates halfway through the puck, sometimes only 1/3 of the way leaving 2/3 of the puck wasted in the pan.  I keep my puck burner scraped clean... so that's not the problem.

I share the opinion that others have expressed that tower temp affects puck burning.  Most of my smoking is at lower temps for fish.  What we really need is a selectable time for the puck advance... maybe 20, 30, 40 minutes.  'Course that wouldn't sell as many pucks... maybe that's why the feature hasn't been implemented.

- pnw-smoker

I have found that keeping your pucks in the garage can make them have a small amount of dampness and they swell slightly.

nepas

[Bradley (Head Office)]

Hi Jeff

I sent you a PM

From the serial number you gave me your smoker was made in  April of 2008
Your smoker will have the metal heat element in it.

Here is what the elements look like together

Both Glass and Metal Elements

This is the Metal element heated up

This is the glass element heated up

The glass element will glow almost right away when turned on.
The Metal one will take a few minutes to glow

Brian

[NePaSmoKer]

Brian

Are the galss ones avail through Y&P or just from Bradley.

nepas

[Bradley (Head Office)]

Hi Nepas

We stopped making the glass ones in 2004 they were just to fragile when they are hot

Brian

[jeff_smoke]

Hi Jeff

I sent you a PM

From the serial number you gave me your smoker was made in  April of 2008
Your smoker will have the metal heat element in it.

Brian

Hi Brian,
      I'm doing my first overnight smoke of a pork butt, so I was only able to get a quick look at the element without letting too much heat escape. The element looks solid red and doesn't have the rings associated with the glass element, so it appears I have the metal one as I should. When I get done with the smoke, I'll check more carefully for the non-tapered edge where the element connects to the fixture. That seems to be the best method of identification, the taper or non-tapered edge of the fixture.
     It concerns me that you didn't find my serial# registered. I'm pretty darn sure I registered my smoker. Do they come with a mail in card because I think that's how I registered.
     Odd that it's taken me so long to get around to smoking a butt as this was one of the primary reasons I purchased the OBS since it could do an overnight smoke without all of the constant stoking.
     The butt is at an internal temp of 170 right now. I was planning on removing at 190. That sound like a good target? Just curious if others have a preference.
Thanks.

     

[Bradley (Head Office)]

Hi Jeff

I take my pork butts to 190 and then FTC for about 2 hrs

Brian

[jeff_smoke]

Thanks Brian,
    sorry; I didn't see your note til after I was done. I did finish it up at 190,
but didn't FTC this time around. I just had it wrapped in foil for a little while as the extended family showed up ready to eat.
    I got raves on the butt though. It almost fell apart on the cutting board; it was so tender. I cooked a 9.5 lb boston butt mostly between 180 to 200 degrees and let it run hotter in the last hour to get it done on time. Cooking time was about 20 hours. Started yesterday at 5pm and done at 1pm for lunch today. Smoked with 4 hours and 40 minutes of hickory. Used rub and mopped about every three hours except while snoozing. Really darned good pork butt.