Smoker Project - Need help with Heating source

[classicrockgriller]

Hawkeye - I was thinking the same thing so I asked my neighbor to plug an extension cord over to my porch and there was a slight increase.  I can get it up to 250 when it is empty but I guess I am just looking for a little more power to crank it up when I first put the meat in so it doesn't keep the meat in the danger zone for so long.

I think the fact I am trying to run all three items is the root of the cause, reason why I am looking for a more powerful hotplate or element to replace the 2.

I don't think going to 1 larger hot plate will work, unless you can run it on 220V. If you have that option there are a lot of commercial hot plates that should work. But the down side is, they are pricey. Using a gas burner might be an option?

CRG,

I don't know much, but electricity, I do ok. Still alive after all these years!  :D I do twitch all the time though.  ???

I know you know electricity ... You saved someone's life for me one nite. ;D

[HawkeyeSmokes]

Hawkeye - I was thinking the same thing so I asked my neighbor to plug an extension cord over to my porch and there was a slight increase.  I can get it up to 250 when it is empty but I guess I am just looking for a little more power to crank it up when I first put the meat in so it doesn't keep the meat in the danger zone for so long.

I think the fact I am trying to run all three items is the root of the cause, reason why I am looking for a more powerful hotplate or element to replace the 2.

I don't think going to 1 larger hot plate will work, unless you can run it on 220V. If you have that option there are a lot of commercial hot plates that should work. But the down side is, they are pricey. Using a gas burner might be an option?

CRG,

I don't know much, but electricity, I do ok. Still alive after all these years!  :D I do twitch all the time though.  ???

I know you know electricity ... You saved someone's life for me one nite. ;D

:D :D :D Just glad I could help.

[Quarlow]

 Neighbors keep bringing me stuff to smoke, now if I could just get them to order the bisquettes.

The way it works with my smokes is if some one wants something smoked, they better bring 2. The smoker gets one and does all the work and pays for everything, the smokee gets the best damn smoked food they are going to eat.

[mac_thorp]

Quarlow - I will have to post a sign outside reminding everyone to bring two.  Thanks for the tip.  I guess I am going to have to be happy with the 190 I get after placing all the food in.  I know the point of smoking is low and slow but I was just wanting a little less slow.  It is putting out some really good stuff. 

Really happy with the advice about the amperage, never even occurred to me.
The bricks may help with keeping a higher heat when I let the air out.
I was told that if I put the smoke stack flush with the inside the heat would run right out instead of staying in, can't remember where I researched that one.

I should have got on this page from the start, would have helped me through a couple rough spots.

[Quarlow]

Well the vent for the bradleys is flush. I don't know why it would be different. But personally I think you do have a voltage problem. I was plugging my bradley into the same outlet that my computer was plugged into and couldn't figure out why the pucks weren't burning complete. then someone suggested to plug it in somewhere else and it has been fine since. Just food for thought.

[classicrockgriller]

mac, you need to come back and talk to a cple guys that really know what they are talking about.

There are some smart guys here and they will help. Don't be afraid to ask.

[NePaSmoKer]

Thats a nice smoker there mac.

Maybe its too air tight?  My smokehouse leaks smoke, not good to be tight, needs to breath.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12928.0


nepas

[Tenpoint5]

Mac,
I would suggest that you make your exhaust vent flush with the top of your smoker on the inside. The 6 inch drop that you mentioned I think it is holding to much moisture inside your cabinet. Moisture is your enemy in this situation, it can and will hold down your temps. Over time this moisture will cause bad things to happen, by building up and collecting creosote which will drip down onto your meat and give it a bitter acrid taste and some unappealing black spots on your meat.

[mac_thorp]

Thanks for the feedback 10 pt, I researching it.  I think the moisture was to help regulate the temp since I cannot place a water pan in there.  I will give it a couple more tries and monitor the buildup on the top.  It will be easy to take the excess off but to replace it would be a pain.

[classicrockgriller]

if you have to replace it just slit the tube up the side and roll it till it slids in the top.

[Quarlow]

What happens is that the wet air is so hard to heat efficiently that you can't get it to warm up. We have the same problem with the Bradleys if we close the vent. Then you need alot of heat to try to make the water come up in temp. If you take a pot of water and turn your stove to medium it will probably never get hot enough to boil cause it take so much heat to get the water hot. Because you don't have enough heat to get the moist air inside to get hot you have to get rid of the water.

[mac_thorp]

CRG - That is how I had to get the first one in, the measure twice cut once adage comes to mind.  The sealant I used would be a pain to clean and reapply.  It is an option though.  Looks like I will have some work to do this weekend.

Quarlow - The first time I tried to put a pan of water in it to regulate the temp it took f  o  r  e  v  e  r to get it up to temp.  Learned that I would have to keep the meat moist with other options.

When I first gathered all of the parts and started the project I would get regular visits from my wife who reminded me she would have been fine with me buying one outright...A Bradley Smoker that is.  Like anything though I was looking for a project and love to brag about the pain I went through to get it to where it is...and when you make one you get to name it.

[Quarlow]

Well as long as you don't call it "Gabi" you should be fine.

[mac_thorp]

Named it "The Swine Cellar", my wife was going to try and restore the old refrigerator and turn into a wine cellar. I tore it up before she could make further plans in that direction.

[classicrockgriller]

mac I use larger pans of water in my bradley but I put in hot or next to boiling water so it doesn't have to heat up.

You know your smoker and what it can do and I applaude you. You know it's ability and it's limits.

I think you got something there that just needs fine tuning.

look at this one..

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10509.0