Hot Smoke heater element in the UK

[chopcat]

I want to upgrade my cold smoker with a heating element to do some hot smoking.
Does anyone have a suggested supplier for a heater and thermostat in the UK?

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum chopcat!

We have some members in the UK. Hopefully one will be along soon to help answer your question.

[chopcat]

Here are some pics of the setup.  Now been working for a couple of years mostly cold smoke trout and salmon.

[Tenpoint5]

Chopcat, Welcome to the forum!! That is a very impressive cold smoker you have built your self!!

[car54]

Chopcat,

Nice looking smoker. It looks like it is hidden in the vegetation. It the vegetation native because it almost looks tropical?

Brad

[squirtthecat]

Chopcat,

Nice looking smoker. It looks like it is hidden in the vegetation. It the vegetation native because it almost looks tropical?

Brad

I was going to ask the same...   Are you hiding that in the Royal Botanical Gardens or something??   :D

[chopcat]

Yep.  we can grow bamboo here in the uk even when it has been -15ºC here over Christmas.  The other plant is summer only called a Gunnera. None are native to the UK but all grow well.

Here is what it looks like in summer.  Note the guard houses that we have put next to the smoker!

The plan now is to add a hot smoking option so any help would be appreciated even if it means I get the right bits from the US.

[chopcat]

Nope - its the garden. and i think i have found the controller that is needed here http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=151  fairly pricey but it looks a simple set up. just the heater element needed.

Has anyone had any experience of these?  would be a shame to burn the plants down!

[Mr Walleye]

Hi ChopCat and welcome to the forum.

Great lookin' setup! As far as a PID (controller) goes the Auber is the one almost everyone uses around here. The one you posted is the newest one that also has a meat temp probe and allows you to cook to a certain internal temp, then shut down or drop back to a holding temp. Auber is a great company to deal with and I would recommend sending them an email with your details to make sure it will work with your voltage.

As far as heating elements go you will have to decide what temps you are going to try to maintain. This will be influenced by size of cabinet, cabinet insulation, and ambient temps. Once you get that figured out you will be better prepared to do a little searching for one.

What voltage are you running?

I would also hold off ordering your Auber PID until you know exactly what size element it will be running just in case. You will have to use some form of heat shield to protect the wood cabinet as well.

Hopefull one of the members from across the pond will be along to help with suppliers over there.

Mike

[Waltz]

Hi Chopcat,

I live in the UK and got my Auber from e-bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bradley-Smoker-PID-Temperature-Controller-Programmable_W0QQitemZ110456698829QQcategoryZ50926QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D10%26ps%3D63
They only seem to supply the single channel model here but perhaps if you search around on e-bay you will find the dual channel if that is what you want.  It works well on our 240v. You may need to modify the power cords though to take UK plugs.
I am afraid I can't help with the heater element but if you get the Auber any electric heater which is tolerant of a bit of dampness would work, you would need to bear in mind the Auber power rating but perhaps an electric greenhouse heater or something like that.

Waltz.

[Gamefish]

Nope - its the garden. and i think i have found the controller that is needed here http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=151  fairly pricey but it looks a simple set up. just the heater element needed.

Has anyone had any experience of these?  would be a shame to burn the plants down!

Chopcat PM me your email address and I will send you some info on elements you can use, in 240volt as we use them here in NZ, just look at the V8 smokehouse thread, i am thinking that is what you are after and they come in various sizes and can be controlled by a PID ;)

[manxman]

Auber will supply direct to the UK from the States, see

http://auberins.com/

The input voltage for their PID's is 100 - 240V so they are compatible with UK voltages, the only issue is power cords as they come with US ones but picking up suitable UK cords is not a problem.

They do a Bradley smoker specific PID suitable for the 500W Bradely heater but it may be better to buy one of their multi purpose controllers that allow higher wattages to be controlled depending on what heater you go for.

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14&products_id=110&zenid=b4038f8778a45b85f628b45c47cd88da

I can recommend Auber and their Bradley PID, I had one shipped direct.

Not sure about the best heater to use though?

[manxman]

Just had a quick look through the website of a company I use for fishing tackle:

http://www.askari-fishing.co.uk/detail.jsf

They do an electric adjustable heater to 2000W and a non adjustable 2000W electric heater both designed for their range of smokers. They also do an adjustable 2500W gas heater?

Worth a look.

[mski]

Hellow from across the pond,
For that size house your going to need a fairly big heater / blower, one like this.

http://www.alliedkenco.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1907
They also make a gas one.
Sausage maker also carries some but in the UK I don't know.
Also look there for finned strip heaters at industrial supply  Grainger has world wide outlets on thier homepage you can enter worldwide sites

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/search.shtml?searchQuery=finned+strip+heaters&op=search&Ntt=finned+strip+heaters&N=0&sst=All

Also didn't know if you knew this site in UK

http://www.sausagemaking.org/

[simbo]

hi chopcat
im in the uk near oxford and we have just started to cold smoke large trout about 550 grams per side what size of trout/salmon do you cold smoke and over what sort of time scale. Look forward to hearing from you
kind regards
simbo