Yet another big smoker....

Mr Walleye · January 27, 2012, 04:54:19 AM

Sorry for the late response Chris, been up to my you know what so I haven't been around the forum for a few days.

I have played with the thermocoupler placement some. What I have settled on in the larger smoker is a placement on the back wall, about midway up in the load area, and spaced away from the wall at least an inch so the radiant heat from the wall does not influence the temps.

The cabinet mount fuse holders are to protect the PIDs. What they recommend is a 1 amp slow blow fuse for them.

For the 220v fuse you will just need to calculate what your load will be. For an example I think you said you were using a 3800 watt 220v element. 3800/220=13.63 amps. You would have to allow for anything else you are using on the circuit such as a smoke generator, etc. I would think you would be fine using a 20 amp fuse in it though.

Mike

Mr Grillmaster · February 11, 2012, 08:20:34 PM

Hi Mike
just wanted to say thanks again for your help on my project. Im trying to put some pictures up. I did get the panel box built. Ill get pics up soon. Chris

Mr Walleye · February 12, 2012, 04:14:06 AM

Looking forward to having a look Chris.

Mike

Mr Grillmaster · February 12, 2012, 05:45:43 PM

Mike here are some pictures let me know if you can view them i don't know how to post them like you did.
Chris
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/513/20120129132644.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/201201291341591.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/20120207194517.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/252/20120211174505.jpg/

Mr Walleye · February 12, 2012, 06:13:22 PM

Looking really good Chris! 8)

Your doing a fantastic Job! Your Control box is awesome!

Here;s a link to get ya hooked up on putting links of pictures in your posts.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?488-Answers-To-Bradley-Smoker-FAQ-s&p=768#post768

wyrman · February 12, 2012, 06:45:19 PM

Your smoker is looking good Chris! I really like the control box also.

Mr Grillmaster · February 13, 2012, 07:08:17 PM

Thank mike for putting my pictures on forum it make a different when you see pictures. I added a few things to the electrical cabinet like a 110v outlet and the other cut out is going to be a syl1512 meat thermomit er. I also added the flange inlets so i can remove the panel when not in use. I cant wait to fire this bad boy up. Chris

Mr Walleye · February 13, 2012, 07:27:59 PM

Chris

You will have to give us a full report when you get that baby firing on all cylinders. ;)

Real nice job! 8)

Mike

VashonSmoke · March 14, 2012, 02:55:33 PM

Working on my first big smoker. Straight off the mill 2" thick cedar slabs. Waiting on electrical parts, pid, relays, etc to finish things up in the burner department. I am planning on gutting an old stove for the burners, sockets, etc. Need some advice on a few things. The biggest argument right now is adding a chimney or just adding some slotted vents on the roof of the smoker. I am thinking a short stack with damper is the way to go to get the best draft. We want to be able to rock some high temps so the argument is the damper will not close up enough to seal the heat in??

After looking at peoples pid setups I have decided to go with a TET612 controller and two relays so I will be switch both hot legs to the burners for safety. It looks like lots of people are only switching one leg of power. Any advice on welding up the burner stand?

Mr Walleye · March 14, 2012, 05:28:25 PM

Quote from: VashonSmoke on March 14, 2012, 02:55:33 PM

Working on my first big smoker. Straight off the mill 2" thick cedar slabs. Waiting on electrical parts, pid, relays, etc to finish things up in the burner department. I am planning on gutting an old stove for the burners, sockets, etc. Need some advice on a few things. The biggest argument right now is adding a chimney or just adding some slotted vents on the roof of the smoker. I am thinking a short stack with damper is the way to go to get the best draft. We want to be able to rock some high temps so the argument is the damper will not close up enough to seal the heat in??

After looking at peoples pid setups I have decided to go with a TET612 controller and two relays so I will be switch both hot legs to the burners for safety. It looks like lots of people are only switching one leg of power. Any advice on welding up the burner stand?

Hi VashonSmoke and welcome to the forum.

I can't see your pictures for some reason and when I tried to go to their URL I get a "not authorized".

To comment on your questions I would use a short stack with a damper in it. Your right in the fact the damper will never totally close off the stack but I don't think you ever want to close it off anyway. Even when not running smoke in the cabinet you need a certain amount of air flow or you will end up trapping moisture in the cabinet which can cause temperature problems as well.

Your also correct in that most people are only switching one leg of the 220 with the SSR. If you look at my wiring schematic for mine you will see I have both legs running through a contactor which is controlled by an Auber 1512 PID that operates as a high limit safety. After the contactor, one of the legs is switched by the SSR.

Here's the wiring diagram.

Would love to see your pictures of your project if you can get them posted.

Also, keep us up to date on your build.

Mike

VashonSmoke · March 14, 2012, 05:36:55 PM

I think my pictures should be working now. I like the idea of the "main" contactor especially if it was hooked up so internal meat temp would trip it. It just seems if one leg was still hot to the coil it could cause a safety issue. I just picture firing the thing up, remembering the chip bowl was on the burner, putting a foot in a bucket of water before grabbing it and them pazowo.

Mr Walleye · March 14, 2012, 05:49:49 PM

For some reason I still don't see your pictures. Not sure why.

In my setup there is no power (either leg) going past the contactor until you manually fire up the 1512 with the toggle switch, then you hold down the set button on the 1512 to fire the contactor. This turns on everything else. There's no power on either leg until you turn it on.

You definitely can control a contactor with a controller using a meat temp probe to dictate when to shut down the system.

Mike

VashonSmoke · March 14, 2012, 06:42:46 PM

Mike...Your schematic looks great! I picked up an outdoor breaker panel today I am going to use both for breakers and to stuff all the extra goodies into. I plan on a nice chunk of SO cord with a 50amp welder plug attached to I can plug it into one of the existing recepts in the shop.

I am thinking of scrapping an old stove top for burners, knobs, and sockets. I plan on welding something up to hold them but have not quite nailed that down yet. I saw a nice diamond plated one on here that looks like what I need but I am wondering about making sure the burners are isolated from the metal base holding them?? I also plan on doing a little sheet metal wrap for the bottom of the smoker so I don't set it on fire.

Mr Walleye · March 14, 2012, 08:57:36 PM

Lookin' good!

For some reason the pictures show up now. go figure.

I would definitely put some protection for the wood in from the element for safety.

Mike

Mr Grillmaster · March 18, 2012, 06:29:37 AM

vashonsmoke
Well come to the forum. Your wood smoker looks great.
chris