Smoke generator feeding 2 bisquettes often

Curtis Jackson · August 05, 2005, 02:50:50 AM

This started out as only the very first time I pushed the advance button to start smoking. The bisquette feeder would feed 2 (exactly 2) bisquettes instead of 1, the next push of the advance button it would correctly feed 1, and the auto-feed from then on would feed 1 each time.

This last time I smoked salmon, it was randomly feeding 1 or 2 bisquettes each cycle. More often 2 than 1. But NEVER did it feed 3 at once. Only 1 or 2.

My advance button did stick once a while ago, but it has not stuck since. I am confused because I figured it would either feed 1 bisquette or many bisquettes, not just 1 or 2 and nothing else.

I think my smoker is about 2 years old or so. It has always been covered in inclement weather, but I have never taken the smoke generator apart and cleaned it, and I do the bulk of my smoking with the vent open only a tiny crack. Any ideas? Not being able to rely on the bisquette feeder is VERY frustrating!!

I've given up on using the Bradley website's form to submit questions to them. About a week ago my smoker wouldn't close because the sheet metal screws holding the metal panel on had come loose and wouldn't re-anchor. I posted a question and never heard a peep. I finally just drilled 2 new pilot holes near the existing ones and put the screws back in there to fix the problem (successfully).

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

Habanero Smoker · August 05, 2005, 12:15:49 PM

I would try cleaning the inside of the generator first to see if that fixes the problem. This thread will get you started http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1996 . If your advance mechanism is shot, there is also a link in that thread for further assistance.

Curtis Jackson · August 05, 2005, 06:20:43 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Habanero Smoker
 I would try cleaning the inside of the generator first to see if that fixes the problem. This thread will get you started http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1996 . If your advance mechanism is shot, there is also a link in that thread for further assistance.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks very much, Hab. I just took it apart, and it is amazingly clean inside. There are dry wood chips, and a few light cobwebs, but that's about it. I'm going to go ahead and clean it and lube it as suggested in the thread you mentioned, and see what happens. But right now I'm wondering if I just have a faulty timer module. If the problem persists, I'll ask Chez Bubba if he has a replacement part.

Thanks again,

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

BigSmoker · August 05, 2005, 10:05:43 PM

Curtis,
I don't believe anyone from Bradley monitors the forum. I think it has been best to contact them directly. No warranty left but you never know what they might do.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

Curtis Jackson · August 05, 2005, 10:29:30 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BigSmoker
 Curtis,
I don't believe anyone from Bradley monitors the forum. I think it has been best to contact them directly.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi, Jeff.

The point I was trying to make is that I *did* contact them directly by using the contact form on their web page, and they never answered me. That was over a week ago. If this cleaning of the smoke generator doesn't pan out, I guess I'll call them and hopefully not play phone tag.

But they should be answering their email, damnit. When you put a page on your website that says: "If we can be of assistance to you, or if you have any questions, please contact us at : <email address>", and then you don't answer emails sent to that address, that is poor customer service, pure and simple.

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

Habanero Smoker · August 06, 2005, 10:40:55 AM

That's unusual for Bradley. That is also one of my pet peeves; a non-response. Even it you don't have an answer immediately, I would appreciate a reply stating that they are working on a solution.

If the motor is the problem, I don't believe Chez sells those, because Bradley does not consider it a replaceable part. Did you go to Manxman thread for further ideas http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1454

Oldman · August 07, 2005, 01:12:33 AM

I called the other day and I got a lady where her English was a *cough* second language~~! [:0] Say it ani't so....

Kidding aside the phone only rang a couple of times before someone picked up. 1-800-665-4188

Olds

Curtis Jackson · August 07, 2005, 04:07:06 AM

Well, so far so good (knock on wood). The thorough cleaning and lube seems to have done the trick. I'm giving it the acid test right now -- 12 hours of smoke to some BEAUTIFUL red jalapenos I found, then I'll dehydrate them the rest of the way and make chipotle powder out of them.

Thanks again for the pointer to the smoke generator disassembly and cleaning instructions. Worked like a charm.

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

Habanero Smoker · August 07, 2005, 11:10:17 AM

Wow! You are really fortunate. Not only because you got your BS working, but you also found red jalapenos.

Maybe next year I'll follow Old's advise and grow my own.

manxman · August 08, 2005, 10:15:42 AM

Further to the link mentioned above by Habs, each time (and it is quite common) I see a posting relating to someone with an bisquette advance motor problem I get a little frustrated that something that is easily available on a somewhat isolated rock stuck in the middle of the Irish Sea between England and Ireland cannot be found in the USA!!

Perhaps arcsnsparks or another member with access to trade parts can come up with something, once I got an electrician with trade access onto the case he came up with an answer within a couple of days.

Suppose this frustration is born of the fact that on the forum we are all one family irrespective of nationality and it would be nice to be able to offer more practical help to those individuals where cleaning the smoke generator does not resolve the issue.

In the UK replacing the motor is around 1/20th of the cost of a new smoke generator!!

Manxman.

Oldman · August 08, 2005, 12:52:58 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Maybe next year I'll follow Old's advise and grow my own.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Easy to do... and as I posted if you can keep them from freezing they will fruit just about year round.

Manxman,
You are so correct in your posting.

Olds

Arcs_n_Sparks · August 09, 2005, 12:51:38 AM

Manxman,

I am unfamiliar with the motor inside the smoke generator (never took my apart). If I had more information, I might be able to see if there were a U.S. counterpart to the U.K. version (hard to believe that is not the case, but stranger things have happened). Absent a member posting some info, I may take mine apart next week and look at it.

Arcs_n_Sparks

manxman · August 09, 2005, 10:13:48 AM

Hi arcs n sparks,

http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1454

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">this is whats in a us model part # TYJ50-8 120v 60Hz 6 rpm, made by china hengxing <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If you have a look at the above thread it should give the US equivalent part number and description (also see quote)for the bisquette advance motor, which is important to get an exact match as there seems to be a number of similar parts available.

Also I sent you an email direct with the same information yesterday just in case you did not pick up this thread on the forum.

Fingers crossed eh!? [8D]

Manxman.

Habanero Smoker · August 09, 2005, 11:20:20 AM

I wonder why Bradley does not list that part as a replacement? Could it be a liability issue?

manxman · August 09, 2005, 01:12:05 PM

Call me cynical, but I think it is more likely to be the fact that people will end up buying a complete new smoke generator!!![:(]

If they supplied this part they could put a disclaimer on it that it must be fitted by an electrically qualified person if they were worried about liability and it is then up to the individual as to whether they take the advice or not.

No real difference to Olds buying the bits to make his fan, spare parts are available for a host of electrical items and it is up to the individual how they fit them.

Manxman.