heat regulation? Help!

[thoswo]

I am new to the OBS and have only used a few times.  I am hoping you can help me out.  My issue is maintaining the heat in the smoker.  I pre-heat the smoker to 200 degrees.  I then place ribs (I fill three of the four racks) and the water tray in the smoker.  The problem is that the temperature inside the smoker then drops to 100 - 150 degrees and takes an hour or so to get back up to the correct heat.   Yesterday I was running behind, threw the ribs and water tray in when the smoker was only at 100 degrees in the hope it would heat up, but it never did get above 110 degrees in 2 hours. 

Excluding the operator being a bit of a knucklehead yesterday, do you have any thoughts on how to regulate the heat, or is this simply "the way it is..."   Thanks, Thoswo

[GusRobin]

the Bradley takes a while to get to temp. That's one of the reasons it is called "low and slow" cooking. Here are some things you can do:
1) Put boiling (or close to it) water in the water tray
2) Don't open the door to peek
3) Put a preheated brick (some wrap in foil) in the bottom to act as a heat sink
4) Let the meat sit for an hour or to to get to room temp prior to putting it in the smoker
5) Run the smoke generator the whole time
6) Keep vent open (lets out moisture)
7) get a remote thermometer
8) add a second element.

I do, # 1,4,6,7,8 and have no prolems. I always run with the vent wide open.
The reason for the remote thermometer is that the door temp probe is unrealiable once you put meat in the cabinet. You may or may not be reading the correct temp if the meat is blocking the heat path to the probe.

[Hopefull Romantic]

In addition to the fine advice from GusRobin, most of the OBS users also have the Auber instruments PID. The PID tends to have a better control over the temperatures in the OBS or even the DBS than the Bradley on its own. I would also compensate for the temp drop due to loading up the smoker by pre - heating the tower 50 or more degrees higher than the desired temp prior to loading up the meat.

HR

[thoswo]

I hate to ask this, but what is the auger PID?  thx

[ghost9mm]

First Welcome to a really great forum, you have already received some great advice..

here is a link that will explain the PID and it's use with your OBS..if you have any questions please just ask, someone will be here to help..

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?672-Auber-Plug-amp-Play-PIDs-Single-Dual-Probes

[wyoduke]

Dont go by the door temp you got cold meat closer to it then the heat drop a temp probe in down to the secound rack and get a better idea of what is going on hope this helps  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi thoswo,

Welcome to the forum.

Here is a link to some helpful information:
Bradley FAQ's

[beefmann]

welcome to the forum and  with that much of a load of ribs it will drop the temp. And  Gus has gave you  some good information. also be sure that the front temperature  slider it to the  right