Heating / voltage problems

FishMan · April 25, 2012, 06:12:33 AM

My smoker stopped heating, actually it would heat very slowly to about 15 degrees above ambient. I first thought it was (again) the heating element, but I removed it and it measures about 30 ohms, the same as the new spare I have on hand. I checked the fuse, it's OK. Then I thought to measure the voltage being delivered to the heating element, and it is only 80 volts versus the ~120 coming in. That could account for the poor heating, but where are those 40 volts going? Help!

Alanfromwis · April 25, 2012, 06:30:45 AM

Hi FishMan,
Was the 120 voltage at the the input to unit? If yes, it sounds like a control board problem like a cold or poor solder joint. Does anyone know if a schemantic is availible?
Alan

TedEbear · April 25, 2012, 07:24:12 AM

Quote from: FishMan on April 25, 2012, 06:12:33 AMThen I thought to measure the voltage being delivered to the heating element, and it is only 80 volts versus the ~120 coming in. That could account for the poor heating, but where are those 40 volts going? Help!

Start at the source (wall outlet) and check the voltage. If it is close to 120V then proceed down the path. If there's 120V coming out of the SG box to the tower then the problem is in the tower. If not, then there's probably a loose connection inside inside the SG.

My bet is on a loose connection in the tower at the back of the plug that comes from the SG.

FishMan · April 25, 2012, 07:59:57 AM

Let me give some more details. For these tests, I am plugging the tower directly into the wall socket. I have the back cover off, and I am measuring the input voltage inside the unit. I am measuring the voltage to the heater with the heater out of the circuit.

TedEbear · April 25, 2012, 09:08:31 AM

What does the voltage measure at the wall outlet?

Habanero Smoker · April 25, 2012, 01:30:33 PM

Is there any other appliances and/or electrical equipment pulling current off that same line. If there are too many products drawing electricity off that same line that can also cause voltage drop.

Kahunas · April 25, 2012, 01:44:11 PM

Hi Fishman,
Let's see if we can figure out what is wrong. My first guess is the slider that controls your temperature but we'll get to that.
1. check your wall outlet for proper voltage.
2. check the voltage at the back of the smoker cabinet
3. check your slide control to see where it is set? if it is all the way to the right, slide it to the left and back to the right but not quite all the way. (I have heard there is sometimes a dead spot at the end)
4. re-check your voltage across the heating element.

FishMan · April 25, 2012, 03:12:24 PM

Thanks for your suggestion about the slider control. Does this affect the voltage to the heating element? I was never sure what it did, because I use an external controller for the temperature.

TedEbear · April 25, 2012, 03:37:03 PM

You still haven't told us what the voltage is at the wall outlet. We've asked 4 times now.

Kahunas · April 25, 2012, 05:29:23 PM

Hi again Fishman,
I'm assuming it's just a rheostat and varies the voltage to the element to adjust the overall temperature. I bypassed mine and installed a PID and a 900w element so it will recover a lot quicker and have a lot better control over the temperature.

Habanero Smoker · April 26, 2012, 02:05:30 AM

The temperature controller is a rheostat. All the way to the right should provide you with 100% voltage reading; as you move it to the left the amount of current will decrease.

I have never come across a dead spot, and Bradley Tech. has never been able to duplicate this reported problem. They did issue a statement a few years ago that is "may" have been an issue with earlier models.

Kahunas · April 26, 2012, 07:33:37 AM

Hi Fishman,
Have you had a chance to check things out? You might also try checking the voltage across the heating element and move the temperature control slowly from end to end and see what you read.
Hope you find something soon, your missing out on some good smokin time.

FishMan · April 26, 2012, 08:15:09 AM

Quote from: TedEbear on April 25, 2012, 03:37:03 PM
You still haven't told us what the voltage is at the wall outlet. We've asked 4 times now.

That was given in my original post.

FishMan · April 26, 2012, 08:18:02 AM

Quote from: Kahunas on April 26, 2012, 07:33:37 AM
Hi Fishman,
Have you had a chance to check things out? You might also try checking the voltage across the heating element and move the temperature control slowly from end to end and see what you read.
Hope you find something soon, your missing out on some good smokin time.

Thanks for all the responses. I was a bit red-faced to discover that it was the heat control on the front of the unit. I had always assumed that this slider opened and closed a vent and had no idea it controlled the heater element. Sigh.

Anyway, I've got 7 lbs of bacon going in the smoker later today.

Kahunas · April 26, 2012, 08:50:05 AM

Hey, you gotta love those kinda fixes though. A lot cheaper than replacing something. Good luck with the bacon, we will need pictures you know.