Burnt up my Bradley!

4given · December 23, 2012, 02:28:39 PM

Well I burnt up my Bradly today. Totaly my fault. :( :( :(

The wind knocked it over the night before last and busted the knob off of the sliding thermostat. I didn't think too much about it. I just looked in the slot and noted the position of the "stub" of the broken stem. It looked to be in the right spot top be on high and I run it on high this time of the year when it is cold out. I figgured I would fix it after the holiday activites have calmed down

Today I thought I would do a batch of smoked pork loin chops. I got the smoke a rolling and about 2 hours later my Maverick starts beeping. I had it set at 150. I thought wow done already? I went outside and the BRADLEY WAS IN FLAMES!!! :'( :'( :'( :'(

I keep the bradley clean so I think that mabye the thermostat was broken, not just the knob and that cused the fire. I never should have used it without knowing for sure.

The cabnet is totaly gone but the smoke generator looks to still be good.

I wonder if I can just buy the cabinet?

Grassman · December 23, 2012, 02:53:12 PM

Sorry for your loss - Time for a home made cabinet.

Keymaster · December 23, 2012, 02:58:11 PM

Glad you were home to catch the fire and most important you and your family are safe. Sorry for your loss.

Smokin Sparky · December 23, 2012, 03:04:05 PM

Kevin

Sorry to hear about your mishap. I am thankful for you that nothing else was damaged. Some wind storm we had. Just a minor setback and I know that you will be up and smoking again soon.

Blake

buttburner · December 23, 2012, 04:29:49 PM

wow sorry to hear that!!!

your thermal limiter switch should have cut the power off to your heater element, I would have thought

wonder what really went wrong? maybe the switch got damaged when it fell over?

Do you have the 2nd heater element modification?

viper125 · December 23, 2012, 04:40:53 PM

im wondering what inside the Bradley was burnable to even have a fire that bad. Was you cooking a high fat item? i mean sounds to me if it was clean a couple pucks sure isnt enough to make a large fire. Im guessing the meat was fatty and caught, But just a guess.
Sorry to hear any way and hope you replace it soon.

beefmann · December 23, 2012, 04:48:03 PM

sorry to hear of your mishap, glad it was nothing more then the smoker,

4given · December 23, 2012, 06:42:01 PM

Quote from: viper125 on December 23, 2012, 04:40:53 PM
im wondering what inside the Bradley was burnable to even have a fire that bad. Was you cooking a high fat item? i mean sounds to me if it was clean a couple pucks sure isnt enough to make a large fire. Im guessing the meat was fatty and caught, But just a guess.
Sorry to hear any way and hope you replace it soon.

Pork loin chops are pretty lean. the plastic around the bottom where the T-stat is and the door was burned the most.

viper125 · December 23, 2012, 06:53:49 PM

Hmmm! Maybe a short caused an electrical fire catching plastic on fire. Might be something to make the Bradley people aware of. But when I modded mine didnt see any thing that jumped out looking like it could catch fire. Probably pushed the switch and caused the problem then. Sure glad no property or people hurt. Well except the smoker which is on the cheap side compared to a home! Thats why i wanted a permenant place. the first few smokes I carried in and out. Not good. Especially if your like me with two left feet.

Habanero Smoker · December 24, 2012, 02:31:33 AM

Sorry about your experience, but glad to hear there was no further damage, than the Bradley itself. If you came out and saw the flames, then the fire probably occurred around the heat controller switch; outside of the cabinet. Do you know if the GFI tripped?

RedJada · December 24, 2012, 05:20:36 AM

That's pretty crazy 4given. Glad things were not worse. One of the very first things I learned here is to get the Maverick just for this reason if nothing else. That little $60 accessory probably saved you a lot more than you realize.
On another note, I guess we all can learn from this. If your smoker gets knocked over, dropped, etc... Probably a good idea to baby set it while doing first smoke afterwards.

4given · December 24, 2012, 09:45:54 AM

Quote from: Habanero Smoker on December 24, 2012, 02:31:33 AM
Sorry about your experience, but glad to hear there was no further damage, than the Bradley itself. If you came out and saw the flames, then the fire probably occurred around the heat controller switch; outside of the cabinet. Do you know if the GFI tripped?

I don't know if it tripped or not. Had it plugged in to an outside outlet. I haven't checked it but I will.

4given · December 24, 2012, 09:46:28 AM

Quote from: RedJada on December 24, 2012, 05:20:36 AM
That's pretty crazy 4given. Glad things were not worse. One of the very first things I learned here is to get the Maverick just for this reason if nothing else. That little $60 accessory probably saved you a lot more than you realize.
On another note, I guess we all can learn from this. If your smoker gets knocked over, dropped, etc... Probably a good idea to baby set it while doing first smoke afterwards.

You are so right!

4given · December 24, 2012, 09:47:28 AM

Quote from: Keymaster on December 23, 2012, 02:58:11 PM
Glad you were home to catch the fire and most important you and your family are safe. Sorry for your loss.

Yes we are praising God that it was not any worse. Easy thing to go buy another smoker.

4given · January 06, 2013, 06:51:56 AM

Well guys, I need to fess up. I didn't tell you the whole story............. :-[

While the wind DID knock over my smoker and my temperature contol WAS busted and I DID use the Bradley while damaged and that is possible that this MAY have caused the fire..... I was using an AMNPS in it at the time. This may have been the cause as well.

I think I owe it to you guys to have ALL the information so you can make wise decisions in how you use your smokers. Please accept my appology for not telling the whole story.

Burnt up my Bradley!

buttburner

beefmann