1st time. Too much smoke? Problems with holding temp

[goodhart]

First smoke in the BS611.

Little too much smoke for chops, but super moist and tender. Lost heat after shutting smoke off after an hour and a half. Need to figure out how to keep heat in it after killing smoke. Element wasn't quite enough even on a warmish winter day in MN (37* @ start time, 33* at finish). I need a better thermometer, I got a cheapo Taylor from Hardware Hank and the internal heat stalled at 100-110 for over an hour after killing smoke. Put more smoke to it and it and internal temp shot up to 140ish in about an hour.  Let them rest in foil for ~5 min.  4 hours total cook time.  I plan on getting a Maverick ET-733 for future smokes.   

How do I keep the temp up after shutting off the smoke and why did it drop so bad after shutting off the smoke?  Was it too cold of day for the smoker element alone to handle?

I ended up using 11-12 bisquittes.  Swapped racks top for bottom after about 1.5 hrs for even cook time.

Used my own rub and mustard slather. I'm real happy with the flavor other than the excessive smoke flavor.

[Saber 4]

Sounds like you may not have all the connections to the heating element seated fully.

[NorthShoreMN]

Check all connections some seat hard.  Make sure it's on its own circuit, not on refrigerator or other power hog. Get some bubba pucks to save bisquittes and leave smoke generator on for additional heat without smoke. 
Welcome from N E Minnesota.  Where are you located?

[TedEbear]

I ended up using 11-12 bisquittes.  Swapped racks top for bottom after about 1.5 hrs for even cook time.

Used my own rub and mustard slather. I'm real happy with the flavor other than the excessive smoke flavor.

Way too much smoke.  For something like what you cooked you only need a couple of hours of smoke, not the entire time it is cooking.

[manfromplaid]

after pucks done leave SG on for extra heat its not much but it helps

[TNRockyraccoon]

Lost heat after shutting smoke off after an hour and a half. Need to figure out how to keep heat in it after killing smoke.

I found out that on the BS611, you can't operate the heating element with the smoke generator turned off. So, if you turned the smoke generator off after applying smoke.....you likely turned the heating element off as well. So, basically the smoke generator has to remain on the entire time and you control the amount of smoke by how many pucks you use.

[goodhart]

I found out that on the BS611, you can't operate the heating element with the smoke generator turned off. So, if you turned the smoke generator off after applying smoke.....you likely turned the heating element off as well. So, basically the smoke generator has to remain on the entire time and you control the amount of smoke by how many pucks you use.

Yep, I think that's exactly what I did wrong.  I ordered some buba pucks on eBay, so next time I will try using them and see how it goes. :)