Storage of Black Bradley Smoker

[DaxFaxian]

All,

Is there any special way in which I should store my Black Bradley Smoker? I have purchased a weather-proof cover from Home Depot and once I receive it, I assume that I can leave it outside all year-round; am I correct? Also, if not, how do I handle it if it starts raining or snowing? Would suck to have to move it under a covered area every time that I feel a drop of rain.

Jules.

[tailfeathers]

I have a six rack digital with the cover and it stays outside year round, however it is under an awning so it does get protected from precipitation. Not sure I would leave it out (even with the cover) if not for the awning. I would probably remove the smoke generator (SG) off the side of the cabinet and store that indoors if I were you, I would think the cabinet would be ok outside with just the cover on it.

[DaxFaxian]

Thanks for the heads up guys. I'll probably have to store the smoker portion in my shed until I need it or until I put an awning over the smoker.

[KyNola]

The smoke generator will fit nicely inside the tower if you turn the smoke generator up on its end with the burner plate pointing upward.  The racks and V-tray should fit beside the tower if turned on end.

[Jim O]

If I didn't welcome you aboard before -- WELCOME.

In cold weather,I always store the smoke generator in the house. The tower stays in the garage,as I vent it out thru a window when I smoke, but that's just me.

[Habanero Smoker]

I keep mine outdoors 24/7, with only the Bradley cover, though I'm now on my third cover. I've had my OBS for almost 10 years and I just through the cover over it when it has cooled down.

The cover is almost water proof, but I recommend before you use it, go to an outdoor store, or the camping section at Wal-Mart and purchase a seam sealer. Then seal the seams of the cover from the inside, and let that dry before using it. The seams are the only areas I have ever noticed leaks in the cover.

[DaxFaxian]

Thanks for the welcome and advice all. Will definitely be heading to a sports-goods store once I get the cover sealed. Did you guys also keep and use the smoker in the winter? I'm in Canada and it gets quite a bit chilly up here.

[BoxcarBetts]

Hey Dax, where in Canada are you? I'm in Vancouver so I deal with a lot of rain. A lot of people have made projects out of building smoke shacks for their Bradleys, myself included. The one I built is actually roofed with leftover shingles from my house and after a week of leaving it out before putting my Black Bradley in it, appears to be dry inside. I've had my Bradley in it now for about a month and it's keeping dry., though I had some mysterious water appear in the bowl that could've been coming in through the stack.

I read the only problem one member had with the rain cover was hail pelting the crap out of their smoker and putting dents all over it.

Here's my shack:

[tailfeathers]

Thanks for the welcome and advice all. Will definitely be heading to a sports-goods store once I get the cover sealed. Did you guys also keep and use the smoker in the winter? I'm in Canada and it gets quite a bit chilly up here.

I use mine year round, I'm in South Dakota and winters here get pretty extreme as well. I have used mine when it was below zero. It takes patience and a long preheat time but it can be done. Wind is actually worse than cold when it comes to difficulty maintaining temps. If you can keep the wind off, you can use it.

[Habanero Smoker]

I keep mine outdoors during the winter. In addition to tailfeathers' post, during the preheat time, I make sure the generator is off, while the cabinet is heating up. Once the cabinet is heated up, I then turn on the generator, to allow the bisquettes burner to heat up. This is just a precaution I use in the winter that allows the generator to warm up a bit, and allows the moving parts to "thaw out"  and move with less resistance.

[tskeeter]

Hey Dax, where in Canada are you? I'm in Vancouver so I deal with a lot of rain. A lot of people have made projects out of building smoke shacks for their Bradleys, myself included. The one I built is actually roofed with leftover shingles from my house and after a week of leaving it out before putting my Black Bradley in it, appears to be dry inside. I've had my Bradley in it now for about a month and it's keeping dry., though I had some mysterious water appear in the bowl that could've been coming in through the stack.

I read the only problem one member had with the rain cover was hail pelting the crap out of their smoker and putting dents all over it.

Here's my shack:

Boxcar, I think your water is coming down your vent also.  I ended up replacing my fairly open vent cap, similar to yours, with a more enclosed vent cap that has insect screen on the inside.  Any rain the blows under the louvers seems to get caught in the insect screen, run to the bottom of the cap, then drain out some weep holes I drilled in the bottom of the cap.  Haven't had water in the puck bowl since I changed vent caps.

[brooks5]

Boxcar, I just bought mine and think that is a good idea.  I was planning of building a dolly for it and wheeling in and out of garage.  I see you have a roof vent, would you use smoker with the door closed?  I'm in ontario so get snow and rain.

[GusRobin]

Boxcar - I have similar type vent and had the same problem. I would get water, but not every time it rained. So I bent the metal "arms" that hold up the cap. Basically I just pushed the cap down. So now the outer rim of the cap is slightly below the edge of the vent tube. It still allows the smoke out but I haven't had a water issue since

[BoxcarBetts]

Brooks - Yes, I keep the door close just to basically keep rain and dog noses out during a smoke.  When the door is open to check on it, there is no blast of smoke to the face or anything.  It continues up the vent.

Gus -  Good idea!  I tried to bend the pitch down a little bit to try and cover more, but I didn't think to try and essentially lower it.  I actually haven't seemed to have that water problem since though.  I'm pretty sure I absent mindedly filled it after cleaning.

[Thuinem]

I would love to do something like this but I have never seriously looked into it. I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to stove hoods and fire codes. But I'm definitely with you in that I would smoke all year long if I could do so in my garage.
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