Heating element

[Bagman]

Can the heating element get weak and produce less heat or does it just quit?
Mine does not seem to be heating like it use to.

[Habanero Smoker]

You should give Bradley a call to make sure, but I believe they just burn out like an incandescent light bulb. Unless they have changed the design, there is a coiled wire that runs the length inside the tube. With the BS611, you may have a problem with the rheostat. While monitoring the element, try plugging the cabinet directly into the wall, and see if it produces the amount of heat it used to. If it does there may be a problem within your generator, such as a faulty rheostat.

Other things that can cause the element not to heat 100% would be if you added an appliance on that same circuit that is drawing power, such as an air conditioner, refrigerator, freezer, etc. Many state that a long extension cord and reduce power. Check all power cords for cracks and other damage. If any damage is noted replace them.

[beefmann]

agrees with habs,

also lower voltage at the heating element will lower its heat  output.

A few other issues that may in play is larger cuts of meat  will lower the temp in the tower because of its mass example if you  have 5 lbs of meat in the tower one time , and the tower temp after 30  mins is at  200 F, you can  still  cook, next time you  have 9 lbs of meat the tower temp may be around 175 f just because of the additional 4 lbs of  meat,,,  just the nature of the additional meat.

grant you my  numbers may  not be exact, in principle it is what  happins

[TedEbear]

Can the heating element get weak and produce less heat or does it just quit?
Mine does not seem to be heating like it use to.

You can determine if the element is ok by removing one wire off either end.  Then measure the resistance through the element.  A good working element should read around 27-32 ohms. Ideally, a 500W element should read 28.8 ohms when used in a 120V circuit.

[Bagman]

I apologize, I may have posted this in the wrong category.  I have the obs but it is not new, bought in 2002.  It has the slide heat adjustment on the front of the cabinet.  It is plugged into a circuit with nothing else on with it.  It is very well used and has some deterioration issues but I am not one to give up on a tool because of it having a few miles on it.  Glad the wife feels the same way or she would have traded me in a long time ago!  I have ordered a new element and will try plugging the cabinet and the smoke gen into the outlet directly. Am having our annual 4th party Sat and would like to smoke the five buts in the Bradley for the convenience but if I cannot  get the heat I need will fire up the big wood smoker and babysit it all day. Thanks for the suggestions.

[TedEbear]

What does the resistance read across the old element?

[Habanero Smoker]

If the element checkouts alright. You may want to take off the face place and see if gunk got in where the rheostat is located. Also check the wiring if there are any loose fits, on both ends of the element and the wiring behind the face plate.

[tskeeter]

I apologize, I may have posted this in the wrong category.  I have the obs but it is not new, bought in 2002.  It has the slide heat adjustment on the front of the cabinet.  It is plugged into a circuit with nothing else on with it.  It is very well used and has some deterioration issues but I am not one to give up on a tool because of it having a few miles on it.  Glad the wife feels the same way or she would have traded me in a long time ago!  I have ordered a new element and will try plugging the cabinet and the smoke gen into the outlet directly. Am having our annual 4th party Sat and would like to smoke the five buts in the Bradley for the convenience but if I cannot  get the heat I need will fire up the big wood smoker and babysit it all day. Thanks for the suggestions.

Bagman, you can avoid babysitting the big wood smoker any more than necessary by smoking your pork butts, then moving them to the oven to finish cooking.  This is the approach that I use when I'm smoking a lot of meat, such as 30 pounds of pork shoulder, in order to reduce the smoking time (Since the oven has a bigger heating element, it can generate more Btu's over a given period of time.  This speeds up the cooking process vs. cooking in some smokers.)