Bad smoker or smokee?

[smokingbear]

EDIT: This is not a rant or complaint, but asking advise from those experienced whether to return/exchange the unit.

So I am completely new to this, so it might be all my fault.  That said, I've had nothing but problems since I opened the box, and come my fourth smoke nothing it working.  I hope after 3 months Cabala's/Bradley will exchange, because I am enjoying the process.

1) Opening box, saw the feed tube receptacle was bent, fixed it see http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=36145.msg414678#msg414678

2) 1st and 2nd smokes proceed normally

3) 3rd smoke, the feeding stopped 30 minutes in (based on one puck in the water bowl, 1 acrid on the burner ), though I didn't know this until 3 hours in.  Investigating the source of a foul smelling ashtray, I discovered why the pucks need to be extinguished in water after 20 minutes.  I moved the feed tube until i felt a click and they began advancing normally.

3b) I separate the major parts and cleaned the unit, using compressed air for the electronic unit, light soap and water on removable pan/bowl/racks.  Reassembled.  All seemed fine.

4) Today, my 4th smoke.  Feeding stop after 1 hour, moved it around, started again.  6 hours later, the "Oven Temp" is 70F and the meat and interior portions (via infrared thermometer) were 70-85F, even though the "oven timer" still reads 2:50 and 220F (Temp Setting).  When the oven died I don't know, but the "oven temp" did read 170 earlier.  The outside air temperature was about 70 when I started, and high today was 75. In previous smokes the "oven temp" was +/- 20 of the "temp setting" virtual equal toward the end

This 4th attempted I really don't know what to fix, not does the track record impress me.  If I caused this, I humbly accept that. Please help me to avoid this in the future.  However, if not I hope the warranty/exchange policy will allow me to continue smoking via a new Bradley.  Thankfully Cabala's is are local.

Geoff

[dave01]

Sounds to me like you lost your power to the tower if the generator is still lit up. You could try plugging the tower into a cord to see if the heating element is working. If it is then I would say you have a bad connection between the tower and the generator. I remove my plugs a couple of times a year and soak them down with WD40 to maintain good connections

[beefmann]

what is the outside temp?

a few things to  check from the start

1) be sure that  you  have proper voltage to the smoke generator, should be  115 - 120 volts , closer to  120 is preferred
2) check the fuse on the back of  the smoke generator, with all the cleaning and washing and  sudden stop of heat being  produced you may  have a blown  fuse.
3) open the smoke generator carefully and  check all the  connections again,, one may  have came off during the closing of the  case ,.. some of these connections do not hold very  well especially when  cleaning the  generator.
4) check your heating element with no power to it,, it  should be 27 to 32 ohms
5) at the plug on the  back of the tower check for continuity between the pins , you  should have  continuity between two of the  three pins... the  third is the  tower  ground, if you  have no continuity here and have a good heating  element you  may have a blown fuse that is buried in the  back of the tower or a blown over heat protector that is in the  back of tower. 

hopefully this helps,