Is a PID all i need?

[JakeDatank51]

I am just wondering to do snack sticks is a pid all I need or do I also need to do other mods to the smoker to keep temps stable and low?

[beefmann]

pretty much  yes,,, though it depends on which way you  go,,, if you  buy PId that is already  built,, it  comes with  everything you  need to plug and play,,,, However  if you  do a  custom built one,, ,you  would need the following depending  on the model

if it is a  ssr pid  you  would need the  following

PID
SSR
thermocouple
thermocouple plug and receptacle
wire

relay PID is the  same as above ,, with  out the  ssr as it has a built in Relay

[oldsmoker]

Have made many batches of sticks and all I have is a PID that I ordered on line. look on the this site and you will find many hints from a lot of people .

[JakeDatank51]

Thank you for you help. When smoking with a PID are there still a lot of hot spots or cooler spots? I know the pid turns the heating element on and off but will I have to move the snack sticks around? Like ones in the back to front and do the bottoms of the sticks get done faster since its closer to the heating element?

[TedEbear]

A PID controller will not eliminate hot and cold spots.  It just regulates the heating element to provide a more steady temp instead of the wide temp fluctuations.  You should still shuffle the racks around if you want everything to finish cooking at the same time and same doneness.

[JakeDatank51]

Are there a lot of hot spots in the Bradley?

[TedEbear]

Are there a lot of hot spots in the Bradley?

The racks closer to the bottom are going to be closer to the element and thus in a hotter area.  That's why it is recommended to rotate the racks during a long cooking session.