New User with Question

[gamblin_man]

I just finished my fourth smoke and finally figured out, sort of, how all the parts work. here is the question. The best I can get out of the temp is 110C indicated on the temp gauge in the door. An oven unit (calibrated) on the shelf indicates it is reading a little high (about five degrees C).

When the temp hits 110C the light turns off on the bottom of the box. It turns back on around 102C. This is with the slider wide open. Does this indicate that the thermostat is turning off the element too low? The temp is still climbing about 1/2 degree a minute when the light clicks off.

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

Larry

[owrstrich]

gamblin...

do you have the digi or the origional... the reason i ask is because my slider light on my origional always stays on all the time unless im using a digi temp switch... im thinking you maybe cycling on the high limit switch even though 110c is only 230f and it should not kick in at 230f...

anyway... the temp in the box varies front to back and top to bottom... if you are using a digi temp switch the box will overshoot the cut out temp a few degrees and fall below the cut in temp a few degrees... i usually have about a 8deg f temp swing depending on the temp of the beast...

the quanity and the temp of the beast has a lot to do with temp swings... this of course is with a digi temp switch... a pid controller gives you a steady temp with no swing... the origional slider gives you a steady temp with no swing but you have to stay on top of it...






you gotta eat...

owrstrich

[gamblin_man]

It is the original. I sort of suspect that the overtemp switch is kicking it off too low since the rheostat shouldn't do that. It heats well and fairly constant temps are maintained with 30 lb food load. More swing with a light load like jerky.

Since I try to hold the temp around 100C for most smoking I didn't realize what was happening until I wanted to run the temp up a little for the final finish on some brisket I was finishing with mustard based sauce.

I guess I'll be on the phone to Bradley Monday. Not my idea of fun to replace that limit switch, though.

Thanks for the response.

Larry

[robs]

That limit switch is easy to replace. After you remove the 50 little screws, it just a matter of unplugging the old one and plugging the new one in.

It does sound like this is the problem.

[gamblin_man]

Well, I replaced the limit switch and plugged the smoke box in directly to check it out. The temp was at 120C and rising when I declared it fixed.

The next time I decided to smoke, a couple of days later, the GFCI tripped when I plugged it all in. I assumed I did something wrong. Troubleshooting, whowever, points to a short of the briquette heating element to its heating plate. I guess I'll be on the phone to Bradley again shortly. Is this normal for these smokers? Will I be spending more time troubleshooting, waiting for parts, and figuring out how to install them than smoking? Any reassurance from other users or is this normal?

Larry

[MRH]

Larry,

No problems with mine yet and I have had it close to a year now I think.

Mark

[iceman]

Year 6 on a couple of mine and 3, 4, years on others with no problems other than a couple advance motor failures (my fault) though. Original style.
Sorry to hear about the problems. Bradley (and Chez Bubba) have always been there to help out and correct any mihaps I've seen with forum members.
I'm curious as to what extention cord you used, weather conditions, etc.
I've only heard of one burn plate failure so far. Mabe others have heard of more.
Sorry I'm not much help as of yet but I'm sure Bradley can make things right for you.
Good luck Larry. ;)

[manxman]

This any help?

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2189.msg20886#msg20886

[TomG]

The GFCI trip may be caused by low grade grounding secondary to moisture in the generator's heat plate and a little drying may correct the problem. Just for the hell-of-it, leave the generator mounted but disconnected, plug the cab element into an outlet and with the vent open, turn the oven on for 10-15 min @ 200-225*and then reconnect your generator.  If the GFCI continues to trip it's probably not because of a wet plate.  Good Luck  :)

[gamblin_man]

If the GFCI continues to trip it's probably not because of a wet plate.  Good Luck  :)

Good thought. In this case, though, I had just run the box up empty (with the generator still attached but not plugged in) to verify the new thermal cutoff switch was working. I decided since I already had the pre-heat done and some italian suasage stuffed that I would go ahead and smoke them. It was when I reconnected the smoke generator that the GFCI trip started. I am running on an extension cord (#14 wire, 30 feet). I wondered if the heat caused the element to short to the plate but that didn't make sense.

Anyway a new one is on the way. It just made me a little nervous to think of two parts failing in the first month. BTW I agree with the comments on Bradley service. Nice folks to deal with.

Larry