I am going to buy my first smoker

[Tiny Tim]

I don't have mine put together yet, but ya gotta pretty much put a few things together to make it work, and the 2 main components are available from Auber Instruments and linked from the directions on the recipe site (http://www.susanminor.org).

I don't really know how it works or why it works, but even though I've had no problems with my Original Bradley, I'm building the PID so I can set my temp to a number instead of a position of a sliding switch, taking into account the ambient temp and other conditions.

I like numbers, and I'm still money ahead from the digital.  Other people don't mind the fine tuning and learning as they go.

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

snowbound,

Yeah, the Porter Indicating Device is used to find your beer. Not sure what this other nonsense is...  8)

The PID is a Proportional, Integral, Derivative controller. It controls something (like power to your heating element) based upon the difference between your setpoint temperature and measured temperature (error term). The Proportional term amplifies this error term and applies the appropriate correction (more or less power). For technical reason, proportional control alone will not drive your error term to zero. In this case, the use of integration (adding successive error terms over time), will drive your error to zero. The derivative term is used to anticipate what to do when the setpoint changes significantly.

This control scheme is different than your house thermostat. You set the temp and the furnance is either on or off. There is a deadband that varies around your setpoint (one to two degrees). This works well, since your house is a large thermal mass and the furnance provides modest input into the system. Compared to this, the PID is more like a light dimmer, smoothly varying the power.

For many people, the use of the rheostat on the BS is good enough. However, you have stumbled onto a board of zealots of many flavors, and some of them are hot wiring their Bradleys. As noted by Tiny Tim, there are commercial PID controllers that people have purchased and put into appropriate enclosures. A search will show several implementations. I personally designed my own from scratch, which allowed me to avoid several weeks of "Honey DOs". An added benefit is that you can claim that you need to check the smoker often to adjust the temperature, when in fact you are visiting the adult beverage refrigerator in your garage.

Whew! Now I need a drink......

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Gizmo]

Yep, Arcs is at it again,
Once again a fine explaination Arcs, and a fine example of after absorbing that much technical information the Porter Indicating Device is definately needed.

[jet]

Hello.  I am also looking to buy my first smoker.  I've read many of the posts, but still cannot decide.  Can anyone tell me what functionality the DBS provides that the OBS does not?  I understand that you can cold smoke with the OBS as is, but the DBS requires mods to cold smoke.  Can someone explain why?

Does the DBS provide more flexibility with respect to programming the smoke time versus cook time?  If you want to have 2 hours of smoke time followed by 4 hours of additional cook time, how would you go about doing it with the two different models?  Can each of the models be set up to do this and then be left alone for 6 hours?

Thanks for your help!

[Wildcat]

Welcome to the forum JET!  I have the original in the stainless steel version.  I am completely happy with it as it was purchased.  Others should chime in on the digital and with luck, someone who has both.  I purchased the original for 3 reasons (1) did not need the extra space that a 6 rack provides, (2) less electronics therefore less chance of something not working right, and (3) price.  From the posts I have read I am happy with my choice.  Both versions are great units from what I have heard and if you like electronic controls, both can be modified to work in a similiar fashion.  Both models can be set up with a smoke time, the original is done simply by putting in the right amount of pucks.  Each puck burns for about 20 minutes.  I recommend that when you purchase you should buy a Maverick temp probe as well.  It will give you a box and meat temp reading.  The gauges on both versions of the Bradley is NOT accurate, primarily due to the location within the box.  Let us know what you decide.

[Tiny Tim]

Only thing I can help ya on is how to do a 2hr smoke + 4hr cook with the original...load 6 biscuits plus something (3 aluminum pucks, 2 aluminum and another wood, or just reach in with a gloved hand) to push the 6th off the burner, and let it be for another 4 hours.

The rheostat on the original takes a little getting used to in order to get the temp you want, but the digital lets you set to a number for the temp.  I don't have the digital, so I don't know how close it stays to your set temp.

[Gizmo]

Quick answer to the cold smoke on a Digital - The ONLY mod you need is a longer sense cord, which the parts are readily available from Radio Shack or online.

As far as control, TT has already stated the digital vs. slider part.  Of course you can build a digital temperature control (PID) for the original (or the digitial) if you want that or want more precise temperatures (less temperature fluctuations).  Unless you build the PIDs with the food temperature sensor feedbacks, you will need to keep an eye on the internal temperature of the food on either box.  No two pieces of meat will cook at the same same rate so therefore times are always a rough estimate and internal temperature is the only real guide.  With that in mind, setting a time for the oven to shut off is not much of an advantage.  If your cook time is over 9 hours and 40 minutes, the digital control will have to be reset sometime during the cook as that is the maximum set time available.

Check out the comments from this thread:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5163.msg47807#msg47807

[jet]

Decision made - I ordered a SS OBS this weekend!  Can't wait for the first smoke!   Hopefully, it'll arrive prior to the weekend...

[iceman]

Decision made - I ordered a SS OBS this weekend!  Can't wait for the first smoke!   Hopefully, it'll arrive prior to the weekend...

Congrats JET; keep us posted and I hope you get to use it this weekend so you can practice up for the holiday. Have fun ;D