moisture in smoker

[Habanero Smoker]

Water will evaporate at all temperatures, so it doesn't have to get to the boiling point. Even half full, after four hours there should have been plenty of water in the bowl. When I am smoking/cooking 200°F - 210°F, my bowl is still at least 1/4 full after four hours, and I don't have the water build up in the cabinet you are describing. There are plenty of experienced members on the board, so I'm sure after some trouble shooting you will get this resolved.

Most use the Maverick ET-73 which will monitor the food and cabinet temperature, and when necessary you can adjust your temperature. I don't know what probe you are looking at, if you do a search you can find a better price. Overstock.com has a good deal on the Maverick ET-7, and the ET-73 is often sold for less then $45. I just stick my probes through the top vent and then position the probes. You can also run the wires through the door

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

I though it was odd that all the water was gone from the bowl. I only filled it halfway.

That has to be the source of your water puddle. Hard to believe with the bowl centered in the smoker that you could put enough heat into to dry it out over a few hours.

Regarding the ET-73, many run the wires through the vent.

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Tiny Tim]

Gotta be something spilling that water.  When you're done using the BS for the day, take your bowl inside and do a leak test on it to see if your bowl may have a leak in the bottom.

[Smoking Duck]

Gotta be something spilling that water.  When you're done using the BS for the day, take your bowl inside and do a leak test on it to see if your bowl may have a leak in the bottom.

My thoughts exactly.  There may be a leak in the bowl. 

[Gizmo]

I have yet to do sausage and also not in excessive cold temperature so these are just a few guesses from the posts I have read here. 

You mentioned the temperature outside is 25 deg.  I would believe that to maintain the temperature of the box at the desired temperature (I think you listed 150 deg) you are trying to achieve, your heating element is running higher than what it normaly would just to keep up the internal temperature.  This would account for the browning at the bottom and lack of color at the top as is the evaporation of the water in the bowl (providing it is not leaking).  The large temperature difference between the inside and outside of the box could be causing the excessive condensation .

Would definatly like to hear what your final analysis is.  Please keep us posted.

[West Coast Kansan]

This is wild. I am with TT, Something is spilling the water.  or the bowl has a whole in it... if he lived next door to car 54 and those mexican dog and cat acts maybe.   :-\

No clue   ??? Not condensation if the water is leaving the bowl too.

[Stickbowcrafter]

This is very interesting to say the least. I don't mean to sound condescending but your comment about having water in the bowl and no mention of seasoning the unit first makes me wonder if you read the instructions throughly and followed them. I know, we all hate instructions but there are some pretty specific things you have to do with these smokers. Not syaing a lack of them has caused your problem, but I'd go back and start from the beginning, reading the instructions and seasoning the unit properly.

I've run a few hundred pounds of sausage through my Bradley this year and I have had no problems whatsoever. The only factor I can see causing this, besides a leaky bowl, is the outside weather like mentioned before. I smoked some kielbasa over night the other day, night temp was around 30 degrees, and I had a few small puddles of water on top of my unit on the exterior around the vent from the steam condensing. I've noticed this to be normal in colder temperatures but have never had any puddling inside the cabinet.

I've read over your post a few times and I'm going to read it again to see if I missed some other clue. Very strange.

-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

Forgot to mention you can get the Maverick ET-7 for $36.99 at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Remote-check-7-Wireless-Thermometer-probes/dp/B00004SZ10/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1196664503&sr=8-1

-Brian

[Habanero Smoker]

The colder weather alone would not cause this problem. I have smoke poultry with skin in temperatures in the low 20's and never had this problem Like Brian states, moisture will pool on the top of the smoker around the vent, occasionally dripping back down, but not in the amount that is being described. Just enough to discolor the food below.

If there was a leak in the pan, then the water would flow into the bottom tray, so there should be some signs.

[kiyotei]

I had a similar problem and the cause for me was really weird.  Ok one, do you have the metal pan under the bowl?  Ok so my water problem came about because I had wrapped the pan (not bowl) in foil.  Normally I use extra large foil sheets so I would only need one piece and no liquid would leak through the foil into the metal pan.  I was covering it in foil so I wouldn't have to clean it.  anyhow I ran out of the extra large foil and had to use normal foil.  I used two pieces of foil to wrap the pan.  This allowed the water that I spilled into the pan while filling the bowl to get under the foil.  I have no idea why but while smoking the water would flow up under the foil and out of the pan.  I know this sounds bizzare but this happened several times.  I would open the door while smoking and water would run out.  When I got rid of the foil everything was fine.  Also when I used one large piece of foil I never had leaking.  I stopped using foil on the pan and have not had any problems since.  One other thought, do you place the bowl directly under the middle round hole in the V drip pan to catch fat and moisture that comes out of the meat and drips into the V pan.

[pensrock]

I just got home from work and am happy to see so many trying to help me solve this problem, Thanks to all. I did read my manual very closely and did season the unit per the instructions. Actually I did the seasoning twice to make sure no odd smells from the construction of the unit would ruin any product I put inside. The bowl is not leaking, it would be caught in the tray if it had, I also checked it in the sink to make double sure. There is never any water in the tray under the bowl. I really am thinking its evaporating and condensing on the door and also on my sausages. I have seen moisture on the top of the sausages when I opened the door to rearange the trays. I'll try to take a few pictures to show how the unit is assembled and where I have been finding water pooling. I did not put any foil on the drip tray, the manual said not to use foil inside the smoker. Although I do not see what it would hurt. I'll go get my digital camera and try to get a few pics, I'm not sure how to post them though.

[Habanero Smoker]

I had a similar problem and the cause for me was really weird.  Ok one, do you have the metal pan under the bowl?  Ok so my water problem came about because I had wrapped the pan (not bowl) in foil.  Normally I use extra large foil sheets so I would only need one piece and no liquid would leak through the foil into the metal pan.  I was covering it in foil so I wouldn't have to clean it.  anyhow I ran out of the extra large foil and had to use normal foil.  I used two pieces of foil to wrap the pan.  This allowed the water that I spilled into the pan while filling the bowl to get under the foil.  I have no idea why but while smoking the water would flow up under the foil and out of the pan.  I know this sounds bizzare but this happened several times.  ......

Water expands as it heats up. With such a limited area to expand in, the water probably expanded up the sides between the bowl and foil and flowed out over the top of the bowl.

[pensrock]

Does anyone know/where how to post images? I took a few pics and marked them up to show what I have been seeing. But do not know how to post them. I can email them if somebodys is interested in seeing them. When I click on the 'insert image' button nothing seems to happen. I'll try to find somewhere on the net to post the pics then post the link if possible.

[pensrock]

Pics located on flickr.com the links are below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15057053@N05/2085100596/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15057053@N05/2085100380/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15057053@N05/2084316265/

You may need to select 'all sizes' the large or origional size to read the comments I made on each pic.
Hope this is useful.
Thanks again, Greg.

[West Coast Kansan]

hummm,  without re reading this thread i think you said the vent was full open.  seeing the condensation in the photo showing the top of the unit some more droplets are visible right at the vent opening.

The only other thing I can think of that would stop the air flow through the unit is if you are hanging your cover on the generator in such a way that it is blocking the louvers in the smoke generator.  the passage of air through the generator needs to be present as well as the vent on the top of the unit open.

have you ever noticed any smoke leaking out around the seam between the smoke generator and the side of your tower?