Puckerator

Gizmo · January 02, 2008, 10:18:48 PM

Ah yes, I should have looked back a few posts to update myself on your predicament. I suspect you are left with the call to service unless you can take apart the beast and put an eyeball on the root cause.

LilSmoker · January 03, 2008, 01:00:38 AM

Sorry to hear that La Quinta :'(, but as you know, Bradley will put things right for you

Anyway, i hope you're back up and running asap

car54 · January 03, 2008, 02:21:14 AM

There is a momentary contact switch on the inside that was causing problems on mine because it was dity and wet. I cleaned it with WD40 and blew it out. No problems since.

Brad

car54 · January 03, 2008, 02:43:10 AM

Here is a picture of the switch.

Brad

MoSmoke · January 03, 2008, 02:50:53 AM

I've never had my generator apart so this is a wild guess.
Could the gears skipped a couple of teeth and it's only advancing the initial puck half the distance. The remaining ones would move it along but it sounds like it's a half a puck out of time so to speak.
La Quinta says that they are advancing, just not far enough to to be pushed off by the trailing puck before lighting it. To check this out could you just load it up and push the advance button and see what position the pucks are at when they reach the burner plate. Half way on it, all of the way on it.
Just a guess...........

MoSmoke

La Quinta · January 03, 2008, 10:40:41 AM

Yeah MoSmoke...gonna try that as well today...I'll keep you guys updated!

West Coast Kansan · January 05, 2008, 03:32:40 PM

LaQ, sorry for being confused. When I read this I get the feeling the generator is working fine, feeding fine and the problem your having is some premature burn on the ramp.

A few posts back Gizmo asked if the push tray just below the feed tube was cycling full open to full closed. Take out the feed tube and pucks and just watch it. It should pull all the way back a distance great enough to allow a puck to drop. Never saw an answer - if it cycles all the way back and forward stay out of the generator and clean your ramp.

It is not uncommon for the puck next to the end (burner) to start smoking a little before it gets pushed onto the burner.

La Quinta · January 07, 2008, 04:01:53 PM

Hey WCK...I know the little premature burn for the next little soldier in line...the problem is the first guy in line (now) doesn't go fully off the edge and into the bowl. I have tested the "pusher" to ensure it is operational but it doesn't push the next one (or subsequent ones) fully and I don't know why. Maybe LS was right...maybe it's a gear "teeth" problem. Gotta call Bradley. To be honest...I blew off the idea of taking the thing apart...I'd probably screw things up worse. Could be something really stupid and I'd make it worse by having some leftover part after I took it apart...

Gizmo · January 07, 2008, 06:34:39 PM

Gee, I though you were always suppose to have parts left over. You mean I have to figure out where and what that storage shed of left over parts has to go back into?

Tiny Tim · January 08, 2008, 07:16:42 AM

Just for reference, can you post a pic of what it's doing and your current setup (what the ramp looks like in relation to the rest of the tower and generator)?

La Quinta · January 09, 2008, 08:20:19 PM

So good news and a question...I tested the puckerator again...took it off the tower (and removed the tube)...put 5 pucks in and pushed the button three times to get the first one on the burner...pushed again...puck fell off fine (no edge dangling). Pushed the button again...second puck...into the bowl no problem...etc...re-inserted the tube...same chuch different pew. Now re-attached the generator to the tower...did all of the same thing...worked like a gem. Now the question...I pushed the button every time after the full cycle to advance the pucks...could there be an issue with the 20 minute advance by the generator itself? In my pea little head doesn't seem possible but I gotta ask anyway?

LilSmoker · January 10, 2008, 11:34:00 AM

Hi La Quinta, glad to hear that it's working ;)

As for the advance time, yes there could be issues with the advance due to puck burning times. Some of the Bradleys will burn dead on 20 minute intervals before advancing the next puck.

However many of the Bradleys burn for less than 20 minutes, and some go over the 20. I timed mine a while back just out of curiosity, and mine burn for just under 22 minutes, but as this has stayed consistent, i'm not at all concerned.

I would prefer over the 20 as opposed to under.

Be interesting to see how long your pucks are burning for?

LilSmoker

La Quinta · January 10, 2008, 12:34:56 PM

Ok...doing some some smoking tomorrow...I'll check it out!! Thanks LS!! :)

Mr Walleye · January 10, 2008, 01:54:33 PM

Quote from: La Quinta on January 09, 2008, 08:20:19 PM
So good news and a question...I tested the puckerator again...took it off the tower (and removed the tube)...put 5 pucks in and pushed the button three times to get the first one on the burner...pushed again...puck fell off fine (no edge dangling). Pushed the button again...second puck...into the bowl no problem...etc...re-inserted the tube...same chuch different pew. Now re-attached the generator to the tower...did all of the same thing...worked like a gem. Now the question...I pushed the button every time after the full cycle to advance the pucks...could there be an issue with the 20 minute advance by the generator itself? In my pea little head doesn't seem possible but I gotta ask anyway?

LQ

If I understand the problem correctly your SG was only 1/2 advancing the pucks. I'm assuming the timing wasn't the problem. It doesn't matter if you advance the puck manually or through the automated timer, it still uses the same motor, slide and location sensor switch.

My bet would be that the location sensor switch that Car54 posted a picture of is the problem and may have some wood chips or dust in it. If the generator always tried to function under the automatic and manual advance but only advanced the puck half way, this to me would indicate either the position sensor switch is dirty or for some reason the slide has got out of sinc. If it was just out of sinc. and it's now working you may not have another problem. However if you do have another problem I would try cleaning the sensor switch that Car54 refered to.

Mike

La Quinta · January 10, 2008, 04:56:51 PM

Thanks for the advice Mike...tomorrow will tell the tale...ugh...I may have to take the little sucker apart after all! I'll post a message if I have to (and will need help)...hopefully no leftover parts. I used to fix my VW Bug engine, in high school, with a paper clip...gotta be the same right?!!! :)