Smoke Generator Acting Up On Second Smoke - Help!

mamba · January 23, 2005, 08:09:09 PM

Fired up my new Bradley last weekend for a first run and got some pretty good babybacks out of it. So, this being my birthday and all, I figured I'd give it a try with a brisket. Things started well this morning as I loaded my 8 pounder and enough bisquettes to last about 6 hours. No problem for four hours. Then, I notice the smoke generator did not show power and was not generating smoke. Pulled the fuse and saw it was blown. Ran to Westlake and picked up a few spares (with consultation to be sure I got the right one). Put the fuse in, turned on the power to the generator and it did indeed show power. Went ahead and advanced a new bisquette over the burner plate. 45 minutes later, nothing. Felt the burner plate and it's not hot other than from the heat of the smoker. Turned it off for 15 minutes and then back on for 30 to see if maybe a reset or something would work. Nothing. So now I'm cooking a non smoked brisket and am dismayed to think I got a lemon out of the box. If anyone has any ideas I'd sure appreciate it. I'll call Bradley customer service tomorrow, but I'd love to have some smoke today!

Chez Bubba · January 23, 2005, 09:11:33 PM

Mamba,

I have no experience with anyone who has blown a fuse, so I'm not much help there. Are you sure there's nothing else on that circut and is the smoker keeping good temp? Not using an extension cord, are you?

If you got 4 hours of smoke on it, I wouldn't think of your brisket as "ruined", just maybe not quite as smoky as you like.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

Oldman · January 23, 2005, 09:19:39 PM

Did the unit blow the second fuse? Will the box itself get hot when you turn on the heat?
Olds

http://rminor.com

mamba · January 23, 2005, 10:06:11 PM

The smoke box itself is working fine and the Brisket is indeed cooking along just fine. I had the cooker plugged directly into the wall right next to the smoke generator. No extension cords used for either one. I just looked down and saw the smoke generator light off while the cooker was still working. Changed the fuse and the light came back on the smoke generator and it will advance pucks just fine on its own. Unfortunatly, since it stopped burning them, they were just dropping into the water pan. I notice it looked like some drippings from the brisket had fallen onto the generator, but I'm not sure if that would hurt anything since it was all inside the smoker where I'd imagine drippings usually fall anyway. Other than that, I have no idea. It looks like everything is working just fine except it's not burning the bisquette.

Habanero Smoker · January 23, 2005, 10:23:04 PM

Is there anything else on that circuit, like a furnace, hot water heater etc, that will periodically turn on. Sometimes this will cause a surge. I did not blow a fuse in the BS, but I tripped a circuit, and latter learned that the furnace was on the same circuit (most have been an apprentice electrician who wired my place). I never had a problem until the colder weather and the furnance kicked in. Anyway I purchased a surge protector made by Stanley from Home Depot, that could handle the wattage and amps that the Bradely uses. Since then I haven't had any more problems.

Oldman · January 23, 2005, 10:45:37 PM

If it is moving your pucks and not burning them then I would call Bradley. Sounds as if you got something defective.
Olds

http://rminor.com

JJC · January 24, 2005, 12:27:16 AM

Hi Mamba,

Welcome to the Forum--sorry you're having a rough start. When you call Bradley, ask for Cassandra and she'll take good care of you. If she's not it, don't worry--they're all helpful. Let us know what happens [:)]

John
Newton MA

mamba · January 24, 2005, 06:11:16 PM

Well, I just got off the phone with Cassandra at Bradley. Very nice. They are going to ship me a new generator today as they had a set of generators with a malfunction such that, if the fuse goes, it basically means for that set of generators that they were shot as well. Very good customer service in my opinion.

By the way, I did get a few hours of smoke on the brisket yesterday and the final product turned out great. I didn't time it right (figured an 8 pounder would be done in around 12 hours), so I had to finish it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 to get it to 190 internal temp. Even with all the diversions, it was the best I've ever made and comparable to any I've had in restaurants. My wife will second that!

Can't wait to get the new generator and try again this weekend with full smoke and Bradley. Thanks for your help and feedback yesterday. It made a big difference when I was trying to figure out if I could fix the problem or not.

Chris

Oldman · January 24, 2005, 07:00:21 PM

Glad it worked out for you..

Bradley is a first class act as you now know.
Olds

http://rminor.com

Chez Bubba · January 25, 2005, 12:04:57 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mamba
 I had the cooker plugged directly into the wall right next to the smoke generator. No extension cords used for either one.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Chris,

Not that this had anything to do with your problem, but for future reference, the smoke box should be plugged into the generator, not directly into the wall. Otherwise, there is no fuse protection for the smoke box.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

JJC · January 25, 2005, 03:29:46 AM

Sounds like another success story for Bradley Customer Service! [:)]

John
Newton MA

mamba · January 25, 2005, 12:17:30 PM

Thanks for the advice on the connect. I'll plug them together from now on. Ready for a smoke as soon as the generator show up!

mamba · January 26, 2005, 06:56:21 PM

OK, this is really too good to pass up. You know the situation from the thread above. Well, I called Cassandra at Bradley Monday morning and, as I mentioned, she was very helpful. Then, poof! Come Tuesday a box is delivered to our house and it is my smoke generator replacement! I was just hoping it might show up before next weekend, so I was just about bowled over to see it show up the next day. If that's not great service I don't know what is! Here in Oklahoma that kind of approach goes a long way. Thanks again for your advice and thanks to Bradley!

Chez Bubba · January 27, 2005, 12:36:06 AM

I would suggest to all of you that have benefitted from Cassandra's excellent service, that you send an email to Wade Bradley & tell him how much you appreciate the fine employee he has. Hopefully this will result in Cassandra getting a raise to the point where she never wants to leave the company.

This level of service has not always been the case and it's in all our best interests to make sure she sticks around.

And no, I've never met her or have anything other than continued great service to gain. But I do have to ask this. Is it just me, or does she sound really hot?[;)]

[email protected]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

mamba · January 27, 2005, 01:16:18 PM

I'll for sure put in a nice word for her as she is very good. As far as being hot, I can't say. But, I know if I tried to say it my "wife filter" would kick in and I'd get thumped upside the head! So, I'll just say I'm sure glad she works for the company!