BES Original 2nd element switch

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seabeeman

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 6, 2015
3
10
I'm getting ready to put in a second element in my BES original (newer model with the large dial) and was curious if I need to worry about excess current draw through the thermostat knob.  I found the instructions to install it with a switch but I've also seen reports that the new knob style BES' can handle the draw, unlike the old slider units.  Can anybody confirm or deny either of these?  
 
I did a little digging under the hood of the smoker unit and it looks like there is a 10A fuse in there and that current to the element(s) is controlled by the white box in the unit, not the rheostat dial itself.  Also, the puck motor seems to be a 4W unit.  Since they fused it at 10A, I would assume that this is the maximum safe draw that Bradley things the unit is capable of handling.  If both elements were on and the motor kicked in, the whole unit would still only draw 8.4 amps, so I would think that it can handle a second element with no changes to the wiring beyond jumping the element wires to the second unit.  
 
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