This smoker started out life as a hospital blanket warmer. I figured it was a good candidate for a smoker since it was all stainless construction and was well insulated with dense fiber glass panels.
The original analog controls and heat elements were undersized for a smoker, so I replaced them with a 2400 watt, 240 Volt oven element, PID controller w/ thermocouple, and an SSR.
The Taylor digital thermometer is for monitoring the meat temperature.
The box on the lower right side contains a pellet hopper, gear motor, timer module, and feed auger. When the smoke generator is switched on, it feeds pellets inside to a combustion tube that contains a separate 100 watt heater element to ignite the pellets and keep them smoldering. The timer module cycles on and off that is adjusted for optimum pellet feed rate. Ashes collect in another metal box underneath.
I added an air inlet and outlet with manual damper controls, since it came without vents. Originally it had a separate upper and lower compartments. The partition was removed to make one large compartment.
I installed it in the basement of my house. As it turns out, the doors seal tightly and there is very little smoke leakage. Just enough aroma to let you know something good is cooking inside.
So far, I have smoked deer sticks, summer sausage fatties, and an easter beef brisket with very good results.
The original analog controls and heat elements were undersized for a smoker, so I replaced them with a 2400 watt, 240 Volt oven element, PID controller w/ thermocouple, and an SSR.
The Taylor digital thermometer is for monitoring the meat temperature.
The box on the lower right side contains a pellet hopper, gear motor, timer module, and feed auger. When the smoke generator is switched on, it feeds pellets inside to a combustion tube that contains a separate 100 watt heater element to ignite the pellets and keep them smoldering. The timer module cycles on and off that is adjusted for optimum pellet feed rate. Ashes collect in another metal box underneath.
I added an air inlet and outlet with manual damper controls, since it came without vents. Originally it had a separate upper and lower compartments. The partition was removed to make one large compartment.
I installed it in the basement of my house. As it turns out, the doors seal tightly and there is very little smoke leakage. Just enough aroma to let you know something good is cooking inside.
So far, I have smoked deer sticks, summer sausage fatties, and an easter beef brisket with very good results.
