# 2nd Smoke on the Bradley



## beer-b-q (Oct 11, 2009)

Thought I would give the Bradley a 2nd Chance today.

We decided to do a pork butt, a small ham, some polish sausage, and some BBQ Sausage...

Here is the Pork Butt being prepared...
Naked;

Coated With Mustard;

Coated in Daniel's Rub;

Wrapped in Celophane before going to Fridge to set overnight;


No Before Pics on the Ham or Sausages.

Here Is The Finished Qviews of Ham & Sausages;
Ham

Polish Sausage;

BBQ Sausage;


The Pork Butt Still Has Quite A Little Time To Go, Probably 6-7 Hours If I Am Lucky... 
I can't get the Bradley past 200 cabinet temp.

Here it is at 145


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## downstatesmoker (Oct 11, 2009)

Very nice looking stuff


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## alx (Oct 11, 2009)

Ham and sausage look awesome.I shall return for the BUTT!


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## bluefrog (Oct 11, 2009)

Paul,
 I have used my Bradley alot since we got them, and have had very little trouble.  I did have one real problem...I would try to set the oven temp and would get an error message"E1".  I called the Bradley help number and avery nice lady said that the small cable conecting the eletronic unit to the smoker was not fully engaged or had gotten moisture in in.  I took it out and hit the ends of the cable and the ports with a hair dryer and the reinserted the cable with a lot of presure and it worked fine.  The other day after reading posts of people haveing trouble reaching temps, I timed mine reahig tenp.  I set the temp for 230 hoping to get 220.  It reached 218 on my accu rite digital probe thermometer in 30min.  Of course this is south Florida and the outside temp was about 90f.  There was a lot of flux in the temps.  It would reach 220 then slide down to about 185 the climb back to 220.  I attribute this to where the heat sensor in the oven is and where my thermometer was.
Well good luck with your Q.

Scott


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## beer-b-q (Oct 11, 2009)

Here are some more pics....

Pulling from smoker and getting ready to foil




After foiling and when finished getting ready to rest... 


Bone Slid Right Out with No Resistance...


Pulled from cooker at 2:30PM it took 23 1/2 hours at it only reached 199 degrees...

Letting it rest and will post more pics later after pulling...

The Bradley is turning out to NOT be my favorite Smoker..

Taste is okay but Smoker SUCKS...


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## beer-b-q (Oct 12, 2009)

Here it is after pulling and after I took a NAP...
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  Now back to bed, 23 1/2 hours is hard on an old man...


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## ronp (Oct 13, 2009)

Man, that's too bad. Actually unexceptable in my book.
Looks good though.


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## scpatterson (Oct 13, 2009)

Looks like you made the best of a bad thing....WOW 23 hours....


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## irishteabear (Oct 13, 2009)

I had an E1 error the other day.  I was told it was a loose connection, unplug all the connections and just replug them in again.  Worked fine after that.


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## irishteabear (Oct 13, 2009)

There has to be something wrong with your unit.  Bradleys don't have the reputation like MES for having lots of trouble. Have you gone to the Bradley user's forum for help from other users?


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## bmudd14474 (Oct 13, 2009)

You might want to call Bradley about this issue. I have never heard of any issues with the Bradley. I have only heard of issues with the MES.


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## the dude abides (Oct 13, 2009)

Bummer on the cook times.  Was it still ok to eat?  Did you beat the 40-140 rule?


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## beer-b-q (Oct 13, 2009)

No Problem with that I got to 140 in a little over 3 hrs, the problem was I couldn't get the cabinet temp over 200 after I put in the items that didn't take as long as the Pork Butt.

I had the PP on the Hottest shelf in order to make sure it got out of the 40-140 zone.

I did notice that the digital readout was about 50 degrees different than the actual temp according to my Maverick.

I also had to set the oven temp at 320 to get the temp to 200.

I tried calling Bradley today but they are closed because today is the Canadian Thanksgiving...

I think that the 500 watt heating element should be bigger in the 6 rack not the same as in the 4 rack...


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## beer-b-q (Oct 13, 2009)

I don't believe it to be an isolated problem from reading thier forum...  Check out the quotes below where they discuss the DB6 heating, one doesn't understand why anyone would go over 240 and another added a second heating element to help out and another is going to add a second element.

*Here are some quotes from just one thread:
* 
[quote author=midhenry link=topic=9969.msg107060#msg107060 date=1240272590]
My DBS6 takes a long time (45min to 1.5 hrs) to come up to temp (say 240F).  Its been this way since I purchased it.  Im just wondering if maybe the heating element is a little small for the increased volume of the DBS6.

Is this normal? If so, any way to upgrade the element?
[/quote]*

[quote author=Wildcat link=topic=9969.msg107062#msg107062 date=1240273152]
Is there a reason for such a high temp?  It sounds like it is operating normally.  Yes, there are some threads for "upgrading" the element.
[/quote]

[quote author=Mr Walleye link=topic=9969.msg107066#msg107066 date=1240275357]
Hi MidHenry and welcome to the forum.

I usually preheat mine to 260 degrees and it used to take about an hour with the standard heating element. Although I usually don't smoke anything at that temp, I typically smoke around 200 to 220. I have a 4 rack digital. The 6 rack unit has the same size heating element in it so it does have a little more area to heat.

I have since added an additional heating element for faster preheat and faster recovery times. Most of the members run them as is but what can I say... I like to play.  ;)

Anyway... Here is a link to the write up on how I did it....
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/sho...?p=910#post910

Mike
[/quote]

[quote author=Habanero Smoker link=topic=9969.msg107105#msg107105 date=1240308759]
I'm going to use Mike's instructions and modify my smoker. Just waiting for my high temperature wire that I ordered.
[/quote]
*


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## bmudd14474 (Oct 13, 2009)

good information there. I hadnt heard of many problems with the Bradley but seems like its a known issue. But it sounds like those owners can get to 240 just takes a bit. Im curious to see what they tell you on the phone.


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## beer-b-q (Oct 13, 2009)

Today I called and talked to Brian at Bradley Smokers, He said it sounded like the temperature sensor on the back wall of the smoker was defective and that they would send me a new one to see if that helped.

It should get here in 3-4 days and we will see...


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## mybad (Oct 14, 2009)

I have had my Bradley 4 rack SS model for a little over two years. I am also a regular on the Bradley site. I think with any product there are just some things that make you scratch your head. My 4 rack heats up nicely with no problems all. Not say that your issue is isolated, but some have modded the heating element, put a fan in, added bricks to the bottom, and so on. 

I have smoked butts, ribs, corned beef, pork chops, beans, [Dutch's] made and cured my own ham, turkey's, chicken's, Canadian bacon, veggie's, cheese, brisket's, homemade pastrami and stuff I can't even remember.

I am very satisfied with it.

I sure do hope you can resolve your issue with your Bradley, I think you'll like it very much.
MB


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## beer-b-q (Oct 14, 2009)

I think my concern is that for an item that sells for $599.00 plus shipping having to modify it straight out of the box in order to do what it is supposed to be designed for is unacceptable.

Would you buy a new car and accept the fact that in order to drive it you first had to modify the engine to run?  I think not...

After reading in depth their forum, I too have found members having to add PIDs , second elements, adding foil wrapped bricks, makeshift circulating fans, & discussing other methods to increase temps. 

Hopefully the temp sensor is what is wrong, I will withhold final judgment until I see it it works, if not then there is a serious design flaw in their product.


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## ronp (Oct 14, 2009)

Hope it works out Paul sometihng is wrong there.


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## downstatesmoker (Oct 14, 2009)

you could always just go to a straight up stickburner.  Never have to worry about heat elements etc.


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## mybad (Oct 15, 2009)

Yep you should always get your monies worth. Like I said some people just like to tinker...just like any smoker...you add this and that....mod this...no different. I do know Bradley is very customer service orientated so I am sure you will be taken care of.....G/L

MB


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