# Brinkmann Electric question



## skinnerc06 (Jan 6, 2008)

I got a Brinkmann electric for christmas and its running a little hot around 270.  I opened the side door to let some heat out, but the air caused the wood to catch fire and spike the temp past 300.  Would drilling a hole in the top and making a sliding type damper do any good? or would this allow too much air in it and cause the wood to catch?  I was thinking about maybe trying to find a small cast iron pan that i could set on top of the element to put the wood in.  I think this would protect the wood, and maybe reduce the heat output from the coils at the bottom. Im open to any ideas, just dont want to hurt my new baby.


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## brentman0110 (Jan 6, 2008)

I am assuming you have a brink gourmet elec...the red kind. Anyway, I would recommend getting a pie rack from wally world. It is a round rack with little feet. You can set it over your burner..it will sit about an inch above your burner...and then put your cast iron skillet on that...just so as to not damage your burner. What part of the country are you located and what weather temps are you experiencing? I have heard of people drilling extra holes in there smokers to manage temps with no problems.


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## ds7662 (Jan 6, 2008)

Skinner you might try filling the water pan with sand instead of water. 
Something else is to try and find a rheostat that will allow you to adjust the out but of the coils.


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## bbq bubba (Jan 6, 2008)

Where are you taking your temp and with what, my smoker run's about 240 max! It will spike a lil if the wood chunk's flame up but keep them away from the element and that wont happen.
I wouldn't be drilling any hole's in that unit, and yes, try the sand in the pan method...
Haven't seen anybody come up with a rheostat that would work on this unit yet.....
Keep asking , well get ya straightened out!!


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## ds7662 (Jan 6, 2008)

Bubba have you seen this one?  This is what we used on 1 speed blowers for log sets and inserts..Hopefully the pic will work.....


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## flash (Jan 6, 2008)

Sand will INCREASE the smoker temp, not decrease it. Most electrics I know seem to stay around 250º, but Jacksonville can get warm. I would query how much water did you have in your water pan? Also, setting the unit in the sun will give a higher reading. Does the temp seem to stay at 270º or flucuate?
And by the way, nothing really wrong with 270º smoking temp. 
And I think the rheostat idea is a good one.


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## kookie (Jan 6, 2008)

I think there is a post one the elctric smoker mod thread about a temp control for one of these type of smokers. I made one for my little cheif using a control from an electric frying pan. It works good on my unit. You might want to try that. 

Kookie


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## skinnerc06 (Jan 6, 2008)

I like the Rheostat idea.  I have never seen one of these.  Could anyone tell me where i may be able to find one and about how much they cost?


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## zapper (Jan 6, 2008)

If I may ask too. How much water in the water pan and where did you measure the temp? Yep, cracking the door can cause the wood to flame and make the temps spike. I think that adding extra lava rocks helps stabelize the temps (I have to hammer the lava rocks down in size before using them because I only seem to find fist sized rocks round here)


There are times that I would kill to get a higher temp out of my little red smoker
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I am kind of torn between looking into a rheostat that would decrease the amount of heat that the element puts out at a constant rate or a thermostat that would turn the element on and off as the temps in the smoker change. My concern is what would the wood do? Would there be enough heat to make the wood smoke?



Some day I plan on a trip to Grainger to see what the have to play with.(I perffer to see and touch the stuff as opposed to a catalog or the net)


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## ds7662 (Jan 6, 2008)

You should look at Home Depot/Lowes first. If not there then check with some electrical supply houses. Or check here. 

http://www.carealotpets.com/item-det...00000000001873


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## bkennedy (Jan 9, 2008)

Grainger sells an Ranco electronic controller ...Grainger #3ZP77 for $66 120vac, On/off control -30 to 220 Deg F..I put on in series with my electric smoker power cord to smoke my sausage 140-180 degrees..has a temp probe...on a 6 foot cable..It does well enough for smoking sausage to 155 internal temp....I turn my Smoker rheostat to full on and set the controller to the temp I want with the probe in my smoker housing..Works great for the lower temperatures...contacts handles an 8 amp load..


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## skinnerc06 (Jan 9, 2008)

I feel like an idiot.  I took the initial temps with an old thermometer because i didnt have my maverick at the time.  Once i put the maverick on and ran the smoker for about 30 minutes to reach max temp, it read 240 on the dot on the top grate.  I dont think i will touch a thing anymore haha.  Thanks for yall's help though.


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## bbq bubba (Jan 9, 2008)

I'm glad you figured it out, like i said, set it and forget it!!


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## osage (Jan 9, 2008)

I wish I had looked at the Ranco before I bought a Johnson Control thermostat.  I already have that model of Ranco on a heater for a large aquarium.  They work great.  The digital readout at least tells me what the temp is inside.


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## oldhippie (Aug 10, 2009)

I may be confused but what "wood"? The only wood in an electric smoker would be the chips. Soak them in water. Wrap them in aluminum foil.


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## oldhippie (Aug 10, 2009)

This is a Dial-A-Temp Rheostat rated at 300 watts (3 amps) MAX. The heating element on a Brinkmann electric smoker is 1500 or 1600 watts. Somethings gona' give if not burn up or melt.


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## davidlsi (Sep 2, 2010)

I also have the Brinkman Electric Gourmet 

Am I correct in assuming that if I spend the dollars and buy this switch....







Athena Rotary Dimmer, Power Rating 1500 Watts, Voltage @ 60 hz 120 Volts, Type Single Pole, Color Gold

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LUTRON-Athena-Rotary-Dimmer-3X756

.... I will be able to turn the power getting to the heating element down and have a constant heat at a lower temp? 

Thanks

DavidLSI


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## rskays (Jun 19, 2012)

I sure hope so, because I'm going to try it.


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## smokin phil (Jun 19, 2012)

If you want to save about $50, try this, I did, and it works. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html

Has on/off/variable switch. Worked for my Brinkmann electric. You'll have to have a thermometer to set it where you want though.

Any questions, let me know!

LETS Q!!!


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## chantillyva (Sep 18, 2012)

I finally got a Maverick thermometer to confirm and my Brinkman Gourmet Smoker temperature would peak over 300 degrees (with a dry water pan....but still)!  Anyway....I knew I needed to control that.....and worked a quick and dirty approach to the problem.  I had an extra 1500 watt power supply/temp controller for a fryer.  I opened the controller and  soldered half of an air conditioner extension cord (where it would normally slide over the fryer element probes--12 ga wire and insulation completely fill the probe orifices).  I drilled a 5/16" hole in the top of the smoker and inserted the temperature probe of the controller in there.  I monitored the Maverick as I played with the fryer control dial and found that 225 degrees (+/- 6-8 degrees) is right at the "r" in the warm range.  It cycles on and off as the temp rises and falls.......it's either on or off. Next time I take it out I'll see how low of a temperature I can maintain.

Not the most elegant solution....but it works.


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## danbono (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi Checked out what I did..http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127504/stabilize-temps-in-my-el-cheapo-vertical-electric-smoker

Dan


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