Brinkman 1500 watt heating element issues

[hornhunter]

I recently put a. 1500 Brinkman element in my fridge conversion. I'm controlling it with the 1800 PID from Auberins. I seasoned it and gave it a trial run on friday and it worked perfect. I went to fire it up last night to smoke a couple pork butts and it won't heat up. When I set my controller to 225 I can touch the element and it's just warm to touch but never warms up. Is my element already burnt out?

 

[daveomak]

Check for a bad connection on the element.... Check the relay.... It is getting electricity at a reduced amperage....

 

[hornhunter]

Thanks for the reply Dave. I checked my connections on my heating element, everything looks good there. I don't not anything about relays. I'm still in the process of learning how my PID works, but "as I understand it, when I plug my PID in, and set temp 1, it should light up the "out" light on my PID which means it's powering the heating element. This is what I did when I seasoned it, and it worked great. Now when I set temp one, I can't get the "out" light to light up which makes me think the element is burnt out.

I built this smoker at my office where I have more access to the tools i needed for the build. I also seasoned it at my office. I moved it to my house yesterday, I have it hooked up in my garage, I don't think there is any electrical issues from powering it in my garage that would be causing my problems?  But I don't much about electrical either.

 

[goliath]

extension cord size and length can have a lot to do with the power that gets out to your PID. also make sure that the probe is plugged in correctly, this is all stuff that has happened to me.  i guess as the lights are on your fuse is fine.

i do know that the people at Aubrerins are very helpful and held my hand thru a few steps.

GOOD LUCK

 

[hornhunter]

Thanks Rackrat. I am using the same extension cord that I seasoned it with so I don't believe thats an issue. I've plugged my heat chamber probe and also my meat probe in every which way possible. After I gave up last night, I rolled the smoker back in my garage and ran over the heat chamber probe and smashed the end of, so I'll have to order another. one of them. I plugged just the heating element itself into my extension cord and it does nothing. I would think if it was working it would heat up?