Have you had any issues with using a regular power cord directly to the heating element? Especially since it’s not hi temp wire/insulation? Any other things that is a negative to you going this route, now that you have set it up this way and used it I assume?Way back when, I removed the small cover plate that covers the connection to the element. Drilled a hole in the cover plate. Ran an extra power cord through the hole and connected the cord to the element. I now plug the other end of the cord into the Auber.
Doing this bypasses all of the smoker's original wiring. Here's a pic.......View attachment 681052