Controller for electric smoker

[cheech]

Just finished building a temperature control box for an electric smoker.

Just thought I would share it with you all.

 

[pg]

Hey Cheech, thats way cool. As you probably know, I've been working on a temperature control for my propane smoker. I'm also interested in an automatic temp control for my Bradley smoker.

It currently has a slide control which requires several minutes of adjusting the contro up & down to get the temperature right. Through the 4-6 hour smoking process I probably spend an hour adjusting the temp.

Your pix are great, can you provide more detail on the parts and assembly. Thanks

Thegozzzz

 

[cheech]

Let's see what I did was took a relay output of a temp controller (A guy gave it to me for a case of beer), tied that to a solid state relay and tied the relay to the outlet which controls the electric burner. In your case you can take the output and tie it to a solenoid (I have a few hanging around if you need one) and have the solenoid control the gas flow. The input is a thermocouple which I place inside the center of the smoker and that gives the controller its input.

If you need more info please let me know.

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Hey Cheech,
That's a really fine looking unit! Professional in every way. You might want to consider marketing those.

 

[cheech]

Thanks,

If I could get more of the parts for the price that it cost me I could make some money doing that and support my meat smoking habit.

I just don't come accross the parts every day.

 

[mdk]

Cheech,

Using the proofer we wont need a controller, I guess. It is thermostatically controlled. I do need a smoke generator. Any idea's?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[cheech]

Not knowing a lot about proofers but I would guess that it has to heat it up some how and if it is an electric unit it has to have a heating element somewhere. If you find it you can use to to place your chips on if not then you can add a hot plate set your chips on the plate inside a pan of some sort.

Any way that is what I would do

 

[mdk]

Thanks Cheech,

That was my thoughts to. I am going to look at them tomorrow to see just how they are put together.

MDK

 

[mdk]

Cheech,

The proofer has 2 heating elements. It will make a neat smoker. I will need a controller like you made though. Where can I get all the parts? That thing looks so very professional.

I am going to wire the heating elements together and run a male plug out for them. I will connect that into some type of control box and that will be that. Then I need to figure out a way of getting the wood into her without opening the door. I figure I will make a small sealable hatch that is right over one of the elements and that should take care of that.

Thanks,
MDK

 

[cheech]

The controller I have came from a demo unit that I used to sell. My other one came from a customer for a case of beer.

Depending of what line of work you are in if you make it out to manufacturing facilities you may find an old unit tha they no longer want at a place that uses ovens or heats up items like plastic etc.

I will try to get a drawing made to show how to wire it.

Do you know the voltage and how many amps your unit uses?

 

[cheech]

Either issues or thirsty neighbors

 

[cheech]

MDK did you happen to get any pictures of your proofer that you can share with us?

 

[smokeys dad]

I got several Temp controllers from Ebay, Same with the (SSR's)Solid State Relays. All my High-Temp Wiring came from the Electric Range I salvaged to make it.

I got the range for free!! I called a Local appliance dealer (Maytag) and asked for an old broken unit. Didnt care what color ar shape.

They haul off the old units when they deliver the new ones, sometimes they store the old ones for parts.

They set a nice looking unit ( ugly Gold color) out their back door, I told them I was probably going to blow it up.

They wanted pictures,,,,,,

Anyhow, good raw material! Sheet metal, burners, lot's of wiring, you could even use the ovens thermostat and sensor for ANY Unit, just add a SSR

Got a Gas Grill? Use an Gas Stoves Temperature Control. (Not the orifice and burner, just sensor and solonoid installed in-line with your grills fuel supply)

 

[cajun_1]

Cheech..could you please post the pdf file again? Seems it was lost during the forum change. Thanks.

 

[jmastera]

Cheech,

I am sure your controller has a little different terminology than mine but I was wondering what your on\off relay settings were set at. Mine is listed as:

AH1 - Alarm On Temperature (lowest temp to turn relay on)
AL1 - Alarm Off Temperature (highest temp to turn realy off)
SV - Control Temp

I have the SV set to 225, the AH1 at 222 and the AL1 at 227.

This seems to work ok except that when the relay goes off the temp still climbs to about 231 and then dips down to about 212 even though the relay comes back on at 222. I know this is more to do with the hotplate not cooling\heating up quick enough so I need to adjust accordingly I was just wondering what temps you found work in yours.

 

[illini]

Maybe that big ol box is cooling too fast for a proper catchup.....can you wire so the lower wattage side of the thing is always on and control the higher wattage side with the controller...just my 2cts

 

[jmastera]

Not sure. I'd have to see. I am not the electrical genius in the family but one of my brothers is so I will have to pick his brain. The hoplate I bought came in a single burner model, i could always return this one, has not gotten dirty yet, and buy 2 single burners and only control one of them. That is a good idea, thanks Illini.

 

[redbrinkman1955]

Hey has any one converted a electric skillet control so it would control a electric brinknman need to know how to rewire it.
Goood Luck and Good Smoking
Redbrinkman1955

 

[ajthepoolman]

I have a griddle control that I have torn apart, but I don't have the electrical background to confidently run wires from it.

 

[cheech]

Sort of. My controller just takes the skillet burner and runs the wires into a "normal" outlet so no rewiring is needed.