Electric Heating Element for 7.5 CuFt

[clearprop]

My fridge build went on hold the last couple years. But its going to get finished before Spring. I have a couple of the Brinkmann 1500 elements from my other smokers I was going to use one of them with a

Auber Multi Purpose controller:

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=110

Or a Dual Probe 1800watt controller:

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=381

But now I see Brinkmann has discontinued their elements, I want an element that WORKS and is readily available and easily replaced when it FAILS to make this future proof. Tthe Universal Replacement Electric Smoker and Grill Heating Element with Adjustable Thermostat Controller has shoty reviews, works for some, but doesn't put out the heat for others, so I'm avoiding it, especially at $50:  
I've seen STRIP HEATER ELEMENTS have been used with the more expensive DUAL PROBE Auberins (needs the dual probe so you can set it up below max watts as to not burn out the element.)

My other thought was to just get a used Range/Oven off craigslist and use IT'S element and CONTROLS to control the smoker. It would be 240V, which I can handle, and I would always be able to get a replacement element for cheap (any oven element of the same wattage that fits in my smoker will work with it's controls).... EXCEPT ovens usually DON'T control temperature below 170

The element needs to fit INSIDE of a 16"x21" footprint. ...The smoker is only 38" high on the inside so I'm only needing to heat 7.5 CUFT. 

Any thoughts on using a 240v range element vs something else? ....

 

[clearprop]

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[crankybuzzard]

The Auber 1800w unit is GREAT!  I use it to control a 1500w element and have no issues with it what so ever, just make sure it has airflow along the bottom, it can get hot.

As for an element, a 1500w will work for you if you don't plan on going much over 250°.  It will take a bit to get to that temp and stabilize, but once there it will rock along nicely.

 

[bigbluetruck]

I have a 120v 1550W finned heater in my fridge that's about the same size as yours (14x23x36. I installed mine a little different than most, I cut a hole in the bottom of both the inside and outside and then sunk a deep stainless steel pan in it, so it sticks out of the bottom, then got 2-4" BBQ dampners and installed them on one side of the pan for vents, my heater is installed in in the pan so the air comes right across the heater. then above the pan, I have a 14g heat deflector/drip shield. I put my AMNPS, water tray and a brick on the shield, its worked well so far, only did one smoke though (my very first), hopefully another this weekend.

I'm using a Aburins SMD100 to control the heater, its set on 85% based on info I found on another thread here, but I might could probably go higher because of the location of my heater but so far its working well I think, I added the brick about halfway through my last cook, hoping to use it as a heat sink to help the temps come up a little faster after I open the door.

I did all this to try and save some space inside the fridge, but the way it ended up, its probably about the same as mounting it totally inside the box. I did decide to put a some foil faced insulation on the outside of the SS pan to help minimize the thermal loss when its cold out.

I can get the inside up to 300deg in about an hour, and it will go above that given some time. About 45min to 225-230.

 

[clearprop]

The 240v is a 2600watt bake element and control board from a Kenmore Range. But the controls on the Range don't go below 170 Degrees. So if I need to smoke something below 170 then I will use a Ranco Temperature Control ETC-111000-000 (temperature range is (-30F to 220F) on a 1500 120v brinkmann type element.  The ETC is good for 15 resistive amps at 120volt (1800 watts) or 8 amps at 240v which is only 1920watts so I isn't rated to handle the 2600watt oven bake element. But the trade off to this is $$$$. The element, wires, and digital controler from the oven was only $3.00 from the scrap/salvage yard, the ETC 111000-000 can be found for $30ish, and 1500watt 120v elements can be found for $20ish. 

 

[dward51]

 
The 240v is a 2600watt bake element and control board from a Kenmore Range. But the controls on the Range don't go below 170 Degrees. So if I need to smoke something below 170 then I will use a Ranco Temperature Control ETC-111000-000 (temperature range is (-30F to 220F) on a 1500 120v brinkmann type element.  The ETC is good for 15 resistive amps at 120volt (1800 watts) or 8 amps at 240v which is only 1920watts so I isn't rated to handle the 2600watt oven bake element. But the trade off to this is $$$$. The element, wires, and digital controler from the oven was only $3.00 from the scrap/salvage yard, the ETC 111000-000 can be found for $30ish, and 1500watt 120v elements can be found for $20ish. 

So why not use a PID and SSR to control the element?  You would get the full range of temps from a single setup that way.  Might be a little more than the $30 you quote, but it's a single setup and pretty bullet proof once up and running.  Also the PID is not element dependent as the SSR is handling the main portion of the work. 25 amp SSR's are reliable, inexpensive, and easy to find all over the place.

 

[clearprop]

 
So why not use a PID and SSR to control the element?  You would get the full range of temps from a single setup that way.  Might be a little more than the $30 you quote, but it's a single setup and pretty bullet proof once up and running.  Also the PID is not element dependent as the SSR is handling the main portion of the work. 25 amp SSR's are reliable, inexpensive, and easy to find all over the place.

Ok on Second thought, I'm going to have to go with your suggestion because I don't want to risk running the oven control board on a 3 wire welder plug, which would use the ground for a 120v leg.... 

I saw you had posted a diagram (back in 2013) which shows how to wire it up to a 3 wire dryer/welder outlet, but it doesn't show fuses, breaker/switchs, or indicator lights. Could you possibly provide links to a kill switch, fuse and fuse holder, and indicator light that would work for the PID? I'm not sure which ones or where to buy them.

I'll use the Auber SLY-2352 PID you show unless you recommend a different one now in 2017. Also, which  K type thermocouple sensor do you recommend?

No Neutral.jpeg

• clearprop
• Mar 19, 2017

 

[clearprop]

 
I've also seen 220v setups where only one leg of the 220v circuit was switched by a single SSR.  Either way will work.  Here is a diagram Walleye1 posted a while back.  He used a 2nd control unit to switch a contactor as a master over temperature safety (it cut the power to the SSR and element if the temps got above the set safety level if his PID controller failed or there was a grease fire).   Note he also pulled 120v for the two controllers, SSR fan and his heat source in his diagram.

220diagramcopy.jpg

• dward51
• Dec 18, 2012

I would also like to incorporate a secondary independent PID to use as an OVERHEAT FAILSAFE like this one, but wired completely in 240V, it would be nice to have a normally closed contractor so that the only time the second PID is sending out any power is when it needs to shut it down. It would be nice if it could be programmed that once it reaches an overheat temp that it keeps it shut down until a "resume" button is normally pushed so that it is not cycling.

I wonder if this switch would be OK for an ON/OFF switch to manually kill both LEGS:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...=CJ-_-7104034-_-11210757&cj=true#.UooxbpUo61s