From Commercial Freezer to Commercial Smoker

[processhead]

As @JckDanls 07 said, PID controls for tighter temp control would be advisable.
You would just be left with adding an external smoke source.

 

[mneeley490]

Ovens are usually wired for 240v., also. Something to keep in mind.

 

[processhead]

So with the idea of an electric element, and my lack of knowledge, I'm wondering if cannibalizing a used oven off marketplace makes sense. Everything is already there. The element, wiring, thermostat, know, and all the hardware. I would just have to swap out longer wires. For a price range of free to $50, it makes sense, if its gonna work.

Ovens are usually wired for 240v., also. Something to keep in mind.

Ever notice that consumer grade electric smokers all operate on 120 volts and all of them have small to medium size cabinets?

For large commercial size smokers, you really can't get enough heat output from a 120 volt-20 amp circuit to properly heat a large cabinet with a lot of meat in it. That's why an electric oven runs on 240 volts, and large electric smokers will need to run on 240 volts well.

For comparison, a 120 volt 20 amp circuit is limited to 2400 watts of heating power.
A typical residential oven plugged into a 240 volt 40 amp circuit can deliver up to aprox. 10,000 watts of heating power.

 

[Bumppo]

The need for 240 has been the only con for electric from the start of this project. I would be looking at an extra $500 minimum, just to run the power out to my garage for the build. Not to mention the concern of a power source onsite at events. I have a generator that can handle it, but I couldn't imagine wanting to listen to that for 15+ hours every time I have a long cook.

I'm settled on a maze-like charcoal basket for a smoke generator, but I might be circling back around to the propane idea for heat. So with that idea, I'm only worrying about power to the controller, and that should be able to be plugged into any outlet with a lead cord. And I'll likely be landing an annual event that is 100% off grid, in which case a deep cycle battery and invertor is more than enough.

 

[JckDanls 07]

but I might be circling back around to the propane idea for heat.

If going this route... PLEASE make it fail safe so if you have a flame out it will shut the gas off...

 

[Bumppo]

If going this route... PLEASE make it fail safe so if you have a flame out it will shut the gas off...

Oh, yeah. 100%

I'm willing to spend the extra couple bucks on the controller part of to make it safe. I've got a five year old already begging to learn how to run the smokers. Not taking the chances with that.