Problem with my electric smoker.

[dmcfarlan]

I bought my Royal Oak Smoker back in September, and I really enjoyed it, until yesterday. My neighbor asked me to smoke a brisket for him. Got up at 7 and got the smoker going, and put the meat on at 8. Was trying to keep the temp around 225. Just before I had to leave for Church at 9:45 I refilled the water pan. I told my neighbor to keep an eye on the temp and I would be home around 12:30. I get home at 12:30, and the temp is up at over 300, and the water pan is bone dry. I also notice the the temp knob is turned all the way down. Neighbor had just check it and he said temp was at 275 so he turned it down. I add water, but the temp is still running over 300, and I have turned the knob all the way to off. So, I unplug and plug it back in, and that seams to reset the unit, and I get the temp under control. But all afternoon, I am fighting temp, and it is running hot all the time. Here is where I think the problem was, it was VERY windy yesterday, and about 45 degrees. I am wondering if the thermostat is exposed, and the wind was giving it a bad reading?
By the way, even with my problems, the brisket turned out great!

 

[kozmo]

Not sure about the Royal Oak but I was having problems with my Electric ECB ended up building a PID temperature controller for it, cost somewhere south of a $100 to build but has given pretty incredible control over the temperature within 1 degree +/-. There is more info on the parts I used at http://www.nateelston.com/wordpress/...ectric-smoker/ (my blog). The instruction set which is also linked to from the blog can be found at http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=315

While this was a bit pricey its nice to be able to achieve a constant temperature on the electric unit without having to worry, the only concern I have which may not be founded is that the constant switching by the controller may cause premature failure of the heating element.