Replacement element?

[natdiamond]

I have been smoking for quite some time now. I used to use the bomb style charcoal water smoker, then converted to the electric bomb water smoker. The a few years ago I got a deal on the Great Outdoors Smokey Mountain charcoal smoker. I Bought it because I liked the large side door. It's easy to get access to everything inside. And it was cheap. So I instantly dropped one of those brinkman 1500 watt elements inside. I took the little miniature lavarocks from my old smoker, put them in the great outdoors charcoal pan and set the element on top of that. Directly under the water pan. I works great! Always easy, always perfect results.
However, In 4 years I've gone through 4 elements! As much smoking as I do, it's a small price to pay. But I just bought one in January, and now it's gone out again! I see that Cabella's is selling one with a metal plate and a chip box. So I figured I would lose the lavarocks and just put this in the bottom. But I would really like to find an entirely different style element. Does anybody know of any heavy duty electric elements or replacements? I'm sure I could rig it to fit.

 

[cheech]

Just bought the one from Cabellas after buying about every other one out there and spent a ton doing so. Most other ones did not come in the higher wattages or they were electric burners with a over temp switch in them or .....

 

[deejaydebi]

Just curious. If the burners keep burning out why do you keep replacig it rather than looking for another option? Like gas or coal or wood?

 

[triple b]

I agree with Debi,why keep replacing burners when you could switch fuel type?

 

[natdiamond]

I like the convenience of the electric. I know electric has somewhat of a bad rep, even in this forum the forum description says "believe it or not" and "has been known to produce some tasty grub from time to time".
That's just wrong! At least for me, I have consistantly made mouth watering bbq time and time again. And when I smoke things for hours, I don't want to have to light coals in a chimney and then replenish them every hour or so. I love the Great outdoors upright water smoker with the racks in it. I suppose if I were to try another fuel, I would go with wood only, in another kind of smoker.
Do you think I could just burn wood chunks in the charcoal tray that sits under the water pan? And just add wood as needed? I guess I never thought about that.

 

[gypsyseagod]

i've seen the wishbone elements @ wally world but i don't know i'm a wood/coal guy.