New take on the Terra Cotta smoker

This is based on the Alton Brown (Good Eats is my favorite cooking show!) Terra Cotta smoker featured in the Good East episode "Q". I have found several sites featuring variations on this simple smoker. So I thought I would share my high-tech approach. Unfortunately, I don't have the steps it took to make the final product, only the finished components.

Step 1: The history

I have actually made a terra cotta smoker before. It was just like the one Alton Brown made on his show. It worked well enough, but it was difficult to control at first. I only used this one a few times before it found its way to the attic. Fast forward a few years and I found myself wanting to get it back out. I wanted to make it easier to control though. I googled "terra cotta smokers" and found several great sites. Most were the same design as Alton Brown's original. I remember seeing one that stood apart though; it had an external control. That was it. Just the thing to make temperature control easier!

Comments

[deirhntr_1999]

Great job on the diagram, if you could, which relay contact did you use for controlling the heating element? Alarm 1, Alarm 2, or the control relay? You did refference that the realy was normaly closed until it hit the set point, so in theory, that leaves either the control relay, or the alam contact that is normaly closed...could you please clearify?

Secondly, what type of wire did you yse to connect the thermocouple "socket" to the temperature controller? Did you use "scrap" wire or was it the same wire type that is used for the thermocouple?

Thank you for your time.

[echo2247]

You are correct, I used the output control relay. When wiring the thermocouple socket to the control unit, I used actual thermocouple wire. I am not sure, but I think its different from regular copper wire (possibly a lower resistance wire).

[grantbd]

This is awesome. I modified my smoker to use a dimmer switch so that the hot plate used a varying amount of power to stay at a steady temperature instead of either being full blast on or not. Is there anyway you could include a more detailed parts list? I don't have much electronics stuff just laying around home here. Details like the temp sensor, the relay, switches, boxes that kind of stuff would be very helpful. Thanks!

[echo2247]

McMaster-Carr:
Temperature Sensor (3871K55) - http://www.mcmaster.com/#thermocouple-probes/=36edyd
Thermocouple connectors (3869K25) - http://www.mcmaster.com/#thermocouple-jacks/=36efv7
Hi-amp power relay (7664K16) - http://www.mcmaster.com/#7664k16/=36ehu4

Omega:
Thermocouple jack (SJ-K-R) - http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=RMJ_RSJ&Nav=temg13
Temperature Controller (CNI1633) - http://www.omega.com/toc_asp/frameset.html?book=Temperature&file=CNI16_Series

I bought the outlet, outlet covers, and heater plug at my local hardware store.
You can use any box available as your control box. Mine was scrap at work, so it was free to me, otherwise it runs about $120 from Hoffman - http://www.hoffmanonline.com/product_catalog/catalog_item_detail.aspx?cat_1=34&cat_2=2280&cat_3=78064&catIDs=78064,186&itemIDs=2934,5667&catalog_item=5667

The power switch is optional, you can just unplug it when finished! However, you can find several types from automationdirect.com - http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Pushbuttons_-z-_Switches_-z-_Indicators

For those who don't want to go through the hassle of ordering and assembling all of the components, McMaster-Carr has a small single unit available (3313k21) - http://www.mcmaster.com/#3313k21/=36ew0c. Simply plug your hot plate in and put the probe in the top.

Hope this info helps! Thanks for checking out my instructable

[grantbd]

Thanks for your help with this, it definitely showed me the right pieces to use and will help me search for less expensive items on eBay. Just finding all the parts is half the fun! Also now I know which websites to look at for this stuff.

[Esmagamus]

With all the gadgets, you forgot to put handles on it! :P

[echo2247]

nah! thats what the grill gloves are for.

[talonsblade]

man i love this. however im not very electronically inclied. is there any info you can give on building the temperature control

[echo2247]

I don’t think you need to be excessively electronically inclined, just organized. I’m by no means an electronics expert. The best thing to do is sketch out the electronics on a pad of paper. Simple boxes and lines to represent the temp. controller, relays, power switch, heater element, and the wires running between them. Once you get the sketch done, that makes everything much easier. There are a few sites I used to order parts or just find information about components. Omega.com sells and has great info on temp. controllers and accessories. If you find one with the specs you need, check out eBay to see if you can find something similar and a lot cheaper. Those controllers are not cheap! If I get a chance I’ll try to update this with a picture of the inside of the control box. Thanks for checking out my smoker. Hope I helped out!