I can't see this project working due to smoke residue or creosote buildup on, well, everything.
You would need a protective shutter that can be slid aside covering the lamp, and any viewing window I think would need to be covered inside/blocked from smoke buildup as well.

Many threads on the site about electric "smoker" designs, heating element controllers etc.

 

Heh... It'll need a lot of "oven cleaner" to keep it bright and shiny! But as the mere mortal man said, "Let there be light!"

 

I can't see this project working due to smoke residue or creosote buildup on, well, everything.
You would need a protective shutter that can be slid aside covering the lamp, and any viewing window I think would need to be covered inside/blocked from smoke buildup as well.

Many threads on the site about electric "smoker" designs, heating element controllers etc.

I intend to clean the device thoroughly after every use... which at most would be something like once or twice a month. It'll be a matter of how much of a hassle it proves to be, eventually.

 

such fancy BBQ deserves to be used more frequently. just saying

 

such fancy BBQ deserves to be used more frequently. just saying

Ahhh... I'd love to have a bbq every single weekend, my friend ... but I don't think the wife would entirely approve...

 

I have been reluctant to ask this, but what the hell. Why would you need the light inside the smoker? One of my sons had one that looked quite a bit like the one shown and we had no problem looking, when using it as a grill, at the progress of the meat. When using it as a smoker you keep the lid closed anyway so why an interior light? Not trying to tell you your wrong just trying to understand why it's needed?

 

I have been reluctant to ask this, but what the hell. Why would you need the light inside the smoker? One of my sons had one that looked quite a bit like the one shown and we had no problem looking, when using it as a grill, at the progress of the meat. When using it as a smoker you keep the lid closed anyway so why an interior light? Not trying to tell you your wrong just trying to understand why it's needed?

Why do I need the light inside the smoker, you ask? ... Because it would look cool, my friend! ... I have a group of friends who are BBQ fanatics and I can't wait to see the look on their faces when I unveil this little gadget on my next party ... boy, will they be jealous!

 

You might try a Google of "fused quartz glass tubing"

But won't that suffer the same fate as halogen bulb envelopes when oil/grease contacts them?

 

I've just ended a call with a local Pyrex tube supplier ... and he quoted a 1-1/2" ext diam, 5/32" wall and 48" long tube at about $200.00 U.S.D ... plus tax

OUCH!

I'll probably go for half of that length and a smaller diameter (if possible) to try and save some budget...

 

My plan is to acquire a dimmable LED 12VDC@150W power supply such as this, and use it to light ten 12V halogen bulbs. I don't think I'm going to venture into building one myself because said supply is conveniently IP67 rated.

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https://www.meanwellusa.com/productPdf.aspx?i=316#1

 

Given that the anticipated maximum temperature is 400 degrees F, I doubt that LEDs are available that would survive for long.
The good news is that for the application as I see it, the tube does not need to be bent at all, only possibly de-burred on the ends. And if the power connection is to both ends of the tube then the insulation of the internalwires does not matter, since they will not be crossing each other. That is, if a series connection scheme is used. And even if a parallel connection is done, using solid wire and crimp connections, careful assembly should be able to assure no wires coming close, or touching.
And really, if the bulbs are the ones I have seen, they are 1/2 inch diameter, and so 3/4 inch glass tube should be quite adequate. And with just one smooth tube passing through the ends of the lid, removal for cleaning by sliding it out should not be any problem at all. An added advantage is that closing the holes at the end when it is not in use would be simpler.
And now, here is an idea: consider the source of a glass tube could be a discarded "T8" size florescent light tube. Discardedtubes should be available cheap, and cutting off the ends should not be a huge effort. And if the length is just a bit short, use sections of one-inch pipe in the sides of the lid to support a shorter glass tube.
The big questions would be cleaning the powder out of the tube, and then seeing if it could handle the heat.

 

Given that the anticipated maximum temperature is 400 degrees F, I doubt that LEDs are available that would survive for long.
The good news is that for the application as I see it, the tube does not need to be bent at all, only possibly de-burred on the ends. And if the power connection is to both ends of the tube then the insulation of the internalwires does not matter, since they will not be crossing each other. That is, if a series connection scheme is used. And even if a parallel connection is done, using solid wire and crimp connections, careful assembly should be able to assure no wires coming close, or touching.

I plan to use high temperature wire, which comes with a non-plastic fabric-like cover.

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Why do I need the light inside the smoker, you ask? ... Because it would look cool, my friend! ... I have a group of friends who are BBQ fanatics and I can't wait to see the look on their faces when I unveil this little gadget on my next party ... boy, will they be jealous!

If I was doing this to impress and I do metal work I'd build a encloser to hold lights and mount it to the edge of the lid, where it mates with the bottom of the fire box. And put a micro switch to only turn the light on when the lid is up. When the lid is up the light would shine down on the inside of the grill. Doing it with the light fixture on the out side would mean less heat, and less of a problem keeping it clean. The light housing could even incorporate the handle to open the lid and until it was up and turned on it would be inconspicuous.

 

I'll try to paint a picture of what I mean. Imagine a tubular handle to replace the existing lid handle. This tube would have a couple of rectangular openings milled in ti lengthwise. Mounted in the openings would be COB type leds, like the ones used in this type of flashlight from Harbor freight, https://www.harborfreight.com/colle...t-led-portable-worklightflashlight-63878.html The leds would and the handle would have the openings so when the lid was open the light would shine on the interior of the grill. I just used the harbor freight light as an example of the type of led I'm talking about. Although I doubt you can find the bare led strip as cheap as the flash light, and the leds can be removed from it and used in the handle.

 

There you go. I finally received the 10W@12VDC halogen bulbs and their appropriate ceramic sockets, and everything seems to be in order.

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The socket's diameter is 17mm (0.669") and their length with the bulb inserted is 34mm (1.339") ... I plan to use 10 of them for the entire assembly. I'm guessing that 100W of light flooding the interior of the grill through a length of a little over 1m (39") should be enough? ... I mean, I know that lighting a small room with a 100W bulb is more than enough and that's why I chose to use ten10W bulbs ... but perhaps I should use ten 20W bulbs and run them at 50% capacity so as to make them last longer?

 

I was going to order the tubes I wanted from an online shop ... at $25 bucks for three pieces, which seems quite reasonable ... but the "reasonable" part of the deal died when I found out how much they pretended to charge for S&H!

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I mean, I know it's fragile material that needs to be transported, but c'mon!

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One way or another
they're gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha

 

geee... what shipping method they use? Ambulance?

 

geee... what shipping method they use? Ambulance?

either that, or teleportation...

 

maybe get one or more of double-wall borosilicate glass cups. make slightly smaller opening in the smoker then fit the cup so that bottom is inside the smoker. now you have transparency and thermal insulation. then it should be no problem to find suitable lamp that fits into cup and temperature rating could be much lower, if needed, add a small DC fan.