Electric Smoker pops GFI

[AP514]

Hey all

I have a Question trying to get some help for a guy on the Smokingmeat.com forums..

here is his trouble-----ANY IDEAS ??

"If anyone has time, I am having an issue with my old 30" smoker. It has sat in shed for couple years and now when I try to fire it up, it trips the outdoor gfi breaker. If I run extension cord from inside outlet by washing machine, it runs fine. I have called in electrician that works on our type mobile home and he replaced cheap standard gfi but we still have issue. He also checked the temp control unit and it seems fine. I have cleaned all inside and pulled heating element, steel wooled it and still have issue. If I plug in temp control and hold, it works fine but as soon as I plug into heating element, it trips GFI."

element is 1300Watt

 

[kd3pc]

the unit is likely not going to work on a GFCI....these types of devices are inherently not friendly to the requirements of the GFCI....

He could try and clean up all the connections internal to the unit, but in the end the way it heats and controls is just too close to what the GFCI calls a fault.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Have a client that had this issue.

When i was on site, it didnt trip so i couldnt find the issue.

Do smokers bleed current to ground?

 

[theoldwizard1]

Do smokers bleed current to ground?

Stray current going somewhere.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Charcoal smoker! Problem solved and better food.

But seriously, sounds like some stray current loss somewhere. I’ve never had an electric smoker but I believe it’s just a heating element and temp control, no a whole lot to them.

 

[checkthisout]

Pretty common. You'll just have to live with plugging it into a non-gfci outlet.

You could try testing it with a GFCI cord and see if that pops.

Also for giggles, take a DVOM and check for continuity between the neutral/hot and the chassis.

Is it a 3 prong cord?

 

[Marctrees]

A smoker should, from the factory, not leak any more than anything else.

Future grease, dirt, mold, corrosion, water.... can certainly change that in use.

Somewhere, there is a fault to ground.

Some smokers are simply a controller and element,

Others have more..... like t stat or high limit Klixons.

Ceramic coated element itself could have a crack path to ground.\

Before I trashed it..

Totally remove element and control ..

Examine and GFI feed test on bench..

Then go from there.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

"Pretty common. You'll just have to live with plugging it into a non-gfci outlet."

Not a good idea.

Might get by, but also could be ded.

Probably not the ded, but a better chance ded than winning a lotterry.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I correct myself..

Actually, testing the element on a non grounded workbench would erroniously not trip the GFI even if there was a defect.

Marc

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I correct myself..

Actually, testing the element on a non grounded workbench would erroniously not trip the GFI even if there was a defect.

Marc

Yup

Need an alternate pathway to return to the source.

 

[trim]

I have the same smoker and it trips all of my gfi’s about 90% of the time. I have checked everything and took everything apart to clean and make sure the element is not grounding out. I just run my extension cord to an inside plug.

 

[nadogail]

Leakage current is most probably in excess of what the GFCI will allow.

If I recall correctly this was a not uncommon occurrence with the defrost heaters in refrigerators; as a result GFCI protection was not recommended when they were installed.

 

[walta]

If you have a Masterbuilt unit, this is a very common failure mode. There are 2 different faults for that symptom.

One is a failure inside the heating element leaking just enough current to ground tripping GFI breaker.

Two the electrical connector to heating element often corrode that burn and form a carbon path to ground that leak current to ground and trip GFI breakers.

If you have fault 1 sometimes running the unit on a non GFI circuit for a few hours will sometimes dry out the element so it will then operate on a GFI.

If you have fault 2 you will have to drill the rivets and inspect. Often the terminal can be cleaned and the connector replaced.

Also if you decide to operate the smoker on a non GFI circuit be certain that it is a circuit with a good ground and the ground pins on any extension cords are present and in good condition as your life may depend on it.

I recommend you test your outlet and cords with a tester like this one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Tools-GFCI-Outlet-Tester-Green-MS102H/206029151

Walta

 

[Marctrees]

Walta is on track.

The newer "Digital" Masterbuilts are B as in B and S as in S.

IIRC, ONE of the Digital models is kinda "OK"...

But the rest are ****.

The basic models, that have the simple plug in controller and heating element are the ones to get.

NONE of that other bell whistle ****.

NO high limit chinese Klixons, no damn digital temp readout, no damn Purpletoth or whatver the hall that **** is.

Look Google into the problems, you will see.

F*** china.

You want quality electronics ?

Get the basic model, then add this below.

Field proven for years stuff...

Marc

https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=14_28