Display shows F3 and the smoker shuts off mid-cook; may coincide with tripping a household breaker.

Safety first: Unplug the smoker and do not reset the breaker repeatedly without finding the cause. Risk of fire or shock.

Inspection steps:

• Check heating element: Inspect the element for contact with the metal cabinet. Look for burn marks where the element may have arced to ground.
• Inspect wiring harness: Remove rear and bottom panels. Look for wires pinched between panels or rubbed through on sharp edges. Repair with high-temp wire and proper connectors.
• Check for moisture: Look for signs of water inside the control housing or on the main board. Dry thoroughly and correct any source of leaks.
• Test components: With a multimeter, test resistance from each element terminal to the metal chassis. Any low resistance indicates a short to ground and the element must be replaced.

Repair: Replace any shorted component such as the heating element assembly or convection fan motor. If all loads test good but F3 persists, the main control board may have an internal short and should be replaced.