Smoker powers on but will not heat; display and timer work but the cabinet remains cold.

Safety first: Unplug the smoker and allow it to cool before working near the element or wiring.

Diagnostic steps:

• Visual check of element: Remove racks and drip pan to see the element. Look for cracks, breaks, or heavy corrosion.
• Access rear wiring: Remove the rear panel to expose the element terminals, high-limit thermostat, and wiring from the control board.
• Check continuity: With wires removed from the element, test for continuity across the element. Replace if open.
• Test high-limit thermostat: Check continuity across the high-limit device. If open at room temperature and not resettable, replace it.
• Verify output from control board (advanced): With extreme caution and only if you are qualified, you can test for voltage at the element terminals when the smoker is on and calling for heat. If no voltage is present but the board is powered, the heater relay is likely bad and the board must be replaced.