Smokehouse Products
Short Circuit or Ground Fault
Smoker trips the household breaker or GFCI as soon as it is turned on.
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Shorted heating element to chassis, Pinched or melted internal wiring, Moisture inside control box or element connections
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety first: Unplug the smoker immediately. Do not repeatedly reset a tripping breaker; find and fix the fault first.
- Inspect power cord and plug: Look for burn marks or melted plastic. Replace the cord if damaged.
- Check for moisture: Open the control housing and rear panel to look for water or condensation. Dry thoroughly and allow time for complete drying.
- Inspect wiring: Look for wires pinched between panels or touching sharp metal edges. Repair or replace damaged wires using high-temperature rated wire and proper connectors.
- Test heating element to ground: With all wires disconnected from the element, use a multimeter to check resistance between each terminal and the metal chassis. Any continuity indicates a ground fault; replace the element.
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Repair Difficulty
Hard
4/5
Required Part
Heating Element
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