Author Topic: Breaker tripping  (Read 2466 times)

James R Brown

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Breaker tripping
« on: October 24, 2020, 04:20:25 PM »
Broke out my #2 for the first time in about a year today and discovered it's tripping the breaker every time I plug the cord in. Tried multiple outlets with the same result. Examined the cord and it's in perfect shape. I've probably used the smoker a total of 12 times since I bought it. So, I'm not an electrician but it's got to be the burner, the cord or the temp control. The breaker will trip when the temp control is in the off position also. Removed the rear cover and all wiring looks good, no bare wire or burn spots. Any advice on how to proceed will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Rick
Rick from Middleburg, FL
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old sarge

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2020, 07:23:05 PM »
Assuming the wires are all good, are there any loose connections?  Have you run a continuity check on the power cord? With the controller off, is the element getting hot?
If you suspect the heating element, test it as well.  Another test you can try is plugging in an iron and see if the breaker trips when it is heating up; if it trips, you have a faulty breaker OR a breaker not rated for the appliance, expressed in amps. Breakers, and GFCI type outlets will go bad over time.  Also, when you say breaker, is this the breaker in the service panel?  Or are you referring to a GFCI outlet(s).
Rare but it is possible that the smoker is pulling more amps than the breaker is rated for. To check, you will need a clamp amp meter and to avoid cutting the power cord sheathing, a line splitter (see link 3 for images). The  first 2 links are of possible help in your situation; the last link is test equipment oriented and I am not suggesting you buy.  But such a set up will do volts ac/dc, continuity, and current as well as testing outlets and gfci outlets, eliminating the need for a separate multimeter and amp meter. Again, I am not suggesting you buy this unless you see a use for it around the house and you like to tinker with electrical items.

Lastly, and maybe I should have mentioned it first is the warranty.  Is your smoker still under warranty? 

 https://housetechlab.com/how-to-find-a-ground-fault-with-a-multimeter/
http://www.appliance411.com/faq/test-element.shtml
https://www.amazon.com/Amprobe-4560562-AMP-320-Clamp-Meter/dp/B0185F83Z0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=amprobe%2B320%2Bmultimeter&qid=1603581017&sr=8-1&th=1
« Last Edit: October 24, 2020, 07:43:49 PM by old sarge »
David from Arizona
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James R Brown

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2020, 10:12:41 PM »
Sadly I'm out of warranty. All connections look good. The element never has a chance to get hot, breaker trips immediately when plugging cord in. Tried it in several different outlets that were on different 15 amp breakers in the panel with the same result. That being said I'm confident the problem is with the smoker itself and not the house electrical system.
Rick from Middleburg, FL
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LarryD

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2020, 12:13:11 AM »
Sadly I'm out of warranty.

You are allowing for the warranty being 3 years, yes?  If so, I think it died from loneliness having only been used 12 times.  :(   I totally would have expected it to be the cord, but you've said you looked it over pretty close and couldn't find any problems with it.  I haven't ever opened one up to know if anything I say here is impractical, so take everything with that grain of salt.  In each case I'm assuming you're starting from where you are right now and that you have it unplugged except when absolutely necessary.

Some things you might try if you don't have a meter:

 * Disconnect the power cable where it hooks up internally.  Tape off the individual wires and then plug in the cord.  If the breaker still trips then it's the power cable.

 * Disconnect the element and see if it still trips when you plug it in.  If it doesn't then it's probably the element.

 * Disconnect the rheostat and 'hot-wire' it.  Plug in briefly and see if the element starts to heat.  Unplug right after since there is no temp control at this point and don't want to damage your smoker.

I would still be tempted to send Steve a note...  I would be surprised if he didn't give you more troubleshooting ideas.  Fortunately, the parts on the #2 are relatively cheap and the smoker relatively uncomplicated.  It shouldn't take heroics to get you up and running again.
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James R Brown

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2020, 09:38:59 AM »
First of all I want to thank you guys for the helpful troubleshooting tips. I think I've determined the element is the problem. First I disconnected power to the element by removing both wires and the breaker held with the cord plugged in. I then removed the element and reconnected the two power wires and plugged it in and it was getting hot. This confused me so I took a digital multimeter set to the lowest ohm setting and it read "open" until I touched the probes to the element contacts and it read "short". Sound like a bad element?
« Last Edit: October 25, 2020, 02:51:48 PM by James R Brown »
Rick from Middleburg, FL
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LarryD

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2020, 05:57:34 PM »
First of all I want to thank you guys for the helpful troubleshooting tips. I think I've determined the element is the problem. First I disconnected power to the element by removing both wires and the breaker held with the cord plugged in. I then removed the element and reconnected the two power wires and plugged it in and it was getting hot. This confused me so I took a digital multimeter set to the lowest ohm setting and it read "open" until I touched the probes to the element contacts and it read "short". Sound like a bad element?

Interesting...  so an element is literally a short and that is why it gets hot.  If you were to take a piece of heavy wire and run it across the two terminals of a car battery it would get glowing hot just like an element.  A bad element should just just continue to read 'open'.

I wonder if you didn't accidentally fix the short when you disconnected the element and the wires... perhaps it was shorted right where it enters the smoker?  I would suggest putting everything back and seeing if the problem has resolved itself taking special care to not short it out again.
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pargol4

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2021, 09:41:30 AM »
I'm having the same issue with my 4D wifi now. Been working great, and then the last two times I tried using it, the GFCI trips every time I turn it on. I plugged into several different GFCI outlets, on different circuits, and it trips each of them, so I am confident the GFCI outlet is fine. I plugged it into a non-GFCI outlet, and it stays on (which I am sure is probably not safe).

LarryD

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2021, 04:59:52 PM »
I'm having the same issue with my 4D wifi now. Been working great, and then the last two times I tried using it, the GFCI trips every time I turn it on. I plugged into several different GFCI outlets, on different circuits, and it trips each of them, so I am confident the GFCI outlet is fine. I plugged it into a non-GFCI outlet, and it stays on (which I am sure is probably not safe).

When you say that it 'stays on', does that just mean that it doesn't trip the breaker or that it actually heats up normally?  If it heats up then it's not the element.  However, that it trips multiple GFCIs is a strong indication it's in an unsafe state and must be shorting somewhere.  Unplug it and check the entire length of the power cord very carefully.

If you're under warranty, contact Steve for support / direction before opening it up.
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old sarge

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Re: Breaker tripping
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2021, 11:32:54 PM »
pargol4 - Here is some additional information that may prove helpful.  I understand some of it but not all. Follow the blue links. You may have a friend or coworker who can make sense of it and have the necessary testing devices.  I was intrigued by the reference to dust being a problem and even insulation within the power cord leaking voltage:  (from fluke:) In any electrical installation, some current will flow through the protective ground conductor to ground. This is usually called leakage current. Leakage current most commonly flows in the insulation surrounding conductors and in the filters protecting electronic equipment around the home or office. So what's the problem? On circuits protected by GFCIs (Ground Fault Current Interrupters), leakage current can cause unnecessary and intermittent tripping. In extreme cases, it can cause a rise in voltage on accessible conductive parts.

https://www.fluke.com/en-us/learn/blog/grounding/chasing-ghost-trips-in-gfci-protected-circuits
« Last Edit: September 15, 2021, 11:36:27 PM by old sarge »
David from Arizona
US Army 70 - 95
SI 3D & Big Red Controller
CS 066
Lodge Sportsman Grill
Weber Kettle
Ducane Meridian 42 inch Grill
LEM MaxVac 1088A
LEM Big Bite #8 Grinder
Chef's Choice 665 and Rival Slicers
Old Hickory Knives
InstantPot Duo80 Plus