I've had a series of problems with my electric smoker. Fundamentally, I can't seem to get past 200 degrees in heat, and often the heat just goes off. Originally, I thought I had a short in the element, so i got a new one of those. But they I started noticing sparks coming out of the thermostat so I got a replacement thermostat, but same problem, although at least i could hold the heat at 180 or so. Maybe both the element and the thermostat were out. Thoughts?
My char broil electric smoker is doing the same thing. The heating element goes off as if there is a short. I move the wire a little or lift it up and the light turns back on.My char broil electric smoker is doing the same thing. The heating element goes off as if there is a short. I move the wire a little or lift it up and the light turns back on.
I have the same problem with my smoker. the thermostat goes off after a while and the smoker never gets hot enough. It even through the GFI it was plugged intoI have the same problem with my smoker. the thermostat goes off after a while and the smoker never gets hot enough. It even through the GFI it was plugged into
AnonymousJan 02, 2009
The thermostat is not made for outdoor use. It is not sealed and has fragile bare copper inside which quickly corrodes creating electrical resistance and arcing. You can find a replacement without the thermostat
The thermostat is not made for outdoor use. It is not sealed and has fragile bare copper inside which quickly corrodes creating electrical resistance and arcing. You can find a replacement without the thermostat
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I have used the charbroil bullet electric H2O smokers for years (wore 2 out - currently on my 3rd). I won't use anything else (having used many, many others - HOWEVER - as with every product made there are things to watch or overcome. Learn to use it properly and look forward to many years of great BBQ.
Ambient (outside) air temp below 70 (depending on wind also) will affect these smokers drastically - highly recomend getting or making a "smoker blanket" (got mine at cabelas years back - if you can't find one welding blankets from an industrial supply store can be made into one) to insulate the sides - this drastically reduces heat loss and reduces the electrical load.
Another MAJOR mistake many people make is extension cords - avoid the use of them at all if possible - if not possible then purchase the heaviest gauge you can find.
Always pre-heat your smoker - Always use boiling water (or other liquid) in the H2O pan added after smoker is pre-heated - Always minimize opening the smoker once cooking has begun.
The heater element can be cleaned when cold with a very mild detergent and room temp water.
If you have the large 2 rack but are only smoking enough to use a small amount of rack space on only one rack remember that you are heating a whole lot of air - i have a couple (different size) wood boxes wrapped in foil to take up excess air space - this means less air volume to be heated and better heat control - DO NOT use cardboard boxes or other low temp combustable items in the box construction!
Make sure the house outlet you are plugging into is a 3-prong GROUNDED outlet.
Finally, make sure your smoker is level and remember there can be up to a 20 degree cooking temp swing in temp between the bottom rack and top rack (top rack 5-20 degrees hotter than bottom).
The heater element will cycle on and off during normal use.
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when you say now it lights. is just the ignitor lighting?or can you hear the gas flowing??? can you feel it heating at all?? should start at 100 degrees and climb up from there. no reason for it not to heat past 200 (unless set to Celsius which default setting of 350 =190degress) therefore will not heat past 200. and wont let you try to heat to 425 , that would be off the charts of Celsius conversion. sensor problem would eitherno t let stove come on or wouldnt stop from heating eitherway a code would come up in the display
Traeger grills just will NOT smoke at temps much above 200 degrees. I have to stand by my grill continually in the summer to keep opening and closing the lid to let the heat out. That also lets the smoke out. I also have turned the grill off and on to try to maintain the temperature at 180 degrees where it smokes best and cooks low and slow. It's less of a problem in the winter months. Then I find myself setting the temperature higher turning it from low to medium and back to maintain the temperature I want.
Unfortunately, it's not realistically designed to heat above 250 -275 Degrees F. No matter what they call it, it's still a smoker, more than it is a grill. Even the Owner's Manual says the the optimal operation temperature is 180 to 200 degrees F. It's not designed to sear steaks.
Perhaps, if it was made of cast iron, rather than sheet steel, you could get the temp up past 350 degrees. If you really want a true smoker/grill, pay $700 to $800 and buy a Big Green Egg. And you wont have to buy some specialized pellets to burn in it. Just good old fashioned lump charcoal or wood chunks.
I wish I had better news for you, but it is what it is. Thanks for choosing FixYa.
Hi.
Could be that main oven stat is faulty, and also there is a possibility that the thermal overheat stat is coming in sometimes caused by poor ventilation.
Also there is sometimes a secondary element fitted to cookers which is not always obvious.
More investigation is needed.
I have used the charbroil bullet electric H2O smokers for years (wore 2 out - currently on my 3rd). I won't use anything else (having used many, many others - HOWEVER - as with every product made there are things to watch or overcome. Learn to use it properly and look forward to many years of great BBQ.
Ambient (outside) air temp below 70 (depending on wind also) will affect these smokers drastically - highly recomend getting or making a "smoker blanket" (got mine at cabelas years back - if you can't find one welding blankets from an industrial supply store can be made into one) to insulate the sides - this drastically reduces heat loss and reduces the electrical load.
Another MAJOR mistake many people make is extension cords - avoid the use of them at all if possible - if not possible then purchase the heaviest gauge you can find.
Always pre-heat your smoker - Always use boiling water (or other liquid) in the H2O pan added after smoker is pre-heated - Always minimize opening the smoker once cooking has begun.
The heater element can be cleaned when cold with a very mild detergent and room temp water.
If you have the large 2 rack but are only smoking enough to use a small amount of rack space on only one rack remember that you are heating a whole lot of air - i have a couple (different size) wood boxes wrapped in foil to take up excess air space - this means less air volume to be heated and better heat control - DO NOT use cardboard boxes or other low temp combustable items in the box construction!
Make sure the house outlet you are plugging into is a 3-prong GROUNDED outlet on a 20 amp breaker.
Finally, make sure your smoker is level and remember there can be up to a 20 degree cooking temp swing in temp between the bottom rack and top rack (top rack 5-20 degrees hotter than bottom).
The heater element will cycle on and off during normal use.
My char broil electric smoker is doing the same thing. The heating element goes off as if there is a short. I move the wire a little or lift it up and the light turns back on.
I have the same problem with my smoker. the thermostat goes off after a while and the smoker never gets hot enough. It even through the GFI it was plugged into
The thermostat is not made for outdoor use. It is not sealed and has fragile bare copper inside which quickly corrodes creating electrical resistance and arcing. You can find a replacement without the thermostat
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