Masterbuilt 40" Shocks

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smokincoachk

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 19, 2011
2
10
Howdy! 

i have had a 40" Masterbuilt Electric Smoker for about 4 months.  Used it the other day to smoke some yard bird.  When I went to open the unit to take the meat out, I felt like I touched an electric fence.  Where ever I touched it, I got shocked. 

No water near the unit.  Cord wasn't in water. 

Any clues?  I am waiting for a call back from customer service at masterbuilt
 
I would just ask my wife to open the smoker door.....problem solved 
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I would un-plug the unit. I think the power cord has been cut and has come in contact with the smoker body. Could be very dangerous. Probally internal. Send it back for a replacement.
 
Sounds like a bad ground, could be the smoker or where it's plugged in. Do you have one of these to check the wall outlet? At least this would tell you if it's the smoker or something else.

55e7f729_Receptacle-Tester-3T885_AS01.jpg
 
Sounds like a bad ground, could be the smoker or where it's plugged in. Do you have one of these to check the wall outlet? At least this would tell you if it's the smoker or something else.

55e7f729_Receptacle-Tester-3T885_AS01.jpg


Is the ground plug still on your MES cord?

Is the outlet grounded?

You were obviously grounded (grin), so I don't have to ask that...

Were you using an extension cord without a ground?
 
Is the ground plug still on your MES cord?

Is the outlet grounded?

You were obviously grounded (grin), so I don't have to ask that...

Were you using an extension cord without a ground?
Good to check the point of contact, maybe a plug back from that source had a vacuum plugged in repeatedly and loosened a wire contact. (Grin).  Is the heat makin folks grumpy lately here or what. 
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 Sheesh, I'm just answering a question. 
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You could check for short to ground using a multimeter. Sounds like something inside the unit could be "HOT" causing the issue. Wire inside or something similar. If your worried about it, you could always send it back. Getting shocked is no fun, that's for sure. I work for John Deere, and am around these sort of things all the time ( Electrical Engineering). So be careful with it.
 
I have the same problem with my 30 inch Masterbuilt.  Great smoker, but this 4th of July smoker gave me the "electric fence" shock.  It's plugged into a GFI so not enough of a short to trip the GFI.  Apparently no one have solved this mystery.  Smoker is about 2 years old, well kept covered under a patio. Thought it may be from the digital controls since it felt like a low voltage shock, but could not get the control off to check it out....
 
If you have it plugged into a GFI protected outlet and still got a shock there is something wrong with the wiring of the outlet or the GFI. You should never feel a shock from a properly working GFI. So that is your first problem. You should be plugging into a properly working, three pronged, GFI protected outlet. If you must use an extension cord, it most be a heavy gauge, heavy duty, outdoor three prong cord.

Has you smoker been exposed to rain or moisture? Is the power cord in good condition, paying particular attention to where it enters the body of the unit? If all that is taken care of, it's time to do some testing with a multimeter and open it up to check internal wiring.
 
Just a thought, and probably a wrong headed thought:  Were you barefooted?  I ask because as a kid in the early 60's, I got zapped getting a haircut on the carport when my bare foot touched the concrete.  On another occasion, barefooted again, I grabbed an electric drill that was plugged in. Knocked me on my keister. As a 10 year old, I was a slow learner.  It's common to be barefooted in the summer so I thought I was ask. But really, a wire may have come loose in the unit and is in contact with the cabinet.
 
I thought the same thing, I tested out my GFI which I have a pool pump plugged into and it trips as advertised,  I may change it out just to make sure.  I have another GFI outlet that I can test the smoker on when I get the chance.  The shock must be low voltage it is more of a tingle than a shock.  If you touch any part of the metal you feel it,  The cord looks good, it has been covered and has been well taken care of.  I thought the problem may be coming from the control panel since it is probably working on a lower voltage. It was plugged directly into the GFI outlet no extension cord. I'll post if I make any headway with this problem.
 
No I wasn't barefoot, I tried to looked under the control panel and I did not see any bare wires.  It lifts about a fourth of an inch from the cabinet.  Maybe I'll shim it off the cabinet with some wood chips and see if the problem still exists. 
 
Mine did the same thing to me and my 3 year old son a few weeks ago. Called customer service and they told me to cut the cord and the metal identification plate off the back of the smoker and mail it to them. They said when they receive those components they will ship me another unit.
 
Thanks Moses, I think I'll do the same.  I'm thinking it's not worth risking trying to fix it.  I'll contact them and see what happens.
 
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