MES tripping GFCI

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Well fellow smoker if I had to guess I would point at the heating element. If you can get to the leads and know how to use an Ohm meter, I suggest you try to take a reading. I am not sure what the element should read but MES should be able to supply you with that info. May not be the answer but it is a good place to start.
 
it probably is not a number - from the element to ground or common it should be basically an open circuit - many mega ohms - if it is then that does not prove is it good but is a good sign - as other have noted here the leakage problem can only occur at high voltage - but is it is a short or low (ohms or kilo ohms then it is certainly bad

another way to test would be to remove the element and see if the GFI trips - if it does then the issue is in the unit not in the element - if it does not  trip then it is likely to be the element

LN
 
​I had the same issue a while back. Turned out the GFI outlet in the garage that controlled the outside outlets went bad. I replaced the GFI outlet and haven't had an issue since.

Good luck.
 
As I posted a few months ago, an ohmmeter (part of the multi-meter) may not provide an answer because it uses low voltage to do its measurements. Generally speaking this is a good thing, but it can give you wrong answers when insulation breakdown is involved. Here's the story.

You are trying to measure the resistance between ground (the metal casing of the smoker) and each of the two wires from the plug. When you set the ohmmeter on the most sensitive range (where, if you grab both leads of the ohmmeter, it will measure the resistance through your body) you want to see infinity, i.e., infinite resistance. I am guessing is that is exactly the reading you will get. However, you may still have a problem. The reason for this is that some types of insulation failures are sensitive to the amount of voltage applied. In cases where resistance is constant (which is what Ohm's law assumes), the ohmmeter will still give you a reading, even at the low voltage produced by its batteries. However, insulation breakdown is not linear. The best example with which everyone is familiar is lightning. Nothing happens until the "insulation" provided by the air between the cloud and ground (or between clouds) suddenly breaks down and the electricity flows like crazy. Similarly, in your MES, the insulation may stop current from flowing when a very low voltage is applied, and you will measure nothing, but when enough voltage is applied (like 120 volts), the insulation may "leak," current will flow, and the GFI will trip.

In understanding electricity, it helps to use the water hose analogy: voltage is water pressure; current is the amount of water that flows; and resistance is the size of the hose. In this analogy, you have an insulator that keeps the water from going out of the hose at all. Think of the insulator as a cork that you put in the end of the hose. As long as the water pressure is low, the cork holds and no water flows. This is why your ohmmeter may not measure anything. However, turn up the water pressure to 60 psi, and bam, the cork pops and the water gushes out. If the water is electricity, and if your body is part of the circuit, the result is not pleasant.

There are ways to measure the leakage with a full 120 volts applied, but to do it safely requires an isolation transformer, a device to limit current in case there is a real short, and an ammeter. Only a trained EE or electrician should attempt such a thing. I am an EE, and I'm not sure I'd want to do it.

Just replace the heating element. Based on all the posts here, that is almost certainly the problem.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky