ELECTRICAL QUESTION

[daveomak]

I would use a Silicone controlled Rectifier for a control..
click on this link SCR
It's always on... like a burner on a stove...

 

[Slow42]

Daveomak using the rectifier would control temperature but wouldn’t let me preset temperature settings at different hourly intervals. It would be just like a standard oven temperature controller correct? These are the parts I gathered from an old toaster oven. It says 1200 watts and has three elements. Is that with all the elements on? I was only going to use the rectangular one not the straight ones. They don’t look very robust.

 

[daveomak]

That's a perfect element.... Good find....

My toaster oven only allows for either the upper or lower element to be on at one time... Soooooooo, I'm gonna say, use the rectangular element... Save the others.. you may have a separate circuit available for additional heat....
About the SCR... I have been using one for years... Well, 3 maybe, and it's awesome.... I played with it for a day... turned it to a setting and let it run... noted the setting and the temp.... repeated that scenario.... It's ball park accurate... When I put meat in the smoker, I adjust it high to accommodate the cold meat... come back in an hour or 2 and adjust...... It's no different than adjusting the temp on a gas burner stove or your propane BBQ.... EXCEPT, it reacts much slower... The nice thing is... If you have a temp controller, like the MES30, which I have, you can adjust the temp below the set temps for cold smoking... I run my MES at 70ish all the time for bacon and the like.... A temp difference of +/- 20 deg. F is nothing to worry about... Save yourself $100+ dollars and have a reason to check your smoker every hour or 2....
I also use one continually on my electric skillet so the heat when it calls for it isn't screaming hot.. I can regulate the heat to something reasonable for making chili... etc.... also use it on my immersion blender when mixing stuff up... adjust the speed down so it doesn't blow stuff all over the kitchen... I have an appliance extension cord set up with the SCR added in the cord... I use it on any plug in appliance...

 

[Slow42]

Thanks Daveomak I’ll figure out how to wire it when I get the other parts. Thanks again!

 

[daveomak]

Easy to wire....

 

[Slow42]

I have a problem with the wiring of the element? When plugged in the GFI keeps tripping. If I remove the ground wire, from the element, everything works as it should. I tried a different element and the result was the same.

I removed the ground wire from the element and screwed it into the metal smoker box. This did not trip the GFI and the element worked.

Is this going to be safe?

 

[daveomak]

Yes.... The element should NOT have a ground wire connected to it...
Wires... black and white should should connect to the AC input and voltage output lugs have wires that go to each end of the element...
The ground wire connects to the smoker body, in the event there is a fault in the wiring..

 

[Slow42]

Thanks again Daveomak. It seems that all the elements have a third wire coming from the element mounting bracket the goes somewhere. Any idea what the purpose of the wire might be. I though it was the ground wire.

 

[daveomak]

Got a picture??

 

[daveomak]

In a 110V system, the wires that supply current to an element are...
The 110v supply wire... usually black...
The Neutral wire... usually white....
The ground wire, usually green, is connected to the chassis of the appliance as a safety device... In the event something fails in the wiring, and electricity goes to the chassis, the electricity goes to ground... electricity "usually" follows the path of least resistance.. Your body is not a good conductor so the electricity takes the route of the ground wire and you should be safe...

 

[Slow42]

This is one of the elements and the other is just the same setup. The top two holes are mounting holes. The middle hole between the element tubes had a wire attached to it, via small bolt, which I removed. The one I took off from the toaster oven I cut the wire but didn’t think to see where It went.

 

[daveomak]

The one hole between the element lugs would be for a ground connection... If the GFCI trips when that is hooked up, could very well indicate your element is leaking electricity to that mounting bracket...
If you have a multi meter, check for continuity between that bracket and the element lugs.... No continuity, and the GFCI trips, probably a leakage that might be solved by cleaning the element near the bracket.... use a wire brush and clean the element to remove any carbon buildup.... Wire brush the bracket also, near the element....
If the element heats up correctly, and the breaker doesn't trip, you are golden....

 

[Slow42]

Daveomak thanks but that advice contradicts what you stated above in the above post. You state the ground wire should NOT be connected to the element. Another person said the same thing. I just may be misunderstanding what you and others have told me about the ground wires. All I know is the power cord has a ground wire and apparently the element mounting bracket has a place for a ground wire. I had both my elements professionally tested and there is no leakage from either element.

 

[daveomak]

You state the ground wire should NOT be connected to the element.
That's correct.... The bracket is not part of the element... It holds it in place and should not have any connection/continuity to the element...
No leakage from either element... connect it to the SCR as the picture describes.... You will be good to go....

 

[Slow42]

Ok now that’s all straighten out, bracket. I’m right back to where all this started. When a ground wire is connected to the bracket the GFI pops. This happens with two different elements that apparently are good, professionally tested. It doesn’t matter if it’s a SCR, PID or XYZ the GFI pops. The problem has to be how the ground wires are attached. Just a guess.

 

[daveomak]

The ground wire on the cord shoud be attached to the chassis of the smoker in the event there is an electrical fault somewhere in the smoker.. Then the stray electricity will go to the grounding buss in the electrical panel....

 

[Slow42]

Daveomak that’s the way I have it set up now and it works fine. It was the other posts about grounding safety that concerned me. If electric current is leaking it has to be going somewhere. At least somewhere it could be tested. I had the elements tested and they are good. I’ll hook up the smoker and see if I can test if the ground wire has electricity going through it.

 

[daveomak]

The ground wire and the neutral wire are connected to the same buss in the electrical panel..
If all is working now, you will be good to go....

 

[Slow42]

Ok now you have me thinking. I wired the power cord to the element, white wire to one side and black to the other. Ground to box. Is that correct for the element?

 

[daveomak]

YEP... white wire to one side and black to the other .. Same thing on all 110V circuits... Ground to the cabinet somewhere so any stray electricity has somewhere to go, other than you, when there is a failure in the electrical system....