Smoke Hollow electric

[single stack]

I have a small Smoke Hollow electric smoker. It’s about 5 years old. Today I discovered that it has broken down.
I got ready to smoke a fully cooked butt portion ham and the little thing wouldn’t turn on. It popped the GFI. I tried it a couple of tImes including rolling up the thermostat just a little bit. I could feel it start to warm the element and then nothing. Popped the GFI again, All my outside plugs route through the GFI in the garage and I use the smoker on the back patio. I tramped through the house 6 or 7 times.
According to Masterbuilt the controller and cord cost $30 and the element costs $20. Which is the most likely culprit?
Is it possible that the controller and cord is a generic item available at Ace Hardware?

 

[or.slacker]

Is the element where it can get dirty? It's easy with elements in items that pop food (think air fryier) to get food to short out the element and pop breakers. I've fixed more than one. Inspect the element when not plugged in. If dirty, clean it and see if it gets better.
Another item is if there are wires close to the heater that have old shielding, that breaks down over time and could cause a short.
Those are where I'd start.

 

[dsgrey]

Most of those electric smokers die due to rot from condensation - wiring/connnectors become questionable. But it could be the controller or the element. Since it appears to have worked the last time, was the "brain" exposed to water? That's another killer for those smokers.

I'm on my 4th electric smoker and they usually die before 5yo but my current one is 6yo though the upper door hinge and bottom of the door is rotting. I'll upgrade to a decent pellet smoker next though it won't be as idiot proof as the electric ones.

 

[striker55]

GFI get weak also.

 

[single stack]

I opened up the controller/ rheostat this morning. The only obvious problem was that the on light power lead had come off the white lead. I’ll clean up the element and try it again on a different circuit.
The smoker has only been caught in the rain once. It resides nice and dry in the shed.
Thanks for the responses.

 

[G O B]

VOM's are cheap, a few $$ for a cheap one. It would be cheaper to use a meter to find the ground than to replace parts willy nilly.

 

[single stack]

I reattached the wire for the indicator light and scrubbed the element. With the use of an extension cord I plugged the smoker into the kitchen circuit.
The indicator light came on and the smoker was on its way working like new.
At this point, I have to believe the GFI is weak as suggested by Striker.
Thanks all.

 

[single stack]

Replaced the GFI, plugged in the smoker, it ran up to almost 100 degrees and popped the GFi.
Poop!
I tried the kitchen circuit again and the smoker popped that GFI too. I must not have waited long enough during the first test.
I guess the poor thing is broke.

At least I saw how to wire up a new GFI duplex plug. The Levitron instruction's were easily understood.