Electrical help needed

[snagged in outlet 3]

I have a GFI outlet that when I plug my smoker into it would ruin my element.  Literally broke it I guess do to overheating.  There is no thermostat on the element.  So this time I plugged a surge protector into it and then plugged smoked into that.  It worked okay but I pulled the surge protector plug from the outlet is was smoking hot.  I'm afraid my house is going to burn down.

Anybody know what's up?

I have not had good luck with electricity.  Smoke between my legs in the Pond Prowler is not what you want to see when your a half mile from the truck and it's into the wind across the lake.

SIO3

[fishinwrench]

I don't mess with AC. The last time I did I welded the washer to the dryer.  The electrician said, "You only did one thing wrong..... you touched it in the first place".  

Overheating in a circuit is usually caused from a bad connection.  Call the best electrician you can afford, and do it immediately if not sooner.

[Gavin]

You could plug the smoker into another outlet and see if that one gets hot. If it does, the problem is the smoker, not the outlet. If it does not its the outlet or the wiring leading to the outlet that you are currently using. Would call an electrician to diagnose and replace the problem outlet regardless. Heat & Electricity do not mix.

 

 

 

 

 

[lee G.]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

I don't mess with AC. The last time I did I welded the washer to the dryer.  The electrician said, "You only did one thing wrong..... you touched it in the first place".  

Overheating in a circuit is usually caused from a bad connection.  Call the best electrician you can afford, and do it immediately if not sooner.

Sounds like you got a good connection on the washer and dryer!

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I have a couple ideas, but am no electrician.  Need to know what the smoker draws amperage wise.  Also need to know what amp rating your gfci outlet is.  You are in a kind of catch 22 also.  Your smoker has a limit of power draw, the shuts off, then on again.  Doing that will wreak havoc on the gfci.  Here's the catch 22.  You have to have gfci protection on outside outlets.  

[MOPanfisher]

How is the outlet itself, does the plug fit tightly with no wiggle?  Loose fit will also cause the plug to get hot.  

[bfishn]

Just now, MOPanfisher said:

How is the outlet itself, does the plug fit tightly with no wiggle?  Loose fit will also cause the plug to get hot.  

Yeah, if the outlet's hot and the smoker cord (assuming OEM) isn't noticeably warm, there's a high resistance (bad) connection at the outlet. Could be a poor plug fit, but most likely the feed wire connection. If the installer was lazy (or greedy), he used the quick pushin connection on the back instead of under the screws on the side. The pushin only has a contact area where just the edges of two spring tabs actually touch the service wire. They'll work fine with the common 2-3A loads they see, but make 'em earn their keep, and they lay down.

If that's the case, just snip, strip, and use the screws. If the GFCI trips after that, it's probably heat damaged, and needs replaced.

(Disclaimer: I was an electrician in a former life. If you dig up what killed me in that life, well, that's just fake news...)